Inconsistencies in the Qur’an Regarding the Days of Creation: Six Days or Eight Days?

Inconsistencies in the Qur’an Regarding the Days of Creation: Six Days or Eight Days?

By Dr. Maxwell Shimba | Shimba Theological Institute

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Abstract

This article critically examines one of the theological and textual inconsistencies found within the Qur’an concerning the number of days it took Allah to create the heavens and the earth. While the Islamic scripture, in several verses, affirms a six-day creation account, a careful reading of other passages suggests an eight-day sequence. This discrepancy has sparked significant debate among classical and modern Muslim exegetes. The paper presents a scholarly analysis of these conflicting accounts, their implications for Qur’anic inerrancy, and the broader theological consequences for the doctrine of divine omniscience within Islamic thought.

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Introduction

One of the fundamental narratives shared across the Abrahamic faiths is the account of the creation of the world. In the Bible, the book of Genesis outlines a clear six-day creation, with God resting on the seventh day. The Qur’an, which claims to affirm the previous revelations (Torah and Gospel) while correcting alleged distortions, also addresses the creation narrative. However, a textual analysis of various Qur’anic passages reveals inconsistencies in the reported number of days required for creation. Some verses affirm six days, while others, when read cumulatively, suggest eight days. This raises important questions regarding the internal consistency of the Qur’an, a text Muslims hold to be the uncreated, perfect word of Allah.

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The Qur’anic Six-Day Creation Verses

Several Qur’anic passages explicitly state that the heavens and the earth were created in six days:

• Surah Al-A’raf (7:54)

“Indeed, your Lord is Allah, who created the heavens and the earth in six days; then He established Himself above the Throne.”

• Surah Yunus (10:3)

“Indeed, your Lord is Allah, who created the heavens and the earth in six days and then established Himself above the Throne.”

• Surah Hud (11:7)

“And it is He who created the heavens and the earth in six days – and His Throne had been upon water.”

• Surah Al-Furqan (25:59)

“He who created the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them in six days, then established Himself above the Throne – the Most Merciful.”

These verses unambiguously affirm a six-day creation timeline, aligning superficially with the biblical narrative.

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The Eight-Day Creation Dilemma: Surah Fussilat 41:9-12

A significant contradiction appears in Surah Fussilat (41:9-12):

41:9
“Say, ‘Do you indeed disbelieve in He who created the earth in two days and attribute to Him equals? That is the Lord of the worlds.’”

41:10
“And He placed on it firmly set mountains over its surface, and He blessed it and determined therein its sustenance in four days, without distinction – for those who ask.”

41:11-12
“Then He directed Himself to the heaven while it was smoke and said to it and to the earth, ‘Come willingly or by compulsion.’ They said, ‘We have come willingly.’ And He completed them as seven heavens within two days and inspired in each heaven its command.”

Breakdown of Days:

• Creation of Earth: 2 days (41:9)

• Formation of mountains, blessings, sustenance: 4 days (41:10)

• Formation of the heavens: 2 days (41:12)

Total: 2 + 4 + 2 = 8 days

Thus, according to this passage, creation required eight days — contradicting the multiple earlier declarations of a six-day creation period.

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Exegetical Attempts at Reconciliation

Muslim exegetes, both classical and contemporary, have grappled with this apparent inconsistency. Some notable interpretations include:

• Sequential versus Simultaneous Days:
  Some scholars suggest that the four days mentioned in verse 41:10 include the initial two days of creating the earth — meaning the sustenance and mountains’ arrangement took two additional days, not four. This interpretation, however, conflicts with the straightforward Arabic phrasing, which numerically distinguishes the periods.

• Ambiguity in Arabic Syntax:
  Another argument claims that the Arabic construction allows for overlap or non-sequential counting. However, this introduces arbitrary flexibility to the reading and undermines the clarity of the Qur’anic narrative.

• Divine Days versus Human Days:
  A common apologetic is that "days" in God’s reckoning are not equal to human days (cf. Qur'an 22:47, 32:5). Yet this does not address the numerical inconsistency but only their duration, leaving the total count unresolved.

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Implications for Qur’anic Inerrancy

The doctrine of i‘jaz al-Qur’an (the inimitability and perfection of the Qur’an) holds that the scripture is free of contradiction. The apparent discrepancy between a six-day and an eight-day creation narrative poses a challenge to this claim. If the Qur’an cannot maintain numerical consistency in a fundamental theological account, it undermines its asserted divine authorship and perfection.

Furthermore, the Qur’an claims:

“Do they not then reflect on the Qur’an? If it had been from other than Allah, they would have found within it much contradiction.” (Surah An-Nisa 4:82)

By its standard, the inconsistency in the number of creation days invites scrutiny regarding the divine origin of the text.

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Comparison with the Biblical Account

The Bible maintains a coherent six-day creation narrative in Genesis 1, with each day’s activity carefully delineated and the seventh day set aside for rest. Despite differences in cosmology, the biblical narrative remains internally consistent — a sharp contrast to the Qur’an’s conflicting timelines.

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Conclusion

The Qur’anic narrative on the creation of the world suffers from a significant internal inconsistency regarding the number of days involved in the act of creation. While some verses clearly state a six-day timeline, a detailed reading of Surah Fussilat 41:9-12 cumulatively suggests an eight-day process. Muslim exegetical attempts to reconcile this contradiction either stretch the natural reading of the Arabic text or introduce speculative theological constructs.

This inconsistency raises serious questions about the Qur’an’s claim of being free from contradictions and perfectly preserved. It further challenges the Islamic doctrine of Allah’s omniscience and the Qur’an’s status as the uncreated, flawless word of God.

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About the Author

Dr. Maxwell Shimba is a theologian, biblical scholar, and director of the Shimba Theological Institute. He specializes in comparative religious studies, Christian apologetics, and Qur’anic criticism. Dr. Shimba has authored numerous scholarly works addressing theological inconsistencies within Islamic scripture and advocating for a rigorous, evidential approach to religious truth claims.

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