Figure: Illustration of the Earth's age

Allah SWT says in Surah al-A‘raf, verse 54: “Indeed, your Lord is Allah, who created the heavens and the earth in six periods…” This verse encourages us to think about the creation of the universe, which took place according to a certain order and period of time. Interestingly, the word “periods” does not necessarily mean six ordinary 24-hour days as we understand them today. After all, before the Earth existed, there were no clocks hanging on the wall.

According to scientific studies, the Earth is estimated to be around 4.54 billion years old. Yes, billion, not million. If the Earth could speak, it might already be tired of answering the question, “How old are you?” If the entire history of the Earth were compressed into a single year, modern humans would only appear during the final few minutes before midnight on 31 December. In other words, we are still very new residents of this planet.

So, how do scientists know the age of the Earth when no one was around to witness its formation? The answer can be found in rocks. Rocks are not merely hard objects that we accidentally kick by the roadside. Inside them are radioactive elements such as uranium, which slowly change into other elements, including lead.

This process is known as radioactive decay. In physics, every radioactive element has a half-life, which is the amount of time needed for half of the element to decay. Because this rate remains constant, scientists can use it like a natural clock to calculate the age of rocks. This method is called radiometric dating.

However, many of the Earth’s earliest rocks have been melted, destroyed or transformed by volcanic activity and the movement of the Earth’s crust. Scientists therefore also study meteorites and rocks brought back from the Moon. These studies produce similar estimates, suggesting an age of about 4.5 to 4.6 billion years.

In conclusion, science helps us understand the age and formation of the Earth, while the Quran encourages us to reflect on the greatness of creation. The more we learn, the more we realize that the Earth is not only extremely old, but also truly remarkable.

References

1. Al-Quran. Surah al-A‘raf, verse 54.
2. National Park Service. (2018). Age of the Earth.
3. Smithsonian Institution. (n.d.). Dating.
4. S. Geological Survey. (2019). Geologic Time: Then and Now.

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Date of Input: 07/08/2026 | Updated: 07/08/2026 | hasniah