Difference between 7 skies and position of the heavens?

Question

Well I know that there are 7 skies. But I just wanted to know the position of the heavens. I mean are they scattererd in every sky? Or are they in one specific sky? And if they are scattererd throughout the 7 skies then is there any in this sky?

Answer 1

Although in Sahih International, the word used for both skies and heavens are the same (heavens), the original words are different (sema for sky and cennet for heaven). Also, the verses about them can be easily separated by concept.

Skies

In Quran, there are numerous verses (around 140) about "the skies and the earth". In most of them (probably all of them), the concept of the verses are about the creation of them, sultanate of Allah over them, or the science about them etc.

It is He who created for you all of that which is on the earth. Then He directed Himself to the heaven, [His being above all creation], and made them seven heavens, and He is Knowing of all things. (Surat Al-Baqarah 2/29)

From this verse, we can understand that there are 7 skies.

And He completed them as seven heavens within two days and inspired in each heaven its command. And We adorned the nearest heaven with lamps and as protection. That is the determination of the Exalted in Might, the Knowing. (Surat Fussilat 41/12)

From this verse, we can understand that the sky nearest to us is what we call space today, because the stars are in it.

Are 7 skies actually the layers of atmosphere?

There is a widespread belief that the 7 skies are actually the 7 layers of atmosphere. But from above verse (41/12), we can see that this is not true. Also in the verses about atmosphere events such as rain, the word sky is used, not skies. Example:

Or [it is] like a rainstorm from the sky within which is darkness, thunder and lightning. They put their fingers in their ears against the thunderclaps in dread of death. But Allah is encompassing of the disbelievers. (Surat Al-Baqarah 2/19)

Heavens

There are numerous verses in Quran (around 140) about heavens too. In all of them, the concept is somewhere to win by obeying Allah's rules. Example:

But those who feared their Lord will have gardens beneath which rivers flow, abiding eternally therein, as accommodation from Allah . And that which is with Allah is best for the righteous. (Surat 'Āli `Imrān 3/198)

There are 4 types of heavens mentioned in Quran: Naim (pleasure), Adn (perpetual), Firdevs, Me'va (refuge).

And if only the People of the Scripture had believed and feared Allah , We would have removed from them their misdeeds and admitted them to Gardens of Pleasure. (Surat Al-Mā'idah 5/65)

Gardens of perpetual residence; they will enter them with whoever were righteous among their fathers, their spouses and their descendants. And the angels will enter upon them from every gate, [saying], (Surat Ar-Ra`d 13/23)

Who will inherit al-Firdaus. They will abide therein eternally. (Surat Al-Mu'minūn 23/11)

As for those who believed and did righteous deeds, for them will be the Gardens of Refuge as accommodation for what they used to do. (Surat As-Sajdah 32/19)

How many Heavens?

There is a widespread belief that there are 7 heavens and another belief about 8 heavens. Although I am not sure, probably the 7 heavens idea comes from a misunderstanding between heavens & skies. The 8 heavens idea is based on a hadith about 8 gates of Heaven (Sahih Muslim, Book 2, Hadith 20). Some people think that if there are 8 gates, then there should be 8 heavens.

But this seems to be wrong. Lets look at 2 verses:

But for he who has feared the position of his Lord are two gardens - (Surat Ar-Raĥmān 55/46)

And below them both [in excellence] are two [other] gardens - (Surat Ar-Raĥmān 55/62)

I read the entire Surat Ar-Raĥmān and didn't see any mention about a 5th garden. Also, I see no such imply in other verses about heaven. This means, there are 4 kinds of heaven.

Conclusion

Because of the fact that mankind and djinn are not allowed to know about gayb (unseen), we can't know about upper level skies or heavens except what Allah has revealed us in Quran.

O company of jinn and mankind, if you are able to pass beyond the regions of the heavens and the earth, then pass. You will not pass except by authority [from Allah ]. (Surat Ar-Raĥmān 55/33)

Allah would not leave the believers in that [state] you are in [presently] until He separates the evil from the good. Nor would Allah reveal to you the unseen. But [instead], Allah chooses of His messengers whom He wills, so believe in Allah and His messengers. And if you believe and fear Him, then for you is a great reward. (Surat 'Āli `Imrān 3/179)

But we may interpret this kind of conclusion: because there are 4 types of heavens and 7 levels of skies, the heavens are probably not scattered through skies. They may be in 1 sky, or each of them in another sky.

Skies seem to be the layers of creation, not reward. They are just steps of the Allah's order. Heavens are more likely specific reward places rather than steps of the order.

Also there is a Hell issue. If the skies are actually the heavens, then where is hell? I think it is another place in upper skies.

Our sky (space) has some rules, today we try to solve them as science. The upper skies are probably different dimensional beings which surrounding the one lower. So, "rising up to the skies" probably not "going to the physical limit of the universe through stars and pass beyond that". Rather it seems to be rising through dimensional levels while body stays still, like death. But we know that, at least in this sky there is something called death and there is no such thing in heavens. So, most probably, there is no heaven in our sky. Also in that case, we may discover it, so we would have discovered gayb(unseen).

Answer 2

Nearest sky is adorned with stars. It is crystal clear that all the stars, galaxies, clusters, super clusters, universe, probably multiple universe create some other bigger structure, if the same ultiplications repeated infinite times, Infinite super structures go on forming. All these clubbed together comprise and are part of first heaven. Science has knowledge of negligible spec of space scattered under first heaven.

Answer 3

Only Allah has knowledge about the skies in this detail. We should not worry about such deep down details of how heavens are made.

Also, Islam does not encourage us to ask too many questions in issues, which are already made clear (I mean , whatever is told to us in Quran, we have to be content with it, as its enough for us to know, if you try to know, the unknown, which Allah has not told us about, then it can lead us to kufr as well, in most cases).

Rest, Allah knows the best

Answer 4

Allah says in quran," And we adorned the nearest heaven with stars.(41/12). From this verse we can understand, planets,stars, black holes,galaxies all are the part of first heaven.