Epigraph:

وَالسَّمَاءَ بَنَيْنَاهَا بِأَيْدٍ وَإِنَّا لَمُوسِعُونَ

وَالْأَرْضَ فَرَشْنَاهَا فَنِعْمَ الْمَاهِدُونَ

وَمِن كُلِّ شَيْءٍ خَلَقْنَا زَوْجَيْنِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَكَّرُونَ

And We (Allah) have built the heavens as a manifestation of several of Our attributes, and surely We go on expanding the universe. We spread out the earth –– how well We smoothed it out! And We created pairs of all things so that you may reflect. (Al Quran 51:47-49)

Written and collected by Zia H Shah MD, Chief Editor of the Muslim Times

According to the current scientific understanding, the observable universe spans approximately 93 billion light-years across, with the furthest point from Earth being around 46.5 billion light-years away in any direction, due to the ongoing expansion of the universe; this means the “edge” of the observable universe is constantly moving further away from us.

This amazing reality of Einsteinian physics and beyond was revealed in a short Quranic verse some 1450 years ago, quoted as epigraph above. Not only that, verse one removed from the expanding universe verse, revealed an epic-making and groundbreaking reality of quantum mechanics, when it talks about metaphysics and says that everything God created is in pairs: How Electron and Positron Enhance My Belief in the Quran and God’s Providence? The Quran not only states these realities but suggests that we should reflect on these realities, the expanding universe, geology of our earth and mysteries of quantum mechanics and that will indeed expand our horizons.

Modern cosmology seeks to understand the universe’s structure, dimensions, and dynamic nature. Central to this exploration are the concepts of the universe’s dimensions and its ongoing expansion.

Impressed by the Quranic amazing revelation of scientific and other realities, when we truly honor the Quran and read it as the word of the All-Knowing God, we receive new epiphanies. When we read in the Quran that God is closer to us than our jugular veins (50:16), He knows our innermost thoughts (5:7, 11:5, 50:16), He has all aspects of the universe in His complete control (57:1-6), He can grant tranquility to humans at any moment in time (3:154), He can reveal the Quran to Muhammad, may peace be on him (25:1), and that paradise covers the expanse of the universe (3:133), we are convinced of extra dimensions in our universe, which we take to be three dimensional presently.

Dimensions of the Universe

In everyday experience, we perceive the universe as having three spatial dimensions—length, width, and height—plus one temporal dimension, time. This four-dimensional spacetime framework, as described by Einstein’s theory of general relativity, effectively explains gravitational phenomena and the large-scale structure of the cosmos.

However, theoretical models, particularly string theory, propose additional spatial dimensions beyond the familiar three. String theory suggests that the universe comprises up to ten dimensions: the four known dimensions and six extra spatial dimensions that are compactified or hidden at scales beyond current experimental detection. These additional dimensions are integral to unifying the fundamental forces of nature within a single theoretical framework. Phys.org

Expansion of the Universe

The universe is not static; it has been expanding since the Big Bang approximately 13.8 billion years ago. This expansion means that galaxies are moving away from each other, with more distant galaxies receding faster—a relationship quantified by the Hubble constant. Encyclopedia Britannica

According to current measurements, the universe is expanding at a rate of approximately 67.4 kilometers per second per megaparsec (a distance equivalent to 3.26 million light-years). This is often referred to as the Hubble Constant. While it may appear that the universe is expanding faster than the speed of light, technically, this isn’t true because the expansion of space itself isn’t considered a “speed” in the same way that an object moving through space is; therefore, it doesn’t violate the laws of physics that say nothing can travel faster than light; however, at extremely large distances, the expansion of space can make it seem like objects are receding from us faster than light speed.

Recent observations, including those from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), indicate that the universe’s expansion rate is faster than previously predicted by standard cosmological models. This discrepancy, known as the “Hubble tension,” suggests that our understanding of the universe’s composition, particularly dark energy and dark matter, may be incomplete. Reuters

Implications for Modern Cosmology

The concepts of multiple dimensions and the universe’s accelerating expansion have profound implications for cosmology:

• Unification of Forces: The existence of extra dimensions could provide a pathway to unify gravity with the other fundamental forces, advancing the quest for a Theory of Everything.
• Nature of Dark Energy: Understanding the accelerated expansion may offer insights into dark energy, the mysterious force driving this phenomenon, which constitutes about 68% of the universe’s total energy density. Center for Astrophysics
• Cosmological Models: Addressing the Hubble tension might require revising current cosmological models, potentially leading to new physics beyond the Standard Model.

In summary, modern cosmology continues to explore the universe’s dimensions and its expansion, striving to unravel the complexities of its origin, structure, and ultimate fate. Taking confidence from its expansion, I propose that in time extra dimensions will also be confirmed that will justify Quranic descriptions of God’s knowledge, His Providence, our psychological dependence on Him and our afterlife.

This is prospectively predicting something from the holy Quran, which is not yet an established reality among physicists and cosmologists.

Recent Discoveries in Cosmology:

Webb telescope confirms the universe is expanding at an unexpected rate

Visualizing the Beyond

Findings by dark energy researchers back Einstein’s conception of gravity