Apologetic Islamic take on Evolution ... Or unkind dismissal?

[Med911]

Re: Apologetic Islamic take on Evolution … Or unkind dismissal?

@psyah

The concept of Creation is so fundamental in Islamic belief … With those who are claiming evolution is compatible with it are turning upside down the various insights of the scholars and the understanding of the early Muslims. (May Allah be Pleased with them)

Is it true that the Qur’an has nothing to offer on the reality of our environment … Is it all supposed to be taken as a glorious metaphor? With nothing to do whatsoever with physical reality ???

Let’s find examples to sugges the case either way … Med911 is presenting a convenient argument an apologetic that is bending so far backwards … It will break the back of the Islamic belief system.

The concept that we were created by God is fundamental to Islam. How we were created, the nuts and bolts of evolution is irrelevant to Islam. Its ridiculous to believe that the nuts and bolts of how we were made is of any relevance to anyone other then scientists. I mean I believe most people are satisfied to know that they born of their parents, but I don’t think anyone is interested in any further details. Similarly, how God created man, is not as important as the understanding THAT he created man.

EARLY scholars lacked even a rudimentary understanding of science, biology, anatomy, genetics etc. Even a 10 year today would know what a gene is, but early Islamic scholars could never tell you why exactly a child resemble his parent, because thy had no concept of how inheritance worked. They lived over a thousand years ago, why are you assuming they would have the insight of someone living in the modern era?

We credit many early Muslim scientists for their work, but their work is not inconsistent with evolution.

The Quran is NOT a science text book. Let us stop deluding ourselves with such a notion. The koran offers us answers or at least hints to the nature of the spiritual world. It gives us CLUES to our origins. It does not tell us specifics. If all scientific knowledge were enconced within the pages of the Koran, then there would be no need for Scientific study. However we both know that Early Islamic scientists were among the the most respected in the world, and the were the torchbearers of inquiry and invention. Did they somehow forget that all those things they were studying were already explained within the pages of the koran and hence were wasting their time?

My convenient argument is in light of established scientific fact. For me, my understanding of Islam is informed by scientific discovery. If science establishes something to be true, then I don’t throw suspicion on the Science, I throw suspicion on my understanding of Islam. You on the other hand have already concluded that you understand Islam, and established science is what is wrong. If God had said the Sun was a burning ball of melted cheese, despite evidence to the contrary, you would still believe the sun were made of cheese and that the science that establishes the sun is a burning ball of Gas is somehow flawed.

If you think Evolution will break the back of Islamic belief then you need to reconsider the strength of your Imaan. If we hold firm to two basic tenets of Islam, that it is a true religion as revealed by God himself, and that this Universe was created by God himself, then if anything, Science should enhance, enrich and compliment your imaan, not weaken it.