By, Md Maruf Hasan
If one watches Interstellar, the film can be read as unfolding in two distinct intellectual phases. The first part largely follows the framework of classical physics, where space, time, gravity, and causality behave in predictable ways. The later part, however—especially the scenes involving black holes and higher dimensions—moves decisively into the realm of quantum mechanics, where classical intuitions break down and reality appears far more counterintuitive. This cinematic transition reflects a broader cultural shift from classical to quantum worldviews.
Today, we find thousands of science fiction narratives inspired by quantum ideas. The rise of New Age movements, popular spirituality, and even pseudo-scientific philosophies often borrow heavily—sometimes irresponsibly—from quantum terminology. Hollywood films such as Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness present a universe of multiple realities, flexible laws of nature, and altered causality, all loosely framed through a quantum lens. In popular science writing, figures like Lawrence Krauss employ quantum mechanics to argue that the universe could emerge from “nothing” without any divine intervention. Such arguments are frequently used to support philosophical naturalism and are embraced within the intellectual climate of New Atheism. Quantum uncertainty, vacuum fluctuations, and cosmological models are presented not merely as scientific theories, but as metaphysical explanations intended to replace theological accounts of creation.
Within Western academia, “quantum worldviews” have become an increasingly interdisciplinary topic. Recently, while applying for a postdoctoral position at Oxford, I noticed projects explicitly inviting scholars from philosophy, physics, theology, and the humanities to explore quantum worldviews. A student remarked while discussing with me that such discussions often verge on Islamic mysticism, blurring the boundary between science, metaphysics, and spirituality. Interestingly, Muslim academics are also participating in these conversations, sometimes seeking resonance between quantum ideas and Islamic intellectual traditions.
This raises an important question: Does the Qur’an itself indicate anything resembling a quantum worldview?
The Qur’an does not offer a direct or technical discussion of quantum mechanics, nor should it be read as a physics textbook. However, it consistently challenges classical, mechanistic assumptions about nature. Qur’anic narratives of miracles—such as fire failing to burn Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him)—demonstrate moments where ordinary physical expectations collapse. Similarly, the splitting of the moon and other miraculous events suggest that what humans perceive as “natural laws” are not absolute constraints upon divine action.
Such narratives do not negate science, but they do undermine the idea that reality is exhaustively captured by classical determinism. In this sense, the Qur’an cultivates a worldview in which nature is contingent, flexible, and ultimately subject to divine will, rather than autonomous and self-sufficient.
The Qur’an also describes the material realities of Jannah, mentioning gold, precious stones, and forms of beauty beyond earthly experience. From a contemporary cosmological perspective, we know that elements like gold and diamonds require complex physical processes, often formed in stars over vast timescales. If the Qur’an speaks of such materials existing in Paradise, it suggests a mode of existence governed by processes far beyond human imagination and beyond the limitations of our current universe.
Modern quantum cosmology even speculates about the possibility of multiple universes, each with different physical laws, emerging from quantum processes. While such theories remain speculative, they illustrate how modern physics itself has moved away from a single, rigid cosmic order. Yet it is important to emphasize that the Qur’an does not depend on these theories for validation; rather, they remind us of the vastness and openness of creation.
One of the most difficult theological questions in the modern age concerns Jahannam (Hellfire). Thinkers like Bertrand Russell famously expressed skepticism about eternal punishment, as seen in Why I Am Not a Christian. From a scientific standpoint, humans are aware of extreme temperatures—such as those found in stars or near black holes—reaching millions of degrees Celsius. Yet the Qur’an describes a punishment calibrated to conscious suffering and humiliation, not annihilation. Importantly, the Qur’an states that inhabitants of Paradise or Hell will abide therein “as long as Allah wills”, leaving ultimate judgment and duration within divine discretion. This nuance is often overlooked in simplistic critiques. The Qur’anic discourse on punishment is moral and existential, not merely physical, and cannot be reduced to crude analogies with earthly fire.
While the Qur’an does not endorse a “quantum worldview” in the scientific sense, it consistently resists reductionist materialism and challenges the sufficiency of classical, closed-world assumptions. Quantum mechanics, despite being frequently misused in popular culture and ideology, reminds modern humanity that reality is stranger, deeper, and more mysterious than once imagined. In this sense, contemporary physics may reopen philosophical and theological spaces that rigid scientism once attempted to close—spaces that the Qur’an has always occupied.***
Dr. Md Maruf Hasan is a postgraduate student from Department of Usul al-Din and Comparative Religion and Philosophy,AHAS IRKHS International Islamic University Malaysia.
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