The “Related World” and the “Unrelated Worlds”: The Theological Cosmology Based on the “Seven Spheres” Doctrine

In the theological cosmology, the doctrine of Seven Spheres is one of the most pivotal doctrines that has grabbed the attention of Muslim scholars in general and the Twelver Shī‘a scholars in particular. So far, seven main theories have been suggested concerning this doctrine, but it seems that all of them have certain ambiguities and weaknesses that prevent them from presenting a comprehensive and consolidated viewpoint aptly relatable to other religious teachings. This study first enumerates the shortcomings and ambiguities of these theories. Then, using the definitive findings of the experimental sciences, and using a combined method of scientific interpretation and interpretation of the Qur'an to the Qur'an, we set forth a new viewpoint called “the Related World and the Unrelated Worlds,” which is free from the ambiguities and problems of the previous theories. This new theory is based on a new analysis of the structure of the solar system, in which it is claimed that each of the Seven Spheres has a specific title in the Qur'an that can be applied to specific objective and external instances in the solar system. In this respect, it has a privilege and initiative in comparison with other views