25:59
He Who created the heavens and the earth and all that is between, in six days, and is firmly established on the Throne (of Authority): Allah Most Gracious: ask thou, then, about Him of any acquainted (with such things).
The use of the word ‘Day’ in the Quran
Verses such as Qur’an 32:5 (Sūrat al-Sajdah, The Prostration) and Qur’an 7:54 (Sūrat al-Aʿrāf, The Heights) suggest that the Qur’anic concept of time is not restricted to the conventional human measurement of a twenty-four-hour day. The Arabic term yawm (day) can also signify a longer, undefined period or epoch. This broader semantic range helps clarify the Qur’anic description of creation occurring in six ayyām (periods), referenced in several passages (Qur’an 7:54; 10:3; 11:7; 25:59; 32:4; 57:4). Since the concept of a twenty-four-hour day is dependent on the Earth’s rotation—an event that presupposes the existence of the Earth itself—the “six days” of creation are better understood as six stages or phases in the process of cosmic formation.
This interpretation aligns with modern cosmological understanding, which describes the development of the universe as a series of stages, beginning with primordial gaseous matter and progressing through the formation of galaxies, planetary systems, and the Earth’s atmosphere, waters, and minerals. The Qur’anic reference to sequential stages of creation therefore resonates with contemporary scientific insights regarding the gradual evolution of the cosmos.
In contrast, many ancient cosmologies—such as those of Egypt, China, and India—often contained mythological depictions of the universe, including ideas of the world resting upon animals or existing eternally without developmental stages. The Qur’anic account, however, emphasizes an ordered process of creation over defined periods.
This perspective also contributes to discussions concerning Biblical interpretations of creation. For example, the Biblical passage stating that “on the seventh day God finished His work that He had done, and He rested” (Genesis 2:2, New Revised Standard Version) has been interpreted by some traditions as implying divine rest after creation. The Qur’an explicitly rejects the notion of divine fatigue, affirming instead that God created the heavens and the earth in six periods without any weariness: “We created the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them in six days, and no fatigue touched Us” (Qur’an 50:38).
References:
Ali, Project. THE QURAN: Its Undeniable Miracles . Unknown. Kindle Edition.