
THE END OF THE UNIVERSE AND THE BIG CRUNCH

The Big Crunch theory proposes
that the universe, that began expanding with the Big
Bang, will collapse in on itself with increasing speed.
According to the theory, this collapse of the universe
will continue until the universe has lost all its mass
and turned into a single point of infinite density.
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As we have stated above, the creation of the universe
began with a huge explosion. From this point, the universe has been
expanding ever since. Scientists say that when the mass of the universe
has reached a sufficient level, this expansion will come to an end
because of gravity, causing the universe to collapse in on itself.
3
It is also believed that the contracting universe will end in a
fierce heat and contraction known as the "Big Crunch." This would
lead to the end of all forms of life as we know them. Renata Kallosh
and Andrei Linde, professors of physics from Stanford University,
made the following statements on the subject:
The universe may be doomed to collapse and disappear.
Everything we see now, and at a much larger distance that we cannot
see, will collapse into a point smaller than a proton. Locally,
it will be the same as if you were inside a black hole... We have
found that some of the best attempts to describe dark energy predict
that it will gradually become negative, which will cause the universe
to become unstable, then collapse... Physicists have known that
dark energy could become negative and the universe could collapse
sometime in the very distant future... but now we see that we
might be, not in the beginning, but in the middle of the life
cycle of our universe. 4
This is how this scientific hypothesis of the Big Crunch is indicated
in the Qur'an:
That Day We will fold up heaven like folding
up the pages of a book. As We originated the first creation so
We will regenerate it. It is a promise binding on Us. That is
what We will do. (Qur'an, 21:104)
In another verse, this state of the heavens is described thus:
They do not measure Allah with His true measure.
The whole earth will be a mere handful for Him on the Day of Rising
the heavens folded up in His right hand. Glory be to Him! He is
exalted above the partners they ascribe! (Qur'an, 39:67)
According to the Big Crunch theory, the universe will begin to
collapse slowly and will then increasingly pick up speed. At the
end of the process the universe will have infinite density and be
infinitely hot and small. This scientific theory runs parallel to
the Qur'anic explanation of this particular scientific concept.
(Allah knows best)

3. Philip Ball, "Black
Crunch Jams Universal Cycle," Nature, 23 December 2002; Dr.
David Whitehouse, "Universe is 'doomed to collapse',"
BBC News Online, 22 October 2002, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/2346907.stm;
and Mark Schwartz, "Cosmic 'big crunch' could trigger an early
demise of our universe," Stanford Report, 25 September 2002.
4. Schwartz, "Cosmic 'big crunch' could trigger an early demise
of our universe," 
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