507. What is meant by the term sky.

The word ‘sky’ in the Quran is found to convey two meanings: 

1) It refers to the open space.

These verses (2:21, 6:98, 8:11, 13:17, 14:23, 15:22, 16:10, 16:65, 20:53, 22:63, 23:18, 25:48, 27:60, 29:63, 30:24, 31:10, 35:27, 31:21, 43:11, 50:9) of the Quran talk of men being blessed with rain from the skies. We can reach the skies easily, and those flying in an airplane can easily reach even above the clouds that bring us rain.

The Quran mentioning about birds hovering over refers to the open space.

Scientists refer to this space as a void, a reason we traverse it without any hindrance. The Quran talks about another (sky) heaven, at a distance not yet reached by man, consisting of seven layers one above the other at unfathomable distances. 

He created the seven skies in two days, and commanded each with its needs. We decorated the lower sky with lights and made it a protected one. This is the arrangement by the All-Mighty and the All-knower. 

The Quran 41:12

During the space journey by Prophet Muhammad, he was taken to each of the seven skies and let in only after they were ordered open by the heavenly celestial beings. 

There are seven skies which the scientists of today are yet to sense with the available intelligence. They have not yet reached even the limits of the void space from the earth, and have not identified it, either as a liquid or a solid medium. We can easily identify the kind of sky a particular verse is talking about.

When talking about a sky connected with matters regarding man, the verses refer to the void space around the earth.

And the Quran while talking about a sky of which he has no knowledge, but connected with his belief, refers to the sky with seven layers.