Question about the creation of mountains in the quran

[AM71]

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah,

I’ve read in the Quran that Allah created the mountains in two days (Surah Fussilat 41:9-10), but I also learned from modern science that mountains usually take millions of years to form through tectonic activity. And also that some mountains are being formed still today. Could you kindly help me understand how to reconcile this with the Quranic wording? Is this an opposition between islam and science in this case ?!
Jazakum Allahu khayran for your time and help.
Sincerely,

 

[Fatima ...]

May the peace, mercy, and blessings of God be upon you. Welcome. First, may God enlighten your insight into this contemplation and connection between science and religion.


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Simple Answer:

1. We Quran says "God created", it means He planned, commanded, and set the system

In Arabic, especially in the Quran, the word “created” (خَلَقَ) doesn’t always mean something happened instantly or completely at once.
It can also mean that God:

decreed,

designed,

and set the natural laws that will make it happen.


So when Allah says He "created mountains", it means He created the system that would make mountains over time — like the tectonic plates, pressure, and volcanic activity.

So the mountains we see forming today?
They are forming because of God’s command from the beginning — His system is still working.


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2. God is not bound by time like we are

We humans live in time: past, present, and future.
But God created time itself, so He is not inside of time.

> As the Quran says:
“A day with your Lord is like a thousand years of what you count” (Surah Al-Hajj: 47)



This means when God says "in two days", it’s a phase, not a 24-hour day.
And when He says "He created", it doesn’t mean it's over and done — it means He started the process.


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3. Continuous creation does not contradict the original act of creation

The Quran also says:

> "Every day He is bringing about a matter" (Surah Ar-Rahman: 29)



So yes, God is always managing and creating.
That doesn’t mean He didn’t already plan and begin everything from the start.

For example:

God created the process of pregnancy — but new babies are born every day.

God created the law of gravity — but things still fall today.

God created mountains — and they continue forming through His natural laws.


This is all part of His continuous control, not a contradiction.


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Final Summary:

When the Quran says “God created the mountains in two days”, it means He established the system in a certain phase of Earth’s creation.

The fact that some mountains are still forming today is not a contradiction — it's part of the same system that God put in place.

God is not limited by time like we are — there is no "past, present, and future" for Him. He knows and controls all of time.

Science explains how things form. The Quran tells us Who created them and why. The two work together