Evolution and Islam: Difference between revisions
| [unchecked revision] | [unchecked revision] |
(→21:30) |
No edit summary |
||
| Line 2: | Line 2: | ||
This article analyses the claim by apologists that the qur'an and Darwin's theory of evolution are compatible. | This article analyses the claim by apologists that the qur'an and Darwin's theory of evolution are compatible. | ||
==21:30== | == Verse 21:30 - All Living Things Made From Water== | ||
{{Quote|{{Quran|21|30}}|Do not the Unbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were joined together (as one unit of creation), before we clove them asunder? '''We made from water every living thing.''' Will they not then believe? }} | {{Quote|{{Quran|21|30}}|Do not the Unbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were joined together (as one unit of creation), before we clove them asunder? '''We made from water every living thing.''' Will they not then believe? }} | ||
| Line 15: | Line 15: | ||
Different forms of life with variable origin processes may have appeared simultaneously in the early history of Earth.<ref>{{cite journal |url=http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=are-aliens-among-us&sc=SA_20071119 |title=Are Aliens Among Us?|publisher=Scientific American |last=Davies |first=P |date=19 November 2007 }}</ref> | Different forms of life with variable origin processes may have appeared simultaneously in the early history of Earth.<ref>{{cite journal |url=http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=are-aliens-among-us&sc=SA_20071119 |title=Are Aliens Among Us?|publisher=Scientific American |last=Davies |first=P |date=19 November 2007 }}</ref> | ||
Further, there is no proof that the verse is about the role of water in evolution. Tafsir Ibn Abbas says that this verse refers only to the dependence of all living things on water.<ref>[https://archive.org/details/TanwirAl-MiqbasMinTafsirIbnAbbasEng Tanwir al-Miqbas min Tafsir Ibn Abbas] p.361-362</ref> There is nothing miraculous about the claim that water is a constituent of living things. In fact, the Greek philosopher [[Empedocles]] had already proposed that water | Further, there is no proof that the verse is about the role of water in evolution. Tafsir Ibn Abbas says that this verse refers only to the dependence of all living things on water.<ref>[https://archive.org/details/TanwirAl-MiqbasMinTafsirIbnAbbasEng Tanwir al-Miqbas min Tafsir Ibn Abbas] p.361-362</ref> There is nothing miraculous about the claim that water is a constituent of living things. In fact, the Greek philosopher [[w:Empedocles|Empedocles]] had already proposed that all living things are made from water among other substances, hundreds of years before the Qur'an was revealed.<ref>Frag. B17, (Simplicius, ''Physics'', 157-159)</ref> | ||
==71:13-14== | ==Verse 71:13-14 - Creation in Stages== | ||
{{Quote|{{Quran-range|71|13|14}}|"What is the matter with you, that ye place not your hope for kindness and long-suffering in Allah,- Seeing that it is He that has created you in diverse stages?" }} | {{Quote|{{Quran-range|71|13|14}}|"What is the matter with you, that ye place not your hope for kindness and long-suffering in Allah,- Seeing that it is He that has created you in diverse stages?" }} | ||
After this verse, the topic abruptly changes to seven heavens. There is no evidence given anywhere to indicate that these ''stages'' refer to evolution. The intended topic may have been [[Embryology in the Qur'an|embryology]] as those are also referred to as stages of man. | After this verse, the topic abruptly changes to seven heavens. There is no evidence given anywhere to indicate that these ''stages'' refer to evolution. The intended topic may have been [[Embryology in the Qur'an|embryology]] as those are also referred to as stages of man. | ||
==29== | ==Verse 29:19-20 and 10:4 - Repeating Creation== | ||
{{Quote|{{Quran-range|29|19|20}}| See they not how Allah originates creation, then repeats it: truly that is easy for Allah. Say: "Travel through the earth and see how Allah did originate creation; so will Allah produce a later creation: for Allah has power over all things. }} | {{Quote|{{Quran-range|29|19|20}}| See they not how Allah originates creation, then repeats it: truly that is easy for Allah. Say: "Travel through the earth and see how Allah did originate creation; so will Allah produce a later creation: for Allah has power over all things. }} | ||
{{Quote|{{Quran|10|4}}| To Him will be your return- of all of you. The promise of Allah is true and sure. It is He Who beginneth the process of creation, and repeateth it, that He may reward with justice those who believe and work righteousness; but those who reject Him will have draughts of boiling fluids, and a penalty grievous, because they did reject Him. }} | {{Quote|{{Quran|10|4}}| To Him will be your return- of all of you. The promise of Allah is true and sure. It is He Who beginneth the process of creation, and repeateth it, that He may reward with justice those who believe and work righteousness; but those who reject Him will have draughts of boiling fluids, and a penalty grievous, because they did reject Him. }} | ||
In Middle Eastern antiquity, the Great Flood (not evolution) was accepted as the reversal of creation, and the survival of Noah was the new creation. Since the Qur'an supports this story, it is the more likely meaning of ''repeating'' creation. Then Allah dispensing justice, humans returning to him and punishments with boiling fluids are phrases incongruous to evolution. | In Middle Eastern antiquity, the Great Flood (not evolution) was accepted as the reversal of creation, and the survival of Noah was the new creation. Since the Qur'an supports this story, it is the more likely meaning of ''repeating'' creation. Then Allah dispensing justice, humans returning to him and punishments with boiling fluids are phrases incongruous to evolution. | ||
==6== | ==Verse 6:133 Destruction of Humans== | ||
{{Quote|{{Quran|6|133}}|Thy Lord is self-sufficient, full of Mercy: if it were His will, He could destroy you, and in your place appoint whom He will as your successors, even as He raised you up from the posterity of other people. }} | {{Quote|{{Quran|6|133}}|Thy Lord is self-sufficient, full of Mercy: if it were His will, He could destroy you, and in your place appoint whom He will as your successors, even as He raised you up from the posterity of other people. }} | ||
This verse has been claimed to have described the hominid ancestors of man. It also sounds as if evolution is ongoing and humans can be replaced by a better species. This is an ad hoc hypothesis; the verse is rather in keeping with several desciptions of destroyed cities in the rest of the Qur'an, all of which are attributed to Allah. | This verse has been claimed to have described the hominid ancestors of man. It also sounds as if evolution is ongoing and humans can be replaced by a better species. This is an ad hoc hypothesis; the verse is rather in keeping with several desciptions of destroyed cities in the rest of the Qur'an, all of which are attributed to Allah. | ||
| Line 33: | Line 34: | ||
The phrase "Raised you up from the posterity of other people" cannot be taken as a reference to apes. It may havve simply referred to other tribes from who the audience of the Qur'an descended. | The phrase "Raised you up from the posterity of other people" cannot be taken as a reference to apes. It may havve simply referred to other tribes from who the audience of the Qur'an descended. | ||
==56== | ==Verse 56:60-62 - Transformation of Humans== | ||
{{Quote|{{Quran-range|56|60|62}}|We mete out death among you, and We are not to be outrun, That We may transfigure you and make you what ye know not. And verily ye know the first creation. Why, then, do ye not reflect? }} | {{Quote|{{Quran-range|56|60|62}}|We mete out death among you, and We are not to be outrun, That We may transfigure you and make you what ye know not. And verily ye know the first creation. Why, then, do ye not reflect? }} | ||
This verse is a vague resemblance to evolution. It is an ad hoc hypothesis to claim that death being inevitable and humans getting transfigured means evolution. It also contradicts Tafsir Ibn Kathir which says that death and transformation pertain to the Day of Judgement.<ref>[http://www.qtafsir.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1653&Itemid=112 Quran Tafsir Ibn Kathir]</ref> | This verse is a vague resemblance to evolution. It is an ad hoc hypothesis to claim that death being inevitable and humans getting transfigured means evolution. It also contradicts Tafsir Ibn Kathir which says that death and transformation pertain to the Day of Judgement.<ref>[http://www.qtafsir.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1653&Itemid=112 Quran Tafsir Ibn Kathir]</ref> | ||
Revision as of 15:03, 8 June 2014
|
This article analyses the claim by apologists that the qur'an and Darwin's theory of evolution are compatible.
Verse 21:30 - All Living Things Made From Water
It is widely believed that life originated in water. But there is no standard model of the origin of life. Some of the models without water are listed below.
The "deep-hot biosphere" model says that life first developed not on the surface of the Earth, but several kilometers below the surface. The discovery in the late 1990s of nanobes in deep rock might be seen as evidence. It is now well established that microbial life is plentiful up to 5km below the surface f Earth.[1]
The "Zn-World" model postulates that zinc salts have the unique ability to store radiation energy, e.g. provided by UV light which was 10 to 100 times more intense than now and provided the ideal energy conditions for the synthesis of informational and metabolic molecules. The primordial atmosphere was rich in carbon dioxide and the chemistry of water condensates and exhalations near geothermal fields would resemble that of modern cells. Ionic composition conducive to the origin of cells is shown to be more compatible with emissions of zones that have today become inland geothermal systems than with marine settings. The precellular stages of evolution may have taken place in shallow "Darwin-ponds" lined with porous silicates, metal sulfides, zinc, potassium, and phosphorus compounds.[2][3]
There is a "Primitive extraterrestrial organisms" model, which finds support in the studies of Martian meteorites found in Antarctica and in studies of some microbes' survival in outer space.[4][5][6][7][8][9][10] Studies which apply the equivalent of Moore's Law to evolution have proposed that life began 9.7 billion years ago, billions of years before the Earth was formed. Life may have started "from systems with single heritable elements."[11][12]
Different forms of life with variable origin processes may have appeared simultaneously in the early history of Earth.[13]
Further, there is no proof that the verse is about the role of water in evolution. Tafsir Ibn Abbas says that this verse refers only to the dependence of all living things on water.[14] There is nothing miraculous about the claim that water is a constituent of living things. In fact, the Greek philosopher Empedocles had already proposed that all living things are made from water among other substances, hundreds of years before the Qur'an was revealed.[15]
Verse 71:13-14 - Creation in Stages
After this verse, the topic abruptly changes to seven heavens. There is no evidence given anywhere to indicate that these stages refer to evolution. The intended topic may have been embryology as those are also referred to as stages of man.
Verse 29:19-20 and 10:4 - Repeating Creation
In Middle Eastern antiquity, the Great Flood (not evolution) was accepted as the reversal of creation, and the survival of Noah was the new creation. Since the Qur'an supports this story, it is the more likely meaning of repeating creation. Then Allah dispensing justice, humans returning to him and punishments with boiling fluids are phrases incongruous to evolution.
Verse 6:133 Destruction of Humans
This verse has been claimed to have described the hominid ancestors of man. It also sounds as if evolution is ongoing and humans can be replaced by a better species. This is an ad hoc hypothesis; the verse is rather in keeping with several desciptions of destroyed cities in the rest of the Qur'an, all of which are attributed to Allah.
The phrase "Raised you up from the posterity of other people" cannot be taken as a reference to apes. It may havve simply referred to other tribes from who the audience of the Qur'an descended.
Verse 56:60-62 - Transformation of Humans
This verse is a vague resemblance to evolution. It is an ad hoc hypothesis to claim that death being inevitable and humans getting transfigured means evolution. It also contradicts Tafsir Ibn Kathir which says that death and transformation pertain to the Day of Judgement.[16]
Conclusion
There is no verse which clearly proves that the Qur'an predicted the theory of evolution or is compatible with it.
References
- ↑ "Nanobes–Intro", microscopy-uk.org, http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/index.html?http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/nanobes/nanobes.html.
- ↑ "Origin of first cells at terrestrial, anoxic geothermal fields" (2012). Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 109 (14): E821–30. doi:. PMID 22331915. Bibcode: 2012PNAS..109E.821M.
- ↑ For a deeper integrative version of this hypothesis see Egel, R.. Lankenau, D.-H.; Mulkidjanian,, A. Y.. eds,. Origins of Life: The Primal Self-Organization. Springer. ISBN 978-3-642-21625-1, 2011., in particular Lankenau, D.-H.. "Two RNA Worlds: Toward the Origin of Replication, Genes, Recombination and Repair". Origins of Life: The Primal Self-Organization. Springer. pp. 225–286. ISBN 978-3-642-21625-1, 2011., interconnecting the "Two RNA worlds" concept and other detailed aspects; and "The evolving ribosome: from non-coded peptide bond formation to sophisticated translation machinery" (2009). Res Microbiol 160 (7): 487–492. doi:.
- ↑ "Tough Earth bug may be from Mars", New Scientist, 25 September 2002, http://www.newscientist.com/channel/life/evolution/dn2844.
- ↑ "Exobiology and Radiation Assembly (ERA)", ESA, NASA, 1992, http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/experimentDisplay.do?id=1992-049B-03.
- ↑ "Space Microbiology" (2010). Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews 74 (1): 121–56. doi:. PMID 20197502.
- ↑ Paul Clancy. Looking for Life, Searching the Solar System. Cambridge University Press, 23 June 2005.Template:Page needed
- ↑ Rabbow, Elke (9 July 2009). "EXPOSE, an Astrobiological Exposure Facility on the International Space Station – from Proposal to Flight". Orig Life Evol Biosph 39 (6): 581–98. doi:. PMID 19629743. Bibcode: 2009OLEB...39..581R.
- ↑ Onofri, Silvano (May 2012). "Survival of Rock-Colonizing Organisms After 1.5 Years in Outer Space". Astrobiology 12 (5): 508–516. doi:. PMID 22680696. Bibcode: 2012AsBio..12..508O.
- ↑ Amos, Jonathan. "Beer microbes live 553 days outside ISS", Science and Technology, BBC News, 23 August 2010.
- ↑ "Life Before Earth" (PDF) (28 March 2013). arXiv.
- ↑ Sharov, Alexei A. (12 June 2006). "Genome increase as a clock for the origin and evolution of life". Biology Direct 1: 1–17. doi:.
- ↑ Davies, P (19 November 2007). "Are Aliens Among Us?". Scientific American.
- ↑ Tanwir al-Miqbas min Tafsir Ibn Abbas p.361-362
- ↑ Frag. B17, (Simplicius, Physics, 157-159)
- ↑ Quran Tafsir Ibn Kathir