It is claimed that there is a different order regarding the creation of earth and sky based on the statements in Naziat and Fussilet Surah. Even some says this difference is a contradiction, the truth is nothing like this. In fact, there is no order for the creation of earth and sky. Both were created at the same time. In Enbiyah Surah, it is said that:

Do the disbelievers not see that the heavens and the earth were one mass, and We tore them apart…. (21 an-Anbiya, 30) When earth and sky words are written side by side, they mean the Universe-Everything. It is a miracle of Qur’an that describes the creation with the explosion of a single point with infinite density and zero volume (BIGBANG).

The creation of the Earth and other planets was the next step of creation. When the other verses are read carefully, it will be seen that there is no such sequence. If we look at the verses of Fussilat first, we can see it better.

He placed stabilizers over it; and blessed it; and planned its provisions in four days, equally to the seekers. Then He turned to the sky, and it was smoke, and said to it and to the earth, “Come, willingly or unwillingly.” They said, “We come willingly.” (41 Fussilat Surah – 10-11)

If we look at the 10th verse, we see that it is talking about the creation of the earth. In the 11th verse, there is “ Then He turned to the sky, and it was smoke ” statement. So, this doesn’t mean that the sky was created after it. Sky was there. The smoke rises towards the sky. And verse 12 continues this as:

So He completed them as seven universes in two days, and He assigned to each universe its laws. And We decorated the lower universe with lamps, and for protection. That is the design of the Almighty, the All-Knowing. (41 Fussilat Surah, 12)

What this means is that the sky in the form of smoke was stratified as 7 layers after the creation of earth. It was not a new creation. It was just an arrangement.

If we look at the scientific theories about the formation of the atmosphere, it is already expressed in the scientific theories that this statement coincides with them, that the atmosphere first becomes smoke and then the whole atmosphere is shaped into 7 different layers. At present our atmosphere is composed of 7 different layers. When we look at the verses of an-Naziat, we see that there is a similar situation. Here it is talked about the creation of the sky. After they are explained, they are reported about the earth as follows: ‘And t he earth after that He spread.’ (79 an-Naziat Surah, 30)

Here too, the creation of earth is not mentioned. Earth already exist. The arrangement of the place mentioned here. So there is no creation. Earth and skies mentioned in an-Naziat and Fussilat Surah had been created together. After that the earth and sky were arranged. In Fussilat Surah 11th verse the movement of earth and the sky is stated as “He said to it and to the earth, “Come, willingly or unwillingly.” They said, “We come willingly.”

If we look at scientific studies regarding the first creation of earth, it is explained that all continents were a single land and the layers constituting the lands were moved and during those movements, the continents moved away from each other and the mountains were took shape in time:

And the earth—We spread it out—How well We prepared it! (51 adh-Dhariat Surah – 48)

In this verse, this scientific fact is stated. As it can be seen, in these two verse group, it is not said that the skies and earth was created before or after each other. In these verses, what is explained is the arrangement of the created sky and the created earth. And these arrangements happened in the same way as the scientific facts. These verses aren’t contradictory, these state the scientific facts appeared in the last century.