The Theory of Evolution: An Introduction

8:05

11 Dec 2017

Evolution

Shabir Ally

Aisha Khaja

This short introduction is framed as a discussion between Aisha Khaja, the host, and Dr. Shabir Ally, president of the organization that sponsors the show.

The two discuss why they would address the topic of biological evolution, which remains undefined in this clip.  Ally says that it comes up in interfaith dialogues.  His approach will be to examine “the whole history of the idea of evolution, how it came to be discussed and the various responses that have been given to it.”  He frames the discussion as placing atheists/evolutionists on one side, and people of faith on the other.  He also suggests that Muslim students of biology need to be able to reconcile their faith with the theory of evolution, as well as ordinary people who are “exposed” to the idea that “evolution is true”.

Ally says he has been “reading up” on the topic, and notes two books that he says are important.  The first is Adam and the Genome: Reading Scripture after Genetic Science (2017), by Scot McKnight and Dennis R. Venema.  The other is by Dr. Maurice Bucaille (d. 1998), the famous French surgeon cum Qurʾānic science exegete, What is the Origin of Man?, which was originally published in 1980.

Ally closes by saying that the series will suggest that one needs to “speak of creative evolution rather than speaking of creation as being something separate and distinct from the theory of evolution or the theory of evolution being something separate and distinct from a creation.”

This clip is a segment from the Canadian TV show, Let the Quran Speak.  The original air date is not known.  The organization which sponsors the show is Islamic Information & Dawah Centre International, in Toronto.

Evaluation:

Islam:  The limited material on Islam is within the bounds of what Muslims have historically understood as acceptable.

Science:  Scientists would disagree with Ally’s apparent requirement that everything, science and religion alike, must be reconciled.  Most scientists would find it problematic, for instance, that Ally seems to find something wrong with a science museum only portraying evolution (a term he never defines).

History:  There is insufficient historical material on which to base an evaluation.