Quran and the raising/elevation (rafaa) of the sky(samaa)
Quran 13 2
It is Allah who raised the heavens without pillars that you [can] see; then He established Himself above the Throne .
ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِى رَفَعَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ بِغَيْرِ عَمَدٍۢ تَرَوْنَهَا ۖ ثُمَّ ٱسْتَوَىٰ عَلَى ٱلْعَرْشِ
Quran 55 7
وَٱلسَّمَآءَ رَفَعَهَا وَوَضَعَ ٱلْمِيزَانَ
As for the sky, He raised it ˹high˺, and set the balance ˹of justice
Quran 79 -28
ءَأَنتُمْ أَشَدُّ خَلْقًا أَمِ ٱلسَّمَآءُ ۚ بَنَىٰهَا٢٧
رَفَعَ سَمْكَهَا فَسَوَّىٰهَا ٢٨
Which is harder to create: you or the sky?1 He built it,
raising it high and forming it flawlessly
1-A standard approach with the word samaa is to interpret it in the correct context i.e. atmosphere ,outer space or spiritual domain.The word rafaa is interpreted as elevate/raise/physical ascension but also exalt in rank/raise in status
2-If samaa is understood as atmosphere then then the raising of the sky is perfectly aligned with scientist understanding of the formation of the atmosphere ie. gasses from the ground rose upward to form the various layers of the atmosphere over millions of years
3-IF SAMAA IS UNDERSTOOD AS OUTER SPACE THEN CONSIDER THE SCIENTIFIC EXPLANATION-
The expansion of the universe allowed for celestial bodies to move apart from one another and we perceive the sky as being raised far above us.
The expansion of the universe is nearly isotropic (the same in all directions) and certainly not only vertical as the word rafaa would imply.
However from our point of reference, the sky with all its contents viz. planets comets, moons stars are located above us and and thus the word rafaa is significant .The isotropic expansion of the universe certainly includes any vertical movement of celestial bodies from our point of reference. The result of the expansion of the universe is that we perceive celestial bodies in outer space being raised high above us.
Allah SWT revealed the Quran to mankind and Quranic verses related to scientific phenomenon are from our point of reference and thus the word rafaa is appropriate.
4-Another interpretation of the word rafaa is elevation in rank and status and many occurrences in the Quran the word rafaa has been used in this context. We could also interpret rafaa samaa/exalted the sky as Allah SWT honored the sky with angels and the billions of galaxies and stars.(Allah SWT takes an oath by the stars and explains the universe is more sophisticated than human beings)
5 The word rafaa apart being always being understood as raised/elevated may have other interpretations eg formed , structured etc.This should be explored and studied
6-Perhaps the beauty of the word rafaa when coupled with samaa is that the physical movement of celestial bodies in the sky must be considered and rafaa cannot be exclusively understood as raise in status. Those that attempt to prove Prophet Isa never physically ascended and is dead do so by proving rafaa is only understood as raise in status and never raise physically in the Quran. Prophet Isa physically ascended to Allah SWT.
(O Jesus, ….and will raise thee to Myself, 3: 56)
7-Allah knows best