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Biological Evolution – An Islamic Perspective

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    Lightbulb Biological Evolution – An Islamic Perspective (OP)


    http://islamtoday.com/showme2.cfm?ca...sub_cat_id=792
    Biological Evolution – An Islamic Perspective| Prepared by the Research Committee of IslamToday.net under the supervision of Sheikh `Abd al-Wahhâb al-Turayrî|


    Many Muslims wonder about the theory of biological evolution – the theory that living species on Earth today are descended from others in the past, and that the present diversity of living species we see is a result of descent with modification over the course of numerous generations.

    Muslims also wonder about one of the main processes that evolutionary theory proposes to explain how evolution takes place – the process of natural selection. This is the idea that the individuals within a populations of living organism vary in their individual traits – they are not exactly alike – and that the organisms which are most successful at leaving descendants will pass on their unique traits to the next generation at the expense of the traits possessed by less successful organisms in the population, thereby contributing to a long-term gradual change in the suite of traits found within the population.

    We as Muslims must ask:

    Does the theory of evolution – and likewise the theory of natural selection as a mechanism of evolution – conform to Islamic teachings or conflict with them?

    Is a Muslim allowed to believe in evolution as a scientific theory as long as he or she accepts that Allah is behind it?

    Can a Muslim believe in human evolution? If not, how can we explain the fossils of upright, bipedal, tool-using apes with large brains that have been discovered?

    To start with, we wish to emphasize that our concern here is not with examining the scientific merits of the theory of evolution. What we want to know is what Islamic teachings have to say about the idea. Whether evolution is true or false scientifically is another matter altogether.

    When we look at the sources of Islam – the Qur’ân and Sunnah – we see that, with respect to human beings living on the Earth today, they are all descendants of Adam and Eve.

    Allah also says: “O mankind! We have created you from a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know one another. Verily, the most honorable of you with Allah is the one who is the most God-fearing.” [Sûrah al-Hujûrât:13]

    The Prophet (peace be upon him) identified the "male" mentioned in this verse as being Adam. He said: “Human beings are the children of Adam and Adam was created from Earth. Allah says: ‘O mankind! We have created you from a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know one another. Verily, the most honorable of you with Allah is the one who is the most God-fearing’.” [Sunan al-Tirmidhî (3270)]

    We also see that Allah created Adam directly without the agency of parents.

    Allah says: “The similitude of Jesus before Allah is as that of Adam; He created him from dust, then said to him: ‘Be’ and he was.” [Sûrah Âl `Imrân: 59]

    We also know that Eve was created from Adam without the agency of parents.

    In the Qur’ân, Allah states clearly: “O mankind! Be careful of your duty to your Lord Who created you from a single soul and from it created its mate and from them twain hath spread abroad a multitude of men and women.” [Sûrah al-Nisâ’: 1]

    Therefore, the Qur’ân tells us that Adam and his wife were the father and mother of all human beings living on the Earth today. We know about this by way of direct revelation from Allah.

    The direct creation of Adam (peace be upon him) can neither be confirmed nor denied by science in any way. This is because the creation of Adam (peace be upon him) was a unique and singular historical event. It is a matter of the Unseen and something that science does not have the power to confirm or deny. As a matter of the Unseen, we believe it because Allah informs us about it. We say the same for the miracles mentioned in the Qur’ân. Miraculous events, by their very nature, do not conform to scientific laws and their occurrence can neither be confirmed nor denied by science.

    What about other living things, besides the human beings living on the Earth today? What about plants, animals, fungi, and the like?

    When we turn our attention to this question, we find that the Qur’ân and Sunnah do not tell us much about the flora and fauna that was present on the Earth before or at the time of Adam and Eve’s arrived upon it. The sacred texts also do not tell us how long ago Adam and Eve arrived upon the Earth. Therefore, these are things we cannot ascertain from the sacred texts.

    The only thing that the Qur’ân and Sunnah require us to believe about the living things on Earth today is that Allah created them in whatever manner He decided to do create them.

    Allah says: “Allah is the Creator of all things and over all things He has authority.” [Sûrah al-Zumar: 62]

    Indeed, Allah states specifically that He created all life forms: “And We made from water all living things.” [Sûrah al-Anbiyâ’: 30]

    We know that “Allah does what He pleases.” Allah can create His creatures in any manner that He chooses.

    Therefore, with respect to other living things, the Qur’ân and Sunnah neither confirm nor deny the theory of biological evolution or the process referred to as natural selection. The question of evolution remains purely a matter of scientific enquiry. The theory of evolution must stand or fall on its own scientific merits – and that means the physical evidence that either confirms the theory or conflicts with it.

    The role of science is only to observe and describe the patterns that Allah places in His creation. If scientific observation shows a pattern in the evolution of species over time that can be described as natural selection, this is not in itself unbelief. It is only unbelief for a person to think that this evolution took place on its own, and not as a creation of Allah. A Muslim who accepts evolution or natural selection as a valid scientific theory must know that the theory is merely an explanation of one of the many observed patterns in Allah’s creation.

    As for the fossil remains of bipedal apes and the tools and artifacts associated with those remains, their existence poses no problem for Islamic teachings. There is nothing in the Qur’ân and Sunnah that either affirms or denies that upright, brainy, tool using apes ever existed or evolved from other apelike ancestors. Such animals may very well have existed on Earth before Adam’s arrival upon it. All we can draw from the Qur’ân and Sunnah is that even if those animals once existed, they were not the forefathers of Adam (peace be upon him).

    And Allah knows best.
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    Biological Evolution – An Islamic Perspective

    The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
    "Surely I was sent to perfect the qualities of righteous character" [Musnad Ahmad, Muwatta Mâlik]


    Visit Ansâr Al-'Adl's personal page HERE.
    Excellent resources on Islam listed HERE.

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    Re: Biological Evolution – An Islamic Perspective

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    Well words as "rare" always have a relative meaning.
    perhaps then you won't use mutation and rare in the same sentence again.

    Let me answer your question with the following question: have we documented a single case of mutation in the human body ever since the discovery of DNA; despite the billions of people that have been born ever since?
    http://www.journals.uchicago.edu/AJH...220753210Guest

    First of all you are assuming that the genetic variation already existed outside the isolated island. I'm not certain about that, then again I'm not inclined to believe otherwise. Either way,
    Of course genetic variation will already be in existence, the species will have already evolved to it's current form before the point in which it finds itself isolated.

    my point was without the mutation wish is entirly based on luck, theer would be no evolution once so ever.
    I agree, without our planet also their would be no life to evolve on it!

    Remember how this whole discussion began:
    Steve: Evolution theory does not speculate that species evolve out of adaptation. A mutation is the result of a malfunctioning. It is not (unless you believ in ID) purpose-minded. Species don't mutation in order to adapt. They adapt because they have mutated.
    I agree with your statement I always have, the issue here is:

    Evolution theory does not speculate that species evolve out of adaptation. (natural selection)
    Species do evolve through adaptation, this is why evolution can at times be predictive such as the case with island dwarfing. Natural selection is the process by which species adapt to their environment. Natural selection leads to evolutionary change when individuals with certain characteristics have a greater survival or reproductive rate than other individuals in a population and pass on these inheritable genetic characteristics to their offspring. Simply put, natural selection is a consistent difference in survival and reproduction between different genotypes, or even different genes, in what we could call reproductive success. [A genotype is a group of organisms sharing a specific genetic makeup.]

    I do understand that this can only happen because of mutations, however mutational change does not for most of the part direct an evolutionary path that again at times can be predictive. Mutations are random and unpredictive as we see here natural selection at times is very much predicatable.

    They adapt because they have mutated
    Some species have not changed for millions of years yet mutate frequently, if a species adapts because it mutates why would some species record almost no physical or anatomical changes? while other species do if mutations are driving evolution.

    Mutation & natural selection are two different evolutionary forces and you have already agreed this.

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    Re: Biological Evolution – An Islamic Perspective

    format_quote Originally Posted by root View Post
    perhaps then you won't use mutation and rare in the same sentence again.
    Or perhaps I will but just place a referance of comparison

    http://www.journals.uchicago.edu/AJH...220753210Guest

    broken link

    Of course genetic variation will already be in existence, the species will have already evolved to it's current form before the point in which it finds itself isolated.
    1. Does it matter?
    2. How do you know?
    3. How come these giants and dwarfs are'nt occasionally found in other places?

    There's much to say about wheter natural selection can be considered as part of evolution itslef or not. I guess that all depends on ones defenition. In the end it doesn't make that much difrence.

    Mutation & natural selection are two different evolutionary forces and you have already agreed this.
    Well mutation is a driving force, whereas natural selection is an investigation of how the mutations manifest themself.
    You could compare it with a tab pooring water on teh back of your hand. The open tab is the driving force of the water, and the curvature of your hand dictates which way the water flows. But you cannot claim that the curvature of your hand causes the water to flow. The curvature only decides the direction in which teh water flows. It doesn't tell teh water to flow at all. In a simular way, natural selection is the curvature of life which dictates what specie will take over which palce. Whereas the mutation is the tab that cause the evolution to poor.
    Biological Evolution – An Islamic Perspective

    Check out my website for my conversion story.
    Check out my free e-book if you like reading drama-novels.

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    Re: Biological Evolution – An Islamic Perspective


    mashallah article was nice, jazakallah khair for sharing

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    Re: Biological Evolution – An Islamic Perspective

    One thing i don't understand is how evolution works. though i know for certain that there's no place for it in islam, i'd like evolutionists to explain the mechanism of evolution. Take a good look at this colourful sea dragon.

    http://www.eveandersson.com/photos/u...agon-large.jpg

    So this sea dragon evolved from a cell? How did it get its leafy structure to protect it from enemies?
    Biological Evolution – An Islamic Perspective

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    wwwislamicboardcom - Biological Evolution – An Islamic Perspective

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    Re: Biological Evolution – An Islamic Perspective

    Steve - Well mutation is a driving force, whereas natural selection is an investigation of how the mutations manifest themself.
    I don't quite accept that as being the complete story, unless of course you consider Genetic Recombination genetic mutations which as you probably realise I do not. This point I am sure will come back in other threads when discussing evolution by mutational change, if your of the opinion recombination is mutational change then I am not going to counter debate against the idea only duly note your position on it.

    I must say though, I did not find your analogy a very good one.

    muslim_friend - One thing i don't understand is how evolution works. though i know for certain that there's no place for it in islam,
    I can accept your point. Perhaps it is a good thing that Islam stays outside of the science classroom since when life first began on our planet it evolved and all life has and continues to evolve this is the overwhelming consensus of all the top scientif acadamies and institutions including ones representative of muslim majority countries.

    Who exactly was it that said Islam is in perfect harmony with science.

    muslim_friend - i'd like evolutionists to explain the mechanism of evolution. Take a good look at this colourful sea dragon.
    A very nice picture, all life is currently equally as impressive as the sea dragon though the variation amongst sea dragons are equally as impressive. Consider all species are in the business of survival and reproduction and thus we are all intermediate species too so I like to think.

    So this sea dragon evolved from a cell? How did it get its leafy structure to protect it from enemies?
    All life evolved from single cell organisms, in this respect the sea dragon is no different. As to offering an answer, a combination of genetic mutation and a lot of genetic recombination.

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    Post Re: Biological Evolution – An Islamic Perspective

    format_quote Originally Posted by muslim_friend View Post
    One thing i don't understand is how evolution works. though i know for certain that there's no place for it in islam, i'd like evolutionists to explain the mechanism of evolution. Take a good look at this colourful sea dragon.

    http://www.eveandersson.com/photos/u...agon-large.jpg

    So this sea dragon evolved from a cell? How did it get its leafy structure to protect it from enemies?

    Didn't you read the article on the first page? That was by some scholars who say that it is OK to believe in evolution. Of all the fatwaas and articles on evolution written by scholars who are decently knowledgeable of the subject, I have seen none that condemn evolution. They all say that the only forms of evolution that Islam disaggrees with are atheistic evolution and human evolution.
    Biological Evolution – An Islamic Perspective

    wwwislamicboardcom - Biological Evolution – An Islamic Perspective

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    Re: Biological Evolution – An Islamic Perspective

    Quote from main Article (Page 1) - As for the fossil remains of bipedal apes and the tools and artifacts associated with those remains, their existence poses no problem for Islamic teachings. There is nothing in the Qur’ân and Sunnah that either affirms or denies that upright, brainy, tool using apes ever existed or evolved from other apelike ancestors. Such animals may very well have existed on Earth before Adam’s arrival upon it. All we can draw from the Qur’ân and Sunnah is that even if those animals once existed, they were not the forefathers of Adam (peace be upon him).

    And Allah knows best.
    Response:

    wwwislamicboardcom - Biological Evolution – An Islamic Perspective

    Fishman - They all say that the only forms of evolution that Islam disaggrees with are atheistic evolution and human evolution.
    What exactly is "atheistic Evolution", I have never heard of such a thing?

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    Post Re: Biological Evolution – An Islamic Perspective

    format_quote Originally Posted by root View Post
    What exactly is "atheistic Evolution", I have never heard of such a thing?

    Atheistic evolution is the belief that evolution is not guided or controlled by a designer.
    Biological Evolution – An Islamic Perspective

    wwwislamicboardcom - Biological Evolution – An Islamic Perspective

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    Re: Biological Evolution – An Islamic Perspective

    Atheistic evolution is the belief that evolution is not guided or controlled by a designer.
    Scientific source please for your claim, failing that all that you have shown is that "Atheistic Evolution" is just a made up entity by religous groups who realise that they cannot any longer look so isolated in the face of overwhelming scientific discovery. This be the case then I put it to you that a "religous Evolution" may attempt to update (yet again) Intelligent Design and further attempt to create controversy by deceipt.

    Evolution by scientific definition is no more controlled than mankinds own cultural history, History was not a careful put up job designed to deliver our present and nor was evolution a carefully constructed entity specifically designed to bring about you and I.

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    Re: Biological Evolution – An Islamic Perspective

    format_quote Originally Posted by Fishman View Post

    Atheistic evolution is the belief that evolution is not guided or controlled by a designer.
    In other words, it is based in fact and not faith.
    But then isn't all science atheistic.

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    Post Re: Biological Evolution – An Islamic Perspective

    format_quote Originally Posted by wilberhum View Post
    In other words, it is based in fact and not faith.
    But then isn't all science atheistic.

    Wrong. Evolution is based on fact and not faith. It is science. Theistic and atheistic evolution are both based on faith, respectively, having faith that God controls evolution, and having faith that he does not.

    Sciencific facts (not fake discoveries) are neutral, and based purely on observation and deduction. Beliefs about what controls and guides all phenomena are not.
    Biological Evolution – An Islamic Perspective

    wwwislamicboardcom - Biological Evolution – An Islamic Perspective

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    Re: Biological Evolution – An Islamic Perspective

    There is nothing scientific about Theistic Evolution". It is just another theistic theory.

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    Re: Biological Evolution – An Islamic Perspective

    format_quote Originally Posted by Ansar Al-'Adl View Post
    http://islamtoday.com/showme2.cfm?ca...sub_cat_id=792
    Biological Evolution – An Islamic Perspective| Prepared by the Research Committee of IslamToday.net under the supervision of Sheikh `Abd al-Wahhâb al-Turayrî|


    Many Muslims wonder about the theory of biological evolution – the theory that living species on Earth today are descended from others in the past, and that the present diversity of living species we see is a result of descent with modification over the course of numerous generations.

    Muslims also wonder about one of the main processes that evolutionary theory proposes to explain how evolution takes place – the process of natural selection. This is the idea that the individuals within a populations of living organism vary in their individual traits – they are not exactly alike – and that the organisms which are most successful at leaving descendants will pass on their unique traits to the next generation at the expense of the traits possessed by less successful organisms in the population, thereby contributing to a long-term gradual change in the suite of traits found within the population.

    We as Muslims must ask:

    Does the theory of evolution – and likewise the theory of natural selection as a mechanism of evolution – conform to Islamic teachings or conflict with them?

    Is a Muslim allowed to believe in evolution as a scientific theory as long as he or she accepts that Allah is behind it?

    Can a Muslim believe in human evolution? If not, how can we explain the fossils of upright, bipedal, tool-using apes with large brains that have been discovered?

    To start with, we wish to emphasize that our concern here is not with examining the scientific merits of the theory of evolution. What we want to know is what Islamic teachings have to say about the idea. Whether evolution is true or false scientifically is another matter altogether.

    When we look at the sources of Islam – the Qur’ân and Sunnah – we see that, with respect to human beings living on the Earth today, they are all descendants of Adam and Eve.

    Allah also says: “O mankind! We have created you from a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know one another. Verily, the most honorable of you with Allah is the one who is the most God-fearing.” [Sûrah al-Hujûrât:13]

    The Prophet (peace be upon him) identified the "male" mentioned in this verse as being Adam. He said: “Human beings are the children of Adam and Adam was created from Earth. Allah says: ‘O mankind! We have created you from a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know one another. Verily, the most honorable of you with Allah is the one who is the most God-fearing’.” [Sunan al-Tirmidhî (3270)]

    We also see that Allah created Adam directly without the agency of parents.

    Allah says: “The similitude of Jesus before Allah is as that of Adam; He created him from dust, then said to him: ‘Be’ and he was.” [Sûrah Âl `Imrân: 59]

    We also know that Eve was created from Adam without the agency of parents.

    In the Qur’ân, Allah states clearly: “O mankind! Be careful of your duty to your Lord Who created you from a single soul and from it created its mate and from them twain hath spread abroad a multitude of men and women.” [Sûrah al-Nisâ’: 1]

    Therefore, the Qur’ân tells us that Adam and his wife were the father and mother of all human beings living on the Earth today. We know about this by way of direct revelation from Allah.

    The direct creation of Adam (peace be upon him) can neither be confirmed nor denied by science in any way. This is because the creation of Adam (peace be upon him) was a unique and singular historical event. It is a matter of the Unseen and something that science does not have the power to confirm or deny. As a matter of the Unseen, we believe it because Allah informs us about it. We say the same for the miracles mentioned in the Qur’ân. Miraculous events, by their very nature, do not conform to scientific laws and their occurrence can neither be confirmed nor denied by science.

    What about other living things, besides the human beings living on the Earth today? What about plants, animals, fungi, and the like?

    When we turn our attention to this question, we find that the Qur’ân and Sunnah do not tell us much about the flora and fauna that was present on the Earth before or at the time of Adam and Eve’s arrived upon it. The sacred texts also do not tell us how long ago Adam and Eve arrived upon the Earth. Therefore, these are things we cannot ascertain from the sacred texts.

    The only thing that the Qur’ân and Sunnah require us to believe about the living things on Earth today is that Allah created them in whatever manner He decided to do create them.

    Allah says: “Allah is the Creator of all things and over all things He has authority.” [Sûrah al-Zumar: 62]

    Indeed, Allah states specifically that He created all life forms: “And We made from water all living things.” [Sûrah al-Anbiyâ’: 30]

    We know that “Allah does what He pleases.” Allah can create His creatures in any manner that He chooses.

    Therefore, with respect to other living things, the Qur’ân and Sunnah neither confirm nor deny the theory of biological evolution or the process referred to as natural selection. The question of evolution remains purely a matter of scientific enquiry. The theory of evolution must stand or fall on its own scientific merits – and that means the physical evidence that either confirms the theory or conflicts with it.

    The role of science is only to observe and describe the patterns that Allah places in His creation. If scientific observation shows a pattern in the evolution of species over time that can be described as natural selection, this is not in itself unbelief. It is only unbelief for a person to think that this evolution took place on its own, and not as a creation of Allah. A Muslim who accepts evolution or natural selection as a valid scientific theory must know that the theory is merely an explanation of one of the many observed patterns in Allah’s creation.

    As for the fossil remains of bipedal apes and the tools and artifacts associated with those remains, their existence poses no problem for Islamic teachings. There is nothing in the Qur’ân and Sunnah that either affirms or denies that upright, brainy, tool using apes ever existed or evolved from other apelike ancestors. Such animals may very well have existed on Earth before Adam’s arrival upon it. All we can draw from the Qur’ân and Sunnah is that even if those animals once existed, they were not the forefathers of Adam (peace be upon him).

    And Allah knows best.

    i know this was probably posted a long time ago but this is great and it answered many questions i had , good to know muslims dont have to throw out all science the way other religions do.

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    Re: Biological Evolution – An Islamic Perspective

    The direct creation of Adam (peace be upon him) can neither be confirmed nor denied by science in any way. This is because the creation of Adam (peace be upon him) was a unique and singular historical event. It is a matter of the Unseen and something that science does not have the power to confirm or deny.
    Retro-virus insertions certainly does not support this opinion. Further, scientific consensus clearly edges it's bet's on that above propoganda being certainly false. Clearly, if man was "unique" then why would we show the same retro virus insertion at the same point in our genome showing the same degrading over time with our buddies the chimps.

    As a matter of the Unseen, we believe it because Allah informs us about it. We say the same for the miracles mentioned in the Qur’ân. Miraculous events, by their very nature, do not conform to scientific laws and their occurrence can neither be confirmed nor denied by science.
    Agreed, man being created by the flying sphagetti monster can niether be confirmed nor denied by science also. we could always ask for a probability though!!!!!!!!!!, perhaps we should teach our kids this "controversy" when teaching the theory of evolution in the science class.

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    Post Re: Biological Evolution – An Islamic Perspective

    format_quote Originally Posted by root View Post
    perhaps we should teach our kids this "controversy" when teaching the theory of evolution in the science class.

    I think that we should be taught that not everyone believes in evolution, but not actually taught creationism. What do you think?

    BTW, they don't teach evolution in school.
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    Re: Biological Evolution – An Islamic Perspective

    think that we should be taught that not everyone believes in evolution
    Even more reason to teach evolution.
    BTW, they don't teach evolution in school.
    Which schools? Every one I attended did, and that was 30 years ago. Even Catholic school.

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    Re: Biological Evolution – An Islamic Perspective

    Fishman - I think that we should be taught that not everyone believes in evolution, but not actually taught creationism. What do you think?
    I think it is a terrible idea. The overwhelming scientific bodies on our planet have released 4 key points that it considers "Key Facts".

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/bsp/h..._evolution.pdf


    Key Fact 1#

    In a universe that has evolved towards its present configuration for some 11 to 15 billion years, our Earth formed approximately 4.5 billion years ago.


    But remember kids not everyone believes this!


    Key Fact 2#

    Since its formation, the Earth – its geology and its environments – has changed under the effect of numerous physical and chemical forces and continues to do so..


    But remember kids not everyone believes this!


    Key Fact 3#

    Life appeared on Earth at least 2.5 billion years ago. The evolution, soon after, of photosynthetic organisms enabled, from at least 2 billion years ago, the slow transformation of the atmosphere to one containing substantial quantities of oxygen. In addition to the release of the oxygen that we breathe, the process of photosynthesis is the ultimate source of fixed energy and food upon which human life on the planet depends.


    But remember kids not everyone believes this!


    Key Fact 4#

    Since its first appearance on Earth, life has taken many forms, all of which continue to evolve, in ways which palaeontology and the modern biological and biochemical sciences are describing and independently confirming with increasing precision. Commonalities in the structure of the genetic code of all organisms living today, including humans, clearly indicate
    their common primordial origin.


    But remember kids not everyone believes this!

    And here is one I really like

    The Earth is round, but remember kids, not everyone believes this!

    Surely, the sciences of science should remain scientific in a science classroom.

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    Post Re: Biological Evolution – An Islamic Perspective


    What I mean is at the beginning of classes about evolution (after being introduced to the topic) just make a statement along the lines of 'although almost all scientists believe in evolution, there are a number of people who disagree with it because of their religious beliefs about the creation of the universe'. Then teach them about evolution, and how it works.

    They don't teach it in my school. I'm in year nine, and I have never been taught about evolution. Everything I know about it I learnt outside of school, often from books and the internet. I wrote a nine-page essay on the subject for school. It was for a project on famous scientists, where you had to choose a scientist and write about them. I wrote about Darwin's discovery and my friend who I was working with wrote about Darwin's life.
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    Re: Biological Evolution – An Islamic Perspective

    format_quote Originally Posted by root View Post
    All life evolved from single cell organisms, in this respect the sea dragon is no different. As to offering an answer, a combination of genetic mutation and a lot of genetic recombination.
    Thanks for your reply.

    Since everyone claims that evolution is a gradual process, I find the possibilities of a 'perfect fit' extremely low. .. the colour, the shape and size all seem highly impossible for a species to develop by itself without having any of its earlier ancestors survived.

    Any idea about fossil remains or other evidence that supports this hypothesis regarding mutation of creatures into higher organisms? It seems that this missing link is nothing but hoaxes.

    format_quote Originally Posted by Fishman View Post

    Didn't you read the article on the first page? That was by some scholars who say that it is OK to believe in evolution. Of all the fatwaas and articles on evolution written by scholars who are decently knowledgeable of the subject, I have seen none that condemn evolution. They all say that the only forms of evolution that Islam disaggrees with are atheistic evolution and human evolution.
    salam,

    I did read that article on the first page about the fatwa.. If the Qur'an indicates that evolution of other species is in accordance with Islam, i will consider only Allah's words and what any scientist says does not matter as it will not make any difference. but since islam, neither denys nor confirms evolution, i'm asking questions from a scientific view-point for a better understanding of the subject at hand. As for human evolution, I know it is unacceptable in Islam, thank you.

    wsalam.
    Last edited by muslim_friend; 07-20-2006 at 11:33 AM.
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    Re: Biological Evolution – An Islamic Perspective

    Muslim_Friend - Since everyone claims that evolution is a gradual process, I find the possibilities of a 'perfect fit' extremely low.
    "perfect", firstly I would suggest that evolution can be and often is far from perfect. However I am afraid I do not fully understand what you really mean by a perfect fit.

    Muslim_Friend.. the colour, the shape and size all seem highly impossible for a species to develop by itself without having any of its earlier ancestors survived.
    OK, I think you are referencing the lovely picture of a leafy sea dragon.
    http://www.eveandersson.com/photos/u...agon-large.jpg

    The sea Dragon is a fish, and if you ask any person to draw you a fish then I think the probable result would be a streamline body pointed at the front end triangular fin top and bottom and tail, finally a dot for the eye and some gills penciled in just behind the eye. Hey-presto we have a fish.

    I doubt anybody would draw a leafy sea dragon which to give it's proper name of Phycodurus Equus A fish that looks like your standard issue herring or perch does so only because it is a good shape for swimming through open water and not gently swaying in amongst kelp. The standard fish shape in evolution can be twisted and kneaded and pulled out in a remarkable array of any un-fishy way that it needs to survive and reproduce.

    The Seadragon is part of the Teleosts species which is one of the biggest and most succesful group of fish, fossils date this group as evolving from 440 Million years ago (mya) although the leafy seadragon is only 150 mya (incidently Seahorses evolved 115 mya and is a major genetic influence on sea dragons otherwise known as a very close ancestor).

    The Teleosts appeared in the earliest siliruin, still with ice cap left over from the cold Ordovician period, There are some 23,500 species from this group and prominent at many levels of underwater food chains. They have adapted over-time from their origins of icy water (where they still are present) to hot springs, high mauntain lakes are found thriving in acid streams stinking marshes and saline lakes, they have also succesfully exploited fresh water adaptation too. The evolutionary driving force behind this group will be dominated by predator evasion (since they are prominant in most underwater food chains) and environmental adaptation since they have come to exploit many areas of the planet.

    Muslim_Friend - Any idea about fossil remains or other evidence that supports this hypothesis regarding mutation of creatures into higher organisms? Missing link?
    How shall we know the past? and how do we date it? What aids to our vision will help us peer into theatres of ancient life and reconstruct the scenes and the players, their exits and their entrances of long ago? Conventional human history has three main methods and so we find their counterparts on the larger timescale of evolution. First there is archeology, the study of bones arrowheads, fragments of pots, oystershell midens, figurines and other hard evidence from the past. In evolutionary history the most obvious are bones and teeth and the fossils they eventually become (it is estimated that we may never know about 90% of all extinct species since no trace has been left. We also have renewed relics, records that themselves are not old but which contain or embody a copy or representation of what was old. In human history such as your Quran which would be the history of written or vocal accounts handed down, repeated reprinted or otherwise duplicated from the past to the present. In evolution DNA is the main renewed relic, this method led to the discovery that the hippo is the closest living ancestor of the whale, what a shocker that was. Triangulation is used in human history and too in evolution where you can "traingulate" an ancestor by comparing two (or more) of it's survining or otherwise descendants.
    Last edited by root; 07-20-2006 at 12:44 PM.


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