Creation
Heaven and earth and everything in between were created, out of the void by a Divine Word.
First, God created light. Then, He created the Sun and the Moon and in so doing He created day and night. God created time.
Then, heaven, earth and the seas were separated.
The earth was covered with plants. He made sky, water and the earth teem with birds, fish and land animals. That is the story of the creation in both books. The Qur’an adds that everything was created from water, and that heaven unfolded into seven heavens.
The book of Genesis tells us that God affirmed what He had created. “He saw that it was good.” Genesis 1:9 The Qur’an emphasizes the care and generosity of the Creator. The wonders of creation are “signs for people who believe” that they can trust God’s mercy.16 The Bee, 79
The wonders of the creation should encourage people to excel. Its purpose is
“that He may try you, which of you is best in conduct.” 11 Hud, 7
In both books, the creation took place in six days (periods) of Divine time. These were no ordinary days, for day and night, indeed time, were created during the process of creation itself.
What happened after these six miraculous Days? The Bible mentions a seventh Day: the Sabbath, a day of rest for God and for human beings. In the Qur’an, God did not rest, for he knows no fatigue. After six Days of creation, He settled himself on his throne. The notion that God is never weary is also expressed in Isaiah.
The book of Genesis emphasizes that after six Days the Creation is complete, perfect. The Qur’an holds that after these six miraculous Days, God continued to create, again and again. A second creation takes place with each new spring, each new birth. Finally, on the Last Day, He raises humankind from death in a third creation.
In the Bible, the Creation comes at the beginning, in the book of Genesis. The Qur’an contains repeated references to the creation in several different surahs.
Both books give humans a special responsibility to care for everything that God created. In the Bible, Humankind may rule over the Creation on behalf of God in the way God would, for he was shaped in His image. The Qur’an speaks of Humankind as vice-regent. He does not own the earth, to do with as he pleases, but must care for the Creation in Allah’s name.
Bible
God created heavens and earth
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. Genesis 1:1-2
Then God said, Let there be…: and there was… Genesis 1:3
For He spoke and it was done; Psalm 33:9
Day and Night
Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. So the evening and the morning were the first day. Genesis 1:3-5
God made the sky
Then God said, “Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.”
Thus God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament; and it was so.
And God called the firmament Heaven.
So the evening and the morning were the second day. Genesis 1:6-8
Land and ocean
Then God said, “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear”; and it was so.
And God called the dry land Earth, and the gathering together of the waters He called Seas. And God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:9-10
This is the history of the heavens and the earth when they were created…before any plant of the field was in the earth and before any herb of the field had grown. For the Lord God had not caused it to rain upon the earth…but a mist went up from the earth and watered the whole face of the ground. Genesis 2:4-6
Trees and grain
Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields seed, and the fruit tree that yields fruit according to its kind, whose seed is in itself, on the earth:” and it was so.
And the earth brought forth grass, the herb that yields seed after his kind, and the tree that yields fruit, whose seed is in itself, according to its kind.
And God saw that it was good.
So the evening and the morning were the third day. Genesis 1:11-13
Lights in the sky
Then God said, “Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years; and let them be for lights in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth”; and it was so. Then God made two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night. He made the stars also. God set them in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth, and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness.
And God saw that it was good. So the evening and the morning were the fourth day. Genesis 1:14-19
Animals, wild and tame
Then God said, “Let the waters abound with an abundance of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the face of the firmament of the heavens.”
So God created great sea creatures, and every living thing that moves, with which the waters abounded according to their kind, and every winged bird according to its kind.
And God saw that it was good. And God blessed them, saying,
“Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.”
So the evening and the morning were the fifth day.
Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth the living creature according to its kind: cattle and creeping thing, and beast of the earth, each according to its kind”; and it was so. And God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:20-25
God created man in His image
Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness”;
So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
Then God blessed them, and God said unto them, “Be fruitful, and multiply; fill (replenish KJV) the earth, and subdue it; Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day. Genesis 1:26-28, 31
Seventh day: Rest
And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it…Genesis 2:2-3
Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day…you shall do no work. For the LORD…rested the seventh day. Exodus 20:8-10
The everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints nor is weary. Isaiah 40:28
Perfect creation
Thus the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished.Genesis 2:1
Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. Genesis 1:31
Quran
Creation a sign
And among His signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth…
42 Consultation, 29
He it is Who created the heavens and the earth in six Days. 11 Hud, 7
…glory be to Him…when He decrees a matter, He says to it: “Be,” and it is.
2 The Heifer,116-117
Light and Dark
Praise be Allah, Who created the heavens and the earth, and made the Darkness and the Light… 6 The Cattle,1
He created the heavens and the earth in true (proportions):
He makes the Night overlap the Day, and the Day overlap the Night…
39 The Crowds, 5
Heaven and earth
…He comprehended in His design the sky, and it had been (as) smoke:
He said to it and to the earth: “You come together, willingly or unwillingly.”
They said: “We do come (together), in willing obedience.”
So He completed them as seven firmaments… and He assigned to each heaven its duty and command.
41 Fussilat,11-12
Water and earth
It is He Who has let free the two bodies of flowing water: One palatable and sweet and the other salt and bitter.
25 The Criterion, 53
And it is He Who spread out the earth, and set thereon mountains standing firm and (flowing) rivers.
13 The Thunder, 3
And We send down water from the sky according to (due) measure, and We cause it to soak in the soil…
And We send the fecundating winds -then cause the rain to descend from the sky, therewith providing you with water…though you are not the guardians of its stores.
3 The Believers,18; 15 The Rocky Tract :22
Abundant fruits
…and fruit of every kind He made in pairs, two and two… 13 The Thunder, 3
With it We grow for you gardens of date-palms and vines: in them have abundant fruits: and of them you eat (and have enjoyment).
Also a tree springing out of Mount Sinai, which produces oil, and relish for those who use it for food.
23 The Believers, 19-20
It is Allah Who causes the seed-grain and the date-stone to split and sprout. He causes the living to issue from the dead…6 The Cattle 95
Sun, moon and stars
Don’t you see how Allah has created the seven heavens one above another, and made the moon a light in their midst, and made the sun as a (Glorious) Lamp? 71 Noah, 15-16
He has subjected the sun and the moon (to His law): Each one follows a course for a time appointed. 39 The Crowds, 5
And We adorned the lower heaven with lights…41 Fussilat, 12
It is We Who have set out the Zodiacal Signs in the heavens, and made them fair-seeming to (all) beholders. 15 The Rocky Tract, 16
It is He Who makes the stars as beacons for you, that you may guide yourselves, with their help, through the dark spaces of land and sea:
6, The Cattle 97
Fish, birds and cattle
And Allah has created every animal from water: of them there are some that creep on their bellies; some that walk on two legs; and some that walk on four. 24 Light, 45
Do they not look at the birds, held poised in the midst of…the sky? Nothing holds them up but (the power of) Allah. 16 The Bee, 79
And He has created cattle for you: from them you derive warmth, and numerous benefits, and of their (meat) you eat.
And you have a sense of pride and beauty in them as you drive them home in the evening, and as you lead them forth to pasture in the morning.
And they carry your heavy loads to lands that you could not (otherwise) reach except with souls distressed.
16 The Bee, 5-7
Nothing like unto Him
(Allah) Most Gracious! He has created man.
55 Most Gracious, 1, 3
He is Allah, the One and Only;
And there is none like unto Him.
112 Purity (of Faith),1, 4
(He is) the Creator of the heavens and the earth: He has made for you pairs from among yourselves, and pairs among cattle: by this means does He multiply you: there is nothing whatever like unto Him…
42 Consultation,11
Allah not weary
Your Guardian-Lord is Allah, Who created the heavens and the earth in six Days,
And is firmly established on the Throne (of authority).
7 The Heights, 54
We created the heavens and the earth and all between them in Six Days,
nor did any sense of weariness touch Us.
50 Qaf, 38
Continuous creation
Don’t they see show Allah originates creation, then repeats it…29 The Spider,19
…even as We produced the first Creation, so shall We produce a new one. It is He who begins the process of creation, and repeats it…21 The Prophets, 104; 10 Yunus, 4