A wide number of Muslim scholars in India and Pakistan are seen defending Islam against the concept of “Evolution”. Being a muslim, It bothers me that they can be seen as regressive and a hinderance toward promoting scientific thought and methods although Islamic cultures were first to promote scientific thought and it was a muslim scientist that coined the idea of Scientific Method.
Here is a short summary of why I think our scholars should rethink before giving huge lectures and speeches against evolution.
“Common Ancestry is not Evolution”.
There is a whole branch of study called Evolutionary Biology. But what they are fighting against in the name of evolution is the concept of common ancestry and Speciation.
By oversimplifying or misrepresenting the science, we risk alienating young Muslims from both their faith and modern knowledge. If we want to inspire critical thinking and reclaim our scientific heritage, our discourse must reflect nuance and understanding, not fear.
Qur’an has a Verse That Suggests a Sequence (24:45)
وَٱللَّهُ خَلَقَ كُلَّ دَآبَّةٍۢ مِّن مَّآءٍۢ ۖ فَمِنْهُم مَّن يَمْشِى عَلَىٰ بَطْنِهِۦ وَمِنْهُم مَّن يَمْشِى عَلَىٰ رِجْلَيْنِ وَمِنْهُم مَّن يَمْشِى عَلَىٰ أَرْبَعٍۢ ۚ يَخْلُقُ ٱللَّهُ مَا يَشَآءُ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍۢ قَدِيرٌۭ
“And Allah has created every moving creature from water. Of them there are some that crawl on their bellies, some that walk on two legs, and some that walk on four. Allah creates what He wills. Verily, Allah is Able to do all things.”
— Surah An-Nur (24:45)
- Affirms a shared origin – All creatures were created “from water” — a striking parallel to modern biology, which considers water essential to life and traces life’s origin to aquatic environments.
- Mentions a sequence – Creatures that:
- crawl on their bellies (e.g. reptiles, worms),
- walk on two legs (e.g. humans, birds),
- walk on four (e.g. mammals).
This mirrors the progression of life forms observed in the fossil record and evolutionary biology.
- Leaves room for diversity and unknowns – “Allah creates what He wills” suggests creative flexibility — not a rigid one-time act, but ongoing or varied processes.
Common Origin or Common Creator?
Much of the support for evolutionary theory comes from shared patterns across organisms:
- The genetic code (codons) is nearly universal.
- Homologous structures (e.g. limbs of humans, bats, whales) have similar bone layouts.
- Embryonic development shows striking similarities across species.
Scientists interpret this as evidence of common ancestry — that life evolved from a shared origin through gradual changes.
But here’s the key point:
The same data can have different, valid interpretations.
From a theological perspective, these same patterns could just as reasonably point to a common Creator — a unified design system used to create diverse life forms.
“Just as an artist has a signature style across different paintings, a single Creator could design life using the same building blocks, patterns, and blueprints.”
This understanding does not negate science, it simply frames the interpretation within a different worldview — one that affirms divine intention behind the observed biological patterns.
Misunderstanding Evolution Does More Harm Than Good
- Many critics of evolution don’t fully understand the theory. This leads to strawman arguments (e.g., “we came from monkeys”).
- Refuting evolution based on misunderstandings harms the credibility of religious scholars among educated youth.
“Rejecting scientific consensus without fully engaging with the evidence weakens our intellectual credibility.”
