Some scholars have stated that the lowest heaven is the smallest of the heavens and that it encircles the earth, meaning it is like an egg. What is your opinion?

The questioner : Shaykh, may Allah reward you. Some scholars have stated that the lowest heaven is the smallest of the heavens and that it encircles the earth from every direction, meaning it is like an egg. And the one after it is the same, meaning the heaven is like an egg and it is inside it. What is the evidence they cited for this?
The Shaykh : It is clear now that the heaven encircles the earth from every direction, is that not so? From every direction. And between the lowest heaven and the second heaven is a distance, a distance of five hundred years if the hadith is authentic, or less, or more. The important thing is that there is a distance between them, as evidenced by the hadith of the Night Journey. He said: And so on. And on this basis, the universe encircles one part of it with another up to the seventh heaven. This is why the lote tree there is called the Lote Tree of the Utmost Boundary, because everything ends there.

The questioner : And on this basis, are they like small circles, then larger and larger?

The Shaykh : Yes, indeed. And what prevents it? It is a great creation. Yes.