Hadith 80

ith no crack in it, nor any holes, neither ascending nor descending, and no tree. Then He-azwj Folded it, and He-azwj Placed it on top of the water. Then Allah-azwj Created the fire from the water, so the fire bust out of the body of the water until smoke arose from the water in accordance with Allah-azwj so Desired it to rise. He-azwj Created from that smoke, clear and pure sky in which there were no cracks nor any holes, and that is His-azwj Word: Are you the harder to create or the sky? He Built it [79: 27] He Raised its ceiling, then Evened it [79: 28] And He Covered its night and Extracted its brightness [79: 29]. He-asws said: ‘And there was no sun, and no moon, and no stars and no clouds. Then He-azwj Folded it and Placed it upon the earth, then Established two creations. Then He-azwj Raised the sky before the earth, so that is His-azwj Word, Mighty is His-azwj Mention: And the earth, He Expanded it after that [79: 30]. He-azwj Said that He-azwj Spread it out’. The Syrian said to him-asws, ‘O Abu Ja’far-asws, the Words of Allah-azwj the Exalted: Or do they not see, those who are committing Kufr, that the skies and the earth were joined up, and We Separated them? And We Made from the water, all living things, so will they not believe? [21: 30]? ’
Abu Ja’far-asws said: ‘Perhaps you think that these two used to be stuck together and there were separated from each other? ’ He said, ‘Yes’. Abu Ja’far-asws said: ‘Seek Forgiveness from your Lord-azwj, for it is the Word of Allah-azwj Mighty and Majestic that they were closed up, meaning that the sky used to be closed up and no rain descended from it, and the earth was closed up and did not grow any seed (vegetation). So when Allah-azwj Blessed and Exalted Created the creatures, He-azwj Spread therein all kinds of animals. He-azwj Opened up the sky by the rain and the earth by the seeds (vegetation)’. The Syrian said, ‘I testify that you-asws are from the children of the Prophetsas and that your‑asws knowledge is theiras knowledge’’. [87]