Was the earth created first or the skies?
Question:
In the Quran, in 2:29, it says that the earth was created before the heavens. But in 79:27-32 it says the earth was created after. Isn’t this a contradiction?
Answer:
Let us look at the two sets of verses.
He is the One Who created everything in the earth for you. Then He turned towards the heaven, forming it into seven heavens. And He has ˹perfect˺ knowledge of all things. (2:29)
Which is harder to create: you or the sky? He built it, raising it high and forming it flawlessly.He dimmed its night, and brought forth its daylight.As for the earth, He spread it out as well, bringing forth its water and pastures and setting the mountains firmly ˹upon it˺ (79:27-32)
When the verses are translated correctly, there is no contradiction. In the first set of verses it is evident that the heavens were perfected after the creation of the earth. In the second set of verses, there is no sequence mentioned. Rather Allah is enumerating the things He has done in no particular order. Why people confuse this, is because of the phraseology used. In verse 30, Allah uses the words bada thaalika which are translated correctly as “as well” but literally it means after that. Therefore, based on this very literal translation, people often think it saying the earth was spread out after that (meaning the heavens) and thereby come up with the objection.
However, in the arabic language, this term, ba’da thaalik, when used in a list of enumerating bounties or qualities, is preponderantly understood as “in addition to” or “over and above that”. Like if you were to tell your child, i paid for your school fees, on top of that i paid for tuition after school. The same term, ba’da thaalik, would be used but it would not imply anything chronological.
This same usage is found elsewhere in the Quran. In chapter 68 we read the following description of a disbeliever.
And do not obey the despicable, vain oath-taker, slanderer, gossip-monger, withholder of good, transgressor, evildoer, brute, and—on top of all that—an illegitimate child.
In the above verses, the exact same phrase, ba’da thaalika, is used and it is apparent to everyone that it means “on top of that” or “in addition to”. It cannot mean that he became an illegitimate child after all of those other qualities.
It is thus clear that there is no contradiction whatsoever, and only a lack of understanding of the nuance of the Arabic language