Originally Posted by mariam.

THE EXPANSION OF THE UNIVERSE

In the Qur'an, which was revealed fourteen centuries ago at a time when the science of astronomy was still primitive, the expansion of the universe was described in the following terms:

And it is We Who have constructed the heaven with might, and verily, it is We Who are steadily expanding it. (Qur'an, 51:47)

The word "heaven," as stated in the verse above, is used in various places in the Qur'an. It is referring to space and the wider universe. Here again, the word is used with this meaning, stating that the universe "expands." The Arabic word "moosiaaoona" in the term "inna lamoosiaaoona," translated into English as "it is We Who are steadily expanding it", comes from the verb "evsea," meaning "to expand." The prefix "la" emphasises the following name or title and adds a sense of "to a great extent." This expression therefore means "We expand the sky or the universe to a great extent." This is the very conclusion that science has reached today.

There is no mention in the Quran that God has expanded "heaven" steadily.

That "steadily" is an interpretation which has been added to make believe that the verse follows the theory of the expanding universe.

God could have expanded the universe instantaneously as well.

Originally Posted by Cyril

There is no mention in the Quran that God has expanded "heaven" steadily.

That "steadily" is an interpretation which has been added to make believe that the verse follows the theory of the expanding universe.

God could have expanded the universe instantaneously as well.

And your proof is from...?

Originally Posted by Fi_Sabilillah

And your proof is from...?

From the Arabic Quran of course.

Originally Posted by Cyril

From the Arabic Quran of course.

Oh, so all the commentators of the Qur'an and interpretors have been wrong, and you've proved them all wrong?


Maybe you could clarify your position abit more?

Originally Posted by Fi_Sabilillah

And your proof is from...?

It is at least implied in Mariam's quote which gives two translations;

"it is We Who are steadily expanding it"

and

"We expand the sky or the universe to a great extent"

Those who are fluent in Arabic can no doubt tell us whether "inna lamoosiaaoona" actually includes the 'steadily' or not?

Yes ^ therefore we get a fluent arabic speaker to clarify the situation, we don't start saying the persons wrong simply upon our own 'interpretation.' One interpreter may not have known the full science behind it and therefore not explained it in that context. Especially since the arabic language is a rich language.

We'll just have to get someone who is a fluent arabic speaker to answer the situation, and right now - we take the original context of it since that is what the article is referring to.



Regards.

Perhaps that Arabic speaker could also explain the following translations, and why they differ from the one quoted (whose translation is that, BTW?) ;

Yusuf Ali

With power and skill did We construct the Firmament: for it is We Who create the vastness of space.

Pickthal:

We have built the heaven with might, and We it is Who make the vast extent (thereof)

Shakir:

And the heaven, We raised it high with power, and most surely We are the makers of things ample.

Try creating a thread in the arabic section I think we have some similar threads there already for a topic related to this, so yeah - go ahead please. Since that's what the sections created for.

The first translation of the verse that has been given in the thread is from Adnan Öktar, Harun Yahya by his pen-name.

Most translators did not include the notion of "continuousness" in their work.

An Arabic verb does not give the notion of duration as the English present continuous does. That notion is given or not by the context.

here is the verse in Arabic.. and I'll give meaning to it word by word

وَالسَّمَاء بَنَيْنَاهَا بِأَيْدٍ وَإِنَّا لَمُوسِعُونَ {47}

[Pickthal 51:47] We have built the heaven with might, and We it is Who make the vast extent (thereof).

وَالسَّمَاءAs'sama = heaven or also skies.. when I say sab3 samawat means 7 heavens
when i say as'sama zarqaa= the sky is blue..

adding the و

is meant to denote (and) so the first would be and the heavens we've built

now the next word banynaha بَنَيْنَاهَا means we have built adding the B in banyenaha means we built

بِأَيْدٍ

be'ayd ( with might)


وَإِنَّا and we can one letter in Arabic can be a whole word hence the language of the quran is mighty powerful و by itself means (and)

لَمُوسِعُونَ lamowso3oon --can make it expand you can say (mawswoo3a alkalimat) for instance means an expanded dictionary or expanded words--
lamwisi3oon-- can we make it expand.. basically the heavens we have built and we'll expand

hope that was of help? I am not sure what the question is but that is the Arabic of it

peace!

Addendum

وَالسَّمَاء بَنَيْنَاهَا بِأَيْدٍ وَإِنَّا لَمُوسِعُونَ {47}

[Pickthal 51:47] We have built the heaven with might, and We it is Who make the vast extent (thereof).
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 51:47]
Aqa Mahdi Puya says:

Although the frontiers of space are confined, they are not fixed. They can be expanded.

you can find Pooya's explanation here without resorting to Yaha's page

http://www.*************/quran/
or also
http://tafsir.com/Default.asp

peace

Originally Posted by Cyril

The first translation of the verse that has been given in the thread is from Adnan Öktar, Harun Yahya by his pen-name.

Now why doesn't that surprise me....


PurestAmbrosia; thank you for your explanation of the Arabic.

is my translation and that of pooya's explanation documented in the multilingual quran, whose link I provided not satisfactory?

Originally Posted by PurestAmbrosia

is my translation and that of pooya's explanation documented in the multilingual quran, whose link I provided not satisfactory?

From the post above you, I think Trumble admits to his error.

The Arabic word lamuusi3uun(a) لَمُوسِعُونَ (the final "a" is not pronounced at pause) is the intensive prefix "la-" followed by muusi3uun which is not a verb actually but a plural active participle of the verb awsa3a which means to make vast.

So the name muusi3 in the singular means "he who makes things vast". It has also some derived meanings as "he who is rich" or "he who is able to do something".

The Arabic "wainnaa lamuusi3uuna" translates literally as "and We (=God) (are) indeed makers of vast things" or "givers of vastness to things" or as Shakir says "the makers of things ample".

That is the literal meaning. Most translators prefer to translate by a verb like to expand or to spread out.

The translators differ simply because none of them are native Arabic speaker
Marmaduke Pickthall was British, stick him in any search engine, he was from a noble British family and fantastic breed, he became Muslim and was one of the first to translate the noble Quran
Yusufali was Indian, I believe him to be a shiite but that isn't the important point here Author: M H Shakir (1904-1959); Title: The Quran, Arabic and English; Published in 1981, with a brief biography indicating Mahomedali Habib (MH Shakir is a pen name) died 1959 days after completing this translation. This translation is largely taken from Maulana Muhammed Ali’s translation with English updated to middle century style-- in other words two non-native Arabic speakers and the third is modified!

better translations have come since. though the effort of the first pioneers is much appreciated.

Now.. I have several words that describe someone who cannot admit when they are wrong, and enjoy vain discourse...
Law konti tata'hadathi al'3rbya bila'baqa wa tastate3een an taqr'ey hazha fa anti 7imara...
did you understand what I just wrote? if you didn't then I'd suggest you refrain from looking for a translation that suits your fancy.
peace