Before we reach for the miraculous, we must first consider the mundane.
What are the odds the Quran is coincidentally right?
Pretty good.
Consider there's only three options here:
- Expanding.
- Contracting.
- Static.
If picked at random the odds are 1-in-3; not bad.
But it isn't random. Consider "The heavens, We have built them with might. And verily, We are making them smaller." It's unlikely a holy text will glorify creation by saying it's contracting.
That leaves us with expanding or static. Expanding is an expression of power and might and awe. Static is an expression of constancy, reliability, and unending power. Either seems likely.
So about 50/50.
This is before considering that we're combing through the text to find verses which match modern scientific understanding while discarding those which do not.
Interpreting holy texts literally.
As always with reading of holy texts literally, there are other interpretations with different implications.
For example, I have a copy of a translation by M. H. Shakir which interprets it as an expression of the Lord's power to create.
And the heaven, We raised it high with power, and most surely We are the makers of things ample.
But I'm no expert. Let's take this interpretation at face value.
What else does the Quran say about the heavens?
If we're going to interpret this one verse of the Quran as God informing us of the reality of the universe, we have to examine the other parts of the Quran that speak of the "the heavens" and see how they match reality. Otherwise we'd be cherry picking.
There are seven heavens and they were made in two days.
So He formed the heaven into seven heavens in two Days, assigning to each its mandate. And We adorned the lowest heaven with ˹stars like˺ lamps ˹for beauty˺ and for protection.
41:12
Then He turned towards the heaven, forming it into seven heavens.
2:29
The heavens have soldiers.
We did not send any soldiers from the heavens against his people after his death, nor did We need to.
36:28
Stars are for decoration and protection from eavesdroppers.
We have adorned the lowest heaven with the stars for decoration and ˹for˺ protection from every rebellious devil. They cannot listen to the highest assembly ˹of angels˺ for they are pelted from every side, ˹fiercely˺ driven away. And they will suffer an everlasting torment.
37:6,9
And indeed, We adorned the lowest heaven with ˹stars like˺ lamps, and made them ˹as missiles˺ for stoning ˹eavesdropping˺ devils
67:5
The seventh heaven has a tree.
at the Lote Tree of the most extreme limit ˹in the seventh heaven˺—
53:14
The Quran refers to the heavens as a physical place which was made in two days and needs protection from eavesdroppers. It has soldiers, seven levels, and a tree. In this context, the verse is referring to expanding that creation.
Whether you believe that place exists is up to you, but it bears little resemblance to our modern astrophysics.