Islam & The Origins & Value of Human Life (Edexcel GCSE Religious Studies B)

Muslim Responses to Scientific Explanations & Non-religious Explanations of Life

Scientific & Non-Religious Explanations of Life

• The theory of evolution by natural selection was developed by the naturalists Alfred Russel Wallace and then Charles Darwin in the nineteenth century

• Charles Darwin published his book ‘On the Origin of Species’ in 1859, following extensive travelling and research

  • It contained the theory of evolution: the idea that life develops and adapts to its environments over many hundreds and thousands of years

  • Natural selection is the process that shapes this evolution: the members of the species with the strongest characteristics will adapt to the changing environment and survive, while those who are weaker and do not adapt will die out

  • Those who adapt will breed and pass on the characteristics to future generations

  • This process is known as the survival of the fittest

• Therefore human life has not always existed – it has developed or evolved over many millions of years, from simple life forms to the complex life form that is the human body and mind

• Evolutionists would say that humans and apes share many characteristics in common, and this indicates that they have evolved from a common ancestor

• Some evolutionists would claim that since everything has evolved from simple life forms, humans are no more special than any other plant or animal life form

Muslim Responses to Scientific & Non-Religious Explanations of Life

• Many Muslims would agree with non-religious people and members of other religious faiths and say that science has provided believable theories about how life on earth developed and evolved

  • They would say that they need to value what both religion and science tell them, and adapt their faith to accept scientific truths as well

• There are different ways to interpret the teachings of the Qur’an on the origins of life

• Creationist Muslims believe in the literal truth of the Qur’an

  • They would say that Adam was the first man on earth

  • Allah created him from dust, according to Surah 3:59

  • Other explanations of the creation of humans, according to the Qur’an, include the idea that they were created from clay (Surah 32:7-8) and from water (Surah 21:30)

• Evolutionist Muslims would disagree with a single, simple act of creation

  • They would say that it is completely possible for Allah to have designed the whole process of evolution

  • The fact that humans have passed through several stages, from simple forms of existence to the complexity of human life as we know it, is all part of Allah’s plan as the great Designer

  • They would point to the teachings in the Qur’an that imply there were stages of creation and design in Allah’s creation. It was all part of his plan. Everything has its ultimate origin and cause in Allah

• In support of this, evolutionist Muslims would say that the discovery of fossils is proof of the existence of a designer creator who created life on earth over several million years in stages 

  • For example, the fossil fields found in the Rocky Mountains in Canada only prove the words of Surah 31:10 to be true – Allah did indeed spread all kinds of animals around the mountains he had planted on earth

• They would say that the Qur’an predicted what science would later uncover – it was revealed by Allah to Muhammad long before scientists found out these information

• All Muslims would say that humans are the most important part of Allah’s creation because

  • They were the last thing created by Allah, so everything else was placed  on earth in preparation for humans

  • They have reason so they can comprehend something of Allah’s nature

  • They are able to build a relationship with Allah through their prayers, study and actions

  • They can achieve a place in paradise after death, unlike other species

The Significance of the Responses to Muslims Today

• Many non-religious people would respond to Muslims in the same way that they would respond to any religious views about science today: they would say that science disproves religious teachings, and that these ancient texts are outdated and incorrect

• However, evolutionist Muslims would respond by saying that some of the verses in the Qur’an seem to actually predict what science would discover many centuries later

  • They would therefore say that there is no conflict between science and religion

  • Humans did evolve, but this was part of Allah’s plan and design

  • The word of God as revealed in the Qur’an cannot be in conflict with the actions of God as revealed in the way the world was designed, because it is the same God