The conclusion to which we are led by the findings of modern science is
that time is not an absolute fact as supposed by materialists, but only a relative
perception. What is more interesting is that this fact, undiscovered until the 20th
century by science, was imparted to mankind in the Qur’an 14 centuries ago. There are
various references in the Qur’an to the relativity of time. In some verses, it is
indicated that people perceive time differently and that sometimes people can perceive a
very short period of time as a very lengthy one. The following conversation of people held
during their judgement in the Hereafter is a good example of this:
He will say: "What number of years did ye stay on earth?"
They will say: "We stayed a day or part of a day: but ask those who keep
account." He will say: "Ye stayed not but a little,- if ye had only known!"
(Surat al-Mumenoon, 112-114)
In some other verses it is stated that time may flow at
different paces in different settings:
Yet they ask thee to hasten on the Punishment! But Allah will not fail
in His Promise. Verily a Day in the sight of thy Lord is like a thousand years of your
reckoning. (Surat al-Hajj, 47)
The angels and the spirit ascend unto him in a day the measure whereof
is (as) fifty thousand years. (Surat al-Maarij, 4)
These verses are all manifest expressions of the relativity of time.
The fact that this result only recently understood by science in the 20th century was
communicated to man 1,400 years ago by the Qur’an is an indication of the revelation
of the Qur’an by Allah, Who encompasses the whole time and space.