What does Islam say about evolutionary theory?

6:28

18 Oct 2012

Evolution

Shabir Ally

Shabir Ally presents ideas about evolution in this clip from the question and answer session to a June, 2009 lecture in Cape Town, South Africa.  He suggests that there is evidence for human evolution, since early humans were supposed to have been very large, as represented in ḥadīth.  He also suggests human variation has obviously occurred also through evolution.

He presents Darwin’s theory as having two parts:  first, observing what does occur, and second, a theory that accounts for everything without reference to God.  He discusses the idea that God is constantly at work, modifying and changing things.  Thus, he suggests, it is not “natural selection” but “divine selection”.

Evaluation:

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

Ally’s reference to addressing the observable world — a major part of science — is appropriate, as evolutionary biologists study and describe what they observe.  However, divine intervention is not observable and therefore cannot be understood as having a role in a scientific theory, although Ally also seems to be conflating divine action with natural action.  Ally’s suggestion that humans evolved from some kind of giant is not supported by any known scientific evidence; rather, the trend has been one of increasing height.  For example, see this discussion of Lucy, from PBS.

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