Islamic views on evolution: Difference between revisions
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== Prevalence == |
== Prevalence == |
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Evolution was introduced in Muslim countries later than it was in Western world. The initial debates that Western world encountered didn't happen in countries with mostly Muslim populations, but evolution got into the curricula of Muslim students in different countries mostly in the periods of dictators. Therefore, at the outset, evolution inevitably gained highly political meanings. Nationalist movements especially associated evolution with "western corruption" without seriously studying it. Later on, those movements, looking for intellectual support, learned and embraced Christian views and ideas about evolution as a shortcut for supporting the positions that they took at first. While the political debate was in progress, Islamic scholars stayed off the subject because of its dangerously political representation. Some of those movements that initially embraced anti-evolutionism proceeded on their way with it. Recently, Islamic scholars have begun making comments on the issue. Since denying scientific knowledge is forbidden |
Evolution was introduced in Muslim countries later than it was in Western world. The initial debates that Western world encountered didn't happen in countries with mostly Muslim populations, but evolution got into the curricula of Muslim students in different countries mostly in the periods of dictators. Therefore, at the outset, evolution inevitably gained highly political meanings. Nationalist movements especially associated evolution with "western corruption" without seriously studying it. Later on, those movements, looking for intellectual support, learned and embraced Christian views and ideas about evolution as a shortcut for supporting the positions that they took at first. While the political debate was in progress, Islamic scholars stayed off the subject because of its dangerously political representation. Some of those movements that initially embraced anti-evolutionism proceeded on their way with it. Recently, Islamic scholars have begun making comments on the issue. Since denying scientific knowledge is forbidden in Islam, scholars just try to overview the subject in the Islamic discourse rather than rejecting it. Nevertheless, individual attempts periodically occur as rejecting evolution by non-Islamic-scholar political leaders or Islamic-oriented-bloggers to gain attention. |
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Thus, little is known about general views of evolution in Muslim countries. A 2007 study of religious patterns found that only 8% of Egyptians, 11% of Malaysians, 14% of Pakistanis, 16% of Indonesians, and 22% of Turks agree that [[Darwin's theory]] is probably or most certainly true, and a 2006 survey reported that about a quarter of Turkish adults agreed that human beings evolved from earlier animal species. In contrast, the 2007 study found that only 28% of Kazakhs thought that evolution is false; this fraction is much lower than the roughly 40% of U.S. adults with the same opinion (though this could be due to the fact that Kazakhstan is a former republic of the USSR, where Atheism was explicitly endorsed and promoted).<ref>{{cite journal |journal=Science |year=2008 |volume=322 |issue=5908 |pages=1637–8 |doi=10.1126/science.1163672 |doi_brokendate=2008-12-16 |title= Bracing for Islamic creationism |author= Hameed S}}</ref> |
Thus, little is known about general views of evolution in Muslim countries. A 2007 study of religious patterns found that only 8% of Egyptians, 11% of Malaysians, 14% of Pakistanis, 16% of Indonesians, and 22% of Turks agree that [[Darwin's theory]] is probably or most certainly true, and a 2006 survey reported that about a quarter of Turkish adults agreed that human beings evolved from earlier animal species. In contrast, the 2007 study found that only 28% of Kazakhs thought that evolution is false; this fraction is much lower than the roughly 40% of U.S. adults with the same opinion (though this could be due to the fact that Kazakhstan is a former republic of the USSR, where Atheism was explicitly endorsed and promoted).<ref>{{cite journal |journal=Science |year=2008 |volume=322 |issue=5908 |pages=1637–8 |doi=10.1126/science.1163672 |doi_brokendate=2008-12-16 |title= Bracing for Islamic creationism |author= Hameed S}}</ref> |
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Islamic creationism is the belief that the universe(including humanity) was created by God as explained in the Qur'an.
Between plants and animals there is sponge, and, between animals and humans there is monkey.
— İbrahim Hakkı of Erzurum, Marifetname
Prevalence
Evolution was introduced in Muslim countries later than it was in Western world. The initial debates that Western world encountered didn't happen in countries with mostly Muslim populations, but evolution got into the curricula of Muslim students in different countries mostly in the periods of dictators. Therefore, at the outset, evolution inevitably gained highly political meanings. Nationalist movements especially associated evolution with "western corruption" without seriously studying it. Later on, those movements, looking for intellectual support, learned and embraced Christian views and ideas about evolution as a shortcut for supporting the positions that they took at first. While the political debate was in progress, Islamic scholars stayed off the subject because of its dangerously political representation. Some of those movements that initially embraced anti-evolutionism proceeded on their way with it. Recently, Islamic scholars have begun making comments on the issue. Since denying scientific knowledge is forbidden in Islam, scholars just try to overview the subject in the Islamic discourse rather than rejecting it. Nevertheless, individual attempts periodically occur as rejecting evolution by non-Islamic-scholar political leaders or Islamic-oriented-bloggers to gain attention.
Thus, little is known about general views of evolution in Muslim countries. A 2007 study of religious patterns found that only 8% of Egyptians, 11% of Malaysians, 14% of Pakistanis, 16% of Indonesians, and 22% of Turks agree that Darwin's theory is probably or most certainly true, and a 2006 survey reported that about a quarter of Turkish adults agreed that human beings evolved from earlier animal species. In contrast, the 2007 study found that only 28% of Kazakhs thought that evolution is false; this fraction is much lower than the roughly 40% of U.S. adults with the same opinion (though this could be due to the fact that Kazakhstan is a former republic of the USSR, where Atheism was explicitly endorsed and promoted).[1]
In Turkey, polemics against the theory of evolution have been waged by the Nurculuk movement of Said Nursi since the late 1970s. At present, its main exponent[2] is the writer Harun Yahya (pseudonym of Adnan Oktar) who uses the Internet as one of the main methods for the propagation of his ideas.[3] His BAV (Bilim Araştırma Vakfı/ Science Research Foundation) organizes conferences with leading American creationists. Another leading Turkish advocate of Islamic creationism is Fethullah Gülen. Due to the lack of a detailed account of creation in the Qur'an, other aspects than the literal truth of the scripture are emphasized in the Islamic debate. The most important concept is the idea that there is no such thing as a random event, and that everything happens according to God's will. This does not mean that God has to interfere with the universe and it is ok to believe God set the universe in motion. Hence the ideas of some Islamic creationists are closer to Intelligent design than to Young Earth Creationism. Another Muslim viewpoint is that evolution is real and that God did create it by creating the universe.
According to Guardian some British Muslim students quote the Qu'ran in scientific exams and fail as a result.[4] At a conference in the UK in January, 2004, entitled Creationism: Science and Faith in Schools, Dr Khalid Anees, president of the Islamic Society of Britain stated that "Muslims interpret the world through both the Koran and what is tangible and seen. There is no contradiction between what is revealed in the Quran and natural selection and survival of the fittest."[5] However, over 1,505 people opposed the creationist movement and the Brown government has recently published new standards removing creationism from the schools.[6]
Theology
The Qur'an does not contain a complete set of time markers in its references to creation,[7] other than declaring that it took six days, and that "days" have been interpreted not just as literal twenty-four hour periods but as stages or other periods of time to complete,[7][8] and therefore is not subject to the same level of debate as some interpretators of the Bible regarding scientific evidence and chronology. Skeptics point out there is no explicit mention of the extinction of whole species long before the creation of man in the Qur'an, whilst its inspiration is defended on the grounds that it is not a book of science. The Bible is held by Muslims to contain errors and therefore has not presented the same level of difficulty in the Islamic world as in some sections of Christianity outlined above. However, in recent years, a movement has begun to emerge in some Muslim countries promoting themes that have been characteristic of Christian creationists and Bible literalists in the past. A few oppose this citing the lack of compatibility between the two and that the Quran contradicts the Bible in numerous passages.[9][10][4] Khalid Anees, president of the Islamic Society of Britain, at a conference, Creationism: Science and Faith in Schools, made points including the following:[5] There is no contradiction between what is revealed in the Koran and natural selection and survival of the fittest. However, some Muslims do not agree that one species can develop from another despite the lack of Quranic evidence for this belief.
Islam also has its own school of Evolutionary creationism/Theistic evolutionism, which holds that mainstream scientific analysis of the origin of the universe is supported by the Qur'an. Many Muslims believe in evolutionary creationism, especially among Sunni and Shia Muslims and the Liberal movements within Islam. Among scholars of Islam İbrahim Hakkı of Erzurum who lived in Erzurum then Ottoman Empire now Republic of Turkey in 18th century is fameous of stating "between plants and animals there is sponge, and, between animals and humen there is monkey"[11].
Universal creation
There are several verses in the Qur'an which some modern writers have interpreted as being compatible with the expansion of the universe, Big Bang and Big Crunch theories:[12][13][14]
"Do not the Unbelievers see that the skies (space) and the earth were joined together, then We clove them asunder and We created every living thing out of the water. Will they not then believe?"[Quran 21:30]
"Then turned He to the sky (space) when it was smoke, and said unto it and unto the earth: Come both of you, willingly or loth. They said: We come, obedient."[Quran 41:11]
"And it is We Who have constructed the sky (space) with might, and it is We Who are steadily expanding it."[Quran 51:47]
"On the day when We will roll up the sky (space) like the rolling up of the scroll for writings, as We originated the first creation, (so) We shall reproduce it; a promise (binding on Us); surely We will bring it about."[Quran 21:104]
References
- ^ Hameed S (2008). "Bracing for Islamic creationism". Science. 322 (5908): 1637–8. doi:10.1126/science.1163672.
{{cite journal}}
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ignored (|doi-broken-date=
suggested) (help) - ^ "Seeing the light -- of science". salon.com. Retrieved 2009-01-06.
- ^ Darwinism's Contradiction with Religion, Why Darwinism is Incompatible With the Qur'an, Harun Yahya
- ^ a b Campbell, Duncan (2006-02-21). "Academics fight rise of creationism at universities". Guardian. Retrieved 2008-07-19.
- ^ a b Papineau, David (2004-01-07). "Creationism: Science and Faith in Schools". Guardian. Retrieved 2008-07-18.
- ^ Sherriff, Lucy (2007-06-25). "UK Gov boots intelligent design back into 'religious' margins". Register. Retrieved 2008-07-22.
- ^ a b "The Origin of Life: An Islamic perspective". Islam for Today. Retrieved 2007-03-14.
- ^ "Your Guardian Lord is Allah, Who created the heavens and the earth in six days", Qur'an, Surah 7:54
- ^ Sayin, Ümit; Kence, Aykut (1999). "Islamic Scientific Creationism: A New Challenge in Turkey". National Center for Science Education. Retrieved 2009-11-12.
- ^ Koning, Danielle (2006). "Anti-evolutionism amongst Muslim students" (PDF). ISIM Review. 18: 48. Retrieved 2007-03-14.
- ^ Erzurumi, İ. H. (1257). Marifetname
- ^ Harun Yahya, The Big Bang Echoes through the Map of the Galaxy
- ^ Maurice Bucaille (1990), The Bible the Qur'an and Science, "The Quran and Modern Science", ISBN 8171011322.
- ^ A. Abd-Allah, The Qur'an, Knowledge, and Science, University of Southern California.
External links
- Science in the Quran, by Ashraf Salmawi
- The Muslim Responses to Evolution by Abdul Majid
- Quran Evolution and Intelligent Design, by Iyad Hijazi & Sylvia Nemmers
- Islam's Darwin Problem - from the website of Richard Dawkins
- In the Muslim world, creationism is on the rise Boston.com