Re: Evolution
Question:-
What is the Muslim or Islamic attitude to the Theory of Evolution?
Answer:-
The Scientific Theory of Evolution is only a recent development in the West. The Quran and Hadith, therefor, have nothing direct to say about these. There are, however, a number of different views among Muslims. Here a more modern view will be presented that is compatible with Islam.
There is not really much difference between saying that Allah created the Universe and all things in it and saying that Allah created the processes by which things evolve. In fact a quotation given below shows that Allah creates directly as well as indirectly. Allah has created the Universe and science is a study as far as possible as to how He did it. From the Islamic point of view Allah is the ultimate cause of all the Laws and processes in the Universe and also of all that which is attributed to chance. In fact, "chance" simply means that we do not know the causes or that things are so complex that we cannot make the necessary calculations. The notion of "chance" arises in opposition to "determinism" because each alone is inadequate. There is no such dichotomy in Islam.
It is necessary to understand that the Universe "U" we see, know and understand is only part of Total Reality "R". It exists because it is the product of certain forces, processes and laws that also form us. We see and recognise things in it because there is a certain repeatability, regularity and order which enables us to predict and control our affairs. But this depends on the various capacities of our faculties for perception, motivation and action. These have limits, though we extend them by means of instruments, machines and techniques. Reality "R" can therefore be divided into the Known "K" and the Hidden "H", but these are inter-dependent. We extend "K" through science, but as we do not know "H" it remains as extensive as ever. In fact, if "K" is represented as a circle, then its extension means that its circumference where it meats "H" is getting larger. It is inevitable that at the very fundamental level of our knowledge we will ultimately come to what is beyond our comprehension and unpredictable. This is so in all sciences - in Biology as well as in Physics, Cosmology, Psychology and Sociology. The word "chance" is invented to avoid the concept of God.
Science makes a distinction between the observer and the object, assigning consciousness to the observer and materiality to the object. Scientists wish to be objective and, therefore, regards the object of attention to be material and try to leave the observing mind out of the equation. But this is not very realistic and this view is now rapidly being abandoned. For Islam there are only different kinds of phenomena at various levels from the very potent, subtle and invisible to the very dense and inert. The phenomena at lower levels are controlled by phenomena at the higher causal levels. This is like iron fillings that arrange themselves in a visible form in an ordinarily invisible magnetic field. Evolution is something that takes place at a higher or spiritual level. The lower or physical changes are the outer manifestation of these changes.
The following verses establish that the idea of development and evolution are not just compatible with Islam but are an integral part of it.
"He is indeed successful who causes it (his soul) to grow, and he is indeed a failure who stunts it." 91:9-10
"Ye shall surely travel from stage to stage!" 84:19
"What ails you that you hope not towards Allah with dignity when he created you by stages? ........And Allah has caused you to grow as a growth from earth." 71:13-14
"Do they not reflect within themselves: Allah did not create the heavens and the earth and what is between them but with truth, and for an appointed term (or destined end)? But truly most of the people are disbelievers in the meeting with their Lord." 30:8
"And He it is Who created the heavens and the earth in six periods - and His Throne was upon the water - that He might try you which of you is best in conduct..." 11:7 and see 67:2-5
"What ails you that you fear not the greatness of Allah? Seeing that He has created you through various stages. Do you not see how Allah has created the seven heavens, one above another, and made the moon therein a light, and made the sun a lamp? And Allah has made you out of the earth as a gradual growth:" 71:13-17
"Blessed is He in Whose hand is the Sovereignty, and He is Able to do all things. Who has created life and death that He may try you which of you is the best in conduct; and He is Mighty, the Forgiving." 67:1-2
"See they not how Allah produces creation, then reproduces it? Lo, for Allah that is easy. Say (O Muhammad): Travel in the land and see how He originated creation, then Allah brings forth the later growth. Lo, Allah is able to do all things." 29:19-20
"If He will He can be rid of you and bring instead of you some new creation. That is not a hard thing for Allah." 35:16-17
"Thy Lord is the Absolute, the Lord of Mercy. If He will, He can remove you and can cause what He will to follow after you, even as He raised you from the seed of other folk. Lo! that which you are promised will surely come to pass, and you cannot escape. Say ( O, Muhammad): O my people! Work according to your power. Lo! I too am working. Thus you will come to know for which of us will be the happy sequel. Lo! The wrongdoers will not be successful" 6:134-136
" ...and We made every living thing of water. Will they not then believe?" 21:30
"He produces creation and then reproduces it, that He may reward those who believe and do good works with equity." 10:4 and 27:64
"And surely We shall try you with something of fear and hunger, and loss of wealth and lives and crops; but give glad tidings to the steadfast, who say, when misfortune strikes them: Lo! we are Allah's and verily , unto Him are We returning." 2:155-156
"From Allah, the Lord of the Ascending Stairways. To Him ascend the angels and the Spirit in a Day the measure of which is fifty thousand years. Therefore endure with a goodly patience." 70:3-4
"There is not a beast upon the earth nor a bird that flies with both its wings, but is a people like to you; We have omitted nothing from the Book. Then to their Lord shall they be gathered." 6:38
Whereas science is concerned with facts and technologies, Islam, as all religions, is concerned with values, the process of living and the psychological adjustment to the rest of existence. There is, therefore, a difference in the attitude, motive, search, selection and interpretation and organisation of data between these two. Some aspects of the scientific theory are incompatible with Islam. The Scientific theory assumes that evolution depends on (a) random mutations and (b) natural selection by the environment of the fittest. This random mutation is accidental while the selection is mechanically deterministic. From the Islamic point of view, the process is intelligent and guided. The Universe must have at least as much intelligence as the human beings who unravel and understand its processes and vice versa. Intelligence means adaptability, and all things have various degrees of adaptability. Fitness means best adapted to the environment, and ultimately to the rest of Reality. Before the fittest can be selected, a suitable mutation must take place. The chances that random mutation can produce a suitable mutation are far too high for much change to occur. This is because it is equally likely that one of millions can occur and be destroyed by a reverse change. A third factor is also required, namely,(c) Reproductive invariance or faithful replication by which the mutation is transmitted to the next generation. But this is an opposition to the notion of mutation that requires plasticity. There is, in fact some mechanism in organisms that controls changing balances between these two opposites in accordance with environmental conditions. In fact there are no simple linear cause and effect relationships but complex interacting feedback processes.
An alternative Theory of Evolution more compatible with Islam could be based on the following verses:-
"Surely We have created everything according to a measure. And Our command is but one, as the twinkling of an eye." 54:49-50
"Allah is He Who created seven heavens (or levels), and of the earth the like of them. The Commandment continues to descend among them slowly, that you may know that Allah has power over all things and that Allah indeed encompasses all things in knowledge." 65:12
The theory could be something as follows:-
(1) All things arise by differentiation from a single source and are directly or indirectly interactive and inter-dependent with each other. Nothing, therefore exists in isolation. It receives from, transforms and acts upon things in its environment. The interaction affects both the object and its environment and events depend on both the forces external to the object as well as on those within the object.
(2) Things are organisations (they contain order or information) to various levels. There is no absolute distinction between matter, life and consciousness. These are merely aspects or characteristics of phenomena and things differ as to how much of each they have. Some classes of things are recognised as distinct from others because they are predominantly one or another.
(3) Life is characterised by (a) cognition and recognition (b) drives and (c) ability for action to various degrees. These three are inter-dependent. If there was no drive then nothing would happen. Living organisms compete for food as well as for mates. They also have an in-built drive for self-expression and self-expansion. Mere reproduction does not require that the females should be selective of partners and males should fight each other, or that only a dominant pair should reproduce. There are built-in values. These drives requires both the capacity for perception and recognition and for action.
(4) Reproduction means multiplication and expansion. Growth from the fertilised egg to adulthood is also due to multiplication and differentiation. Even when physical growth stops the psychological urge to expansion continues in the form of seeking experience, knowledge and greater abilities or to dominate. It is this multiplication which puts pressure on the environment as well as on the organism. It is the cause of competition and conflicts. This constitutes a problem, (an opposition between an inner need and outer state). This requires solution. It is the stimulus or incentive to solve it (to reconcile this opposition.) The stimulus produces consciousness and activates us.
(5) Evolution is essentially an increase in order or organisation and synthesis or Unification. It is the opposite of the process of differentiation that led to creation. It is an ascent towards unity as opposed to the descent. Evolution in a system can only take place when order or information is absorbed by it or introduced into it from outside it, from a higher system. E.g. Evolution on earth takes place because of forces from the Sun or the rest of the Cosmos. And the Evolution of the Cosmos depends on the forces coming from beyond it. (Latest research shows that the Universe is expanding at an accelerating rate - this requires an increase in energy or decrease in entropy or disorder.) However, within a system there are many sub-systems, and though the over all order is constant, it is possible to redistribute the order so that some systems evolve at the expense of others that degenerate. The two processes must be equal. Each can be regarded as driving the other. Whether this applies to the Universe as a whole is not certain.
(6) So the Universe could be thought of as following some process something as follows:- Things belong as parts to systems, which have various degrees of order and integration, and are more than the sum of the parts owing to the organisation. There are all kinds of feed back mechanisms, which make it impossible to describe the System by linear Laws. Though the parts have various amounts of autonomy, affect each other, and contribute to the nature of the system, the System itself exerts a controlling affect on the parts, modifies them or causes them to arise. The parts must adjust to the System to maintain themselves. This power of adjustment can be defined as Intelligence and varies in amount in different creatures. The parts are also Systems and the Systems are parts of higher systems. They may be regarded as existing in harmony or equilibrium, which might be dynamic rather than static, or even evolutional. An impulse from a higher System "A" entering into a lower System "B" will create instability or dis-equilibrium in it, causing changes that are designed to restore equilibrium, to neutralise the disturbing force. These changes will affect its sub-systems C, which will also need to readjust. Any given System is affected by impulses coming from the Systems of all levels above it, and from those at its own level and from the sub-systems at all levels below its own. Total knowledge about any system, therefore, involves knowledge of the totality of All things and vice versa.
The Western Scientific Theory of Evolution can be described as Mechanistic, Accidental and Purposeless. It is concerned mainly with physical evolution. The Islamic theory of Evolution can be described as Vitalistic, Intelligent and Guided. It is driven by urges and desires and there is a purpose and goal that gives it a direction of development. This is the increase in consciousness, conscience and will (self-control, autonomy). These are inter-dependent aspects of what is called the Soul. It is, therefore, concerned mainly with spiritual development. Physical development is a side effect or surface manifestation of this process.
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