The Concept of Evolution – Islam Ahmadiyya

9:13

21 Aug 2010

Evolution

This clip from the question and answer session of “Faith Matters” from 2010.  It presents four men answering a viewer’s question about evolution that includes not only Islam and the Qurʾān, but the Bible as well.  Through the clip, Christians are invited to read the Qurʾān in order to find the correct interpretation of the Bible.

The speakers denigrate what they label as “creationist theory”, which one suggests is being pushed on American students.  As a part of rejecting this, another man presents what he says in the Ahmadiyya Muslim understanding.  This understanding asserts that the “dry, ringing clay”  from which Adam is made in one verse of the Qurʾān, is actually part of the formation of pre-cellular chemical processes.  (Although they do not refer to a verse, they probably mean 55:14.) They note that when the Qurʾān talks about the formation of Adam from wet clay, it’s referring to Adam’s nature, which they suggest is malleable.

Evaluation:

Although these are unusual interpretations, they are within the bounds of what Muslims have historically understood as acceptable.  It is noteworthy that the speakers here recognize a variety of views among Muslims, although they are also suggesting a normative understanding for Ahmadiyya Muslims.

The study of abiogenesis, which is discussed here in the context of understanding the molding of clay into Adam, provides a variety of theories about how life began.  The specifics mentioned here (minutes 7-8) seem possible, although likely difficult to test.

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