Can Something Come From Nothing?

Bismillah, in the name of Allah, the Most Merciful the Especially Merciful

At-Tur (The Mountain) 52:35-36

"Were they created by nothing, or were they the creators of themselves? Or did they create the heavens and the earth? Nay, they have no certainty."

Al Mu’minun (The Believers) 23:115

"Did you think We created you in vain, and that you would not be returned to Us?"

Yunus (Jonah) 20:34

Say, “Is there any one from your ‘associate-gods’ who originates the creation, then brings it again? To where then, are you being turned away (by your desires)?”

The creation of the universe has always been a mystery, how does the universe even exist in the first place? Such fundamental questions have perplexed humanity since the dawn of the day, even to the likes of philosophers, scientists, and even theologians. In the pursuit of answers—attempts with diverse approach have already been paved, be it like using philosophical argument, through science, or even relying from the source—claimed to be transcendent.

Can something come from nothing? If there is no space, no energy, no matter, no agency--the very absolute nothingness--can that be a means for something to exist? As sophisticated this question might be, this question, in and of itself, is tremendously absurd by its nature. In order for something to exist there must be “Something” that initiates everything, that brought something to existence. To put it in the mathematical terms, 0+0+0 will always be equal to zero (nothing). This simple yet profound assertion is a clear illustration, yet many people heedless of it.

Can nothingness bring something into the existence? Nay! The fact that the universe exist necessitate the existence of “Something” that begins everything. “That Something” must be eternal, independent, and have no beginning, if “That Something” that brings something into the existence, bound by the concept of time (have beginning and not eternal) or in need of something to exist (not independent), then we would fall in the concept of infinite chain of regression.

📖 Narrated by Abu Huraira (RA):

"The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: ‘Satan will come to one of you and say, "Who created this? And who created that?" Until he asks, "Who created your Lord?"

If this happens, let him seek refuge in Allah and stop thinking about it.'

Sahih al-Bukhari 3276

Some may turn to the findings of modern physics (science) for answers. But one must acknowledge that science operates on the principle of sufficient reason (everything must have a reason or cause). The general consensus among the likes of scientists and scholars (even among atheist) agrees that the universe has a starting point (not eternal), and that starting point is often called the Big Bang. The Big Bang theory posits that the universe initially was a hot, and extremely dense state often described as singularity, then expanded very quickly.

Ad-Dhariyyat (51:47)

“We built the universe with ˹great˺ might, and We are certainly expanding ˹it˺.”

This idea of an expanding universe was discovered in 1920s by an astronomer named Edwin Hubble. For centuries, many scientists, philosophers and the likes believed that universe is static, meaning it had always existed in an unchanging form. However, the Qur'an, ~1400 years ago, explicitly describe that universe as expanding--something that only scientifically confirmed in the 20th century. How could the Qur'an, a 7th-century text, knows about this information?

But what was there before the Big Bang, is the question that one would naturally arrive to. As great science as can be, there are realms of understanding that go beyond what science and empirical investigation can currently touch. Whatever was before the Big Bang is outside the realm of science, because science only talks about physical world—that are observable through 5 senses—it’s based on materialism.

The universe is also can not come into existence by itself. Logically, nothing can create itself, this level of absurd is paramount to saying that a mother gave birth to herself. Also, the universe comprise of magnitude of energy and matter, energy and matter is not a conscious entity that moves by itself, therefore they would require a cause that causes them to move.

Therefore, naturally we will arrive at the conclusion that there must be “An Ultimate First Cause” . We Muslim, refer “That First Cause” as Allah.

Al-Ikhlas (The Sincerity) (112)

Say: “He is Allah, the One and Unique; Allah, Who is in need of none and of Whom all are in need; He neither begot any nor was He begotten, and none is comparable to Him.”

But as compelling as it may be—many would still turn away, and shielding their denial behind the veil of ‘reason’ and ‘rationality’, branding it far-fetched, dismissing it as fanciful, not because it lacks The Truth, but because The Truth demands what they dare not confront. How spiritually-bankrupt, intellectually-stunted, and psychologically-dwarfed for the very words they utter!

Their likeness, as the Qur’an declares, is not different than…

Al-Baqarah (The Cow) (2:171)

The example of the disbelievers ˹not responding to the Messenger’s warning˺ is like a flock not comprehending the calls and cries of the shepherd. ˹They are wilfully˺ deaf, dumb and blind so they have no understanding.

Yusuf (Joseph) (12:105)

How many signs in the heavens and the earth do they pass by with indifference!

Let us humble ourselves, then, and reflect—-do not walk in the land with a head lifted in pride (arrogantly). For The Truth seized not in arrogance, rather in reverence. To see things beyond the veil of desires, one must acknowledge their limit. The one who acknowledges the limitations of self, is not diminished in intellect—rather elevated by it. That is not intellectual deficiency, that is intellectual victory—the triumph of the soul over the self.

Ali ‘Imran (Family of Imran) 3:190

Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of the day and night there are signs for people of reason. ˹They are˺ those who remember Allah while standing, sitting, and lying on their sides, and reflect on the creation of the heavens and the earth ˹and pray˺, “Our Lord! You have not created ˹all of˺ this without purpose. Glory be to You! Protect us from the torment of the Fire.