As-Salaam-Alaikum, is the concept of alternate reality or parallel universe compatible with Islam? This would essentially mean that there are infinite universes with infinite versions of all human beings existing in these universes. Please clarify. JazakAllah.
In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
As-salaamu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullaahi wa-barakaatuh
The concept of alternate reality is as follows:[i]
The parallel universe is a concept that suggests that every possible alternate timeline for the universe is real, with each universe often having the same characters living in different
circumstances. This means that we only live out of one of the endless possibilities. So, you may be in one universe craving ice-cream and in another, you may not. Accordingly, Parallel universe is a hypothetical world placed in some cosmological models for it to exist with our own universe However, it has the possibility of contradicting with classical physical law.
The details provided above are not enough for us to issue a ruling on alternate reality as it has not been proven. Scientists still do not know whether parallel universes exist or not, nor have they provided valid theories to substantiate their claims. As of now, it is simply a speculation. The article written by Max Tegmart is a useful read on this topic.[ii] Accordingly, the concept of alternate reality is not of any concern to our Imaan. Rasolullah Sallallahu Alaihi wasallam has advised:
من حسن إسلام المرء تركه مالا يعنيه
Translation: Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, “It is from the excellence of (a believer’s) Islam that he should shun that which is of no concern to him”.
And Allaah Ta’aala Knows Best.
Akhyar Uddin
Student, Darul Iftaa
Buffalo, New York, USA
Checked and approved by
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.
https://blogs.unimelb.edu.au/sciencecommunication/parallel-universes/[i]
https://blogs.scientificamerican.com parallel universe[ii]