by Irfan Shaikh
How did the ‘very first human being’ come into being?
The first thing that needs to be noted is that the idea of evolution is not alien to Muslims, but that it actually belongs to the forgotten legacy of our own ancestors.
Al Jahiz (776-869 CE), the author of Kitab al-Haiwanat who first put forward the idea of evolution in the animal kingdom, and Ibn Maskawaih (942-1032 CE), the author of Fauz al-Asghar, who wrote about the evolution of man from inanimate matter to plants and then to the animals, and mentioned the close relationship between man and ape. In addition, we find the idea of evolution expressed in various forms by Al-Mas‘udi, Al-Bairuni, Jalaluddin Rumi, and Ibn Khaldun”
“The idea of gradual and orderly change or evolution can be traced to the beginning of Greek philosophy when Heraclitus said that everything moves and everything changes. Aristotle not only taught the idea of evolution but also provided a theory of its causes”
The Zoological natural history work completed by Aristotle which posited such ideas was called the 'History of Animals' (Latin: Historia Animalium)
Therefore the process of evolution is not and should not be considered synonymous with Darwinism, he was neither the first nor the last to have a say on evolution.
Many wrongly assume that evolution requires one to abandon belief in God. This is certainly not the case and such an assumption could not be further from the truth. Furthermore, the mere mention of 'evolution' conjures up thoughts of man evolving from monkeys. Evolution does not argue that man has evolved from monkeys. Rather, it argues that both humans and monkeys (primates) share a 'common ancestor'. This is a rather different proposition than asserting that man has evolved from monkeys.
[Both the Pan Troglodytes (chimpanzees) and Pan Paniscus (Bonobo) [GENUS PAN] come from the same common ancestor as the Homo sapien (Human]
A Brief Historical Context of the Theory of Evolution
Now one may be forgiven to think that the paragraph below is taken from the works of Charles Robert Darwin (d.1882) and his 1859 book, ‘On the Origin of Species’. What may come as a surprise to many readers is that this paragraph is an excerpt from the works of a well-known Muslim historian and philosopher called Ibn Khaldun who was born in 1332 CE and died in 1406 CE nearly 500 years before Charles Darwin.
“One should then look at the world of creation. It started out from the minerals and progressed, in an ingenious, gradual manner, to plants and animals. The last stage (269) of minerals is connected with the first stage of plants, such as herbs and seedless plants. The last stage of plants, such as palms and vines, is connected with the first stage of animals, such as snails and shellfish which have only the power of touch. The word "connection" with regard to these created things means that the last stage of each group is fully prepared to become the first stage of the next group. The animal world then widens, its species become numerous, and, in a gradual process of creation, it finally leads to man, who can think and reflect. The higher stage of man is reached from the world of the monkeys, in which both sagacity and perception are found, but which has not reached the stage of actual reflection and thinking. At this point, we come to the first stage of man (after the world of monkeys). This is as far as our (physical) observation extends
Quran on Evolution in three dimensions
Creation of the universe and beyond in 6 stages
Creation of life
Creation of humans after getting breath ie where the human mind and soul started synchronizing
All stages are simultaneously still evolving, the universe is still evolving, stars die and there is the birth of new stars we don’t know how many more universes exist.
Creation of the universe and beyond in 6 stages
Quranic Scrutiny
Fussilat 41:10
وَجَعَلَ فِيهَا رَوَٰسِىَ مِن فَوۡقِهَا وَبَٰرَكَ فِيهَا وَقَدَّرَ فِيهَآ أَقۡوَٰتَهَا فِىٓ أَرۡبَعَةِ أَيَّامٍ سَوَآءً لِّلسَّآئِلِينَ
And He is the One Who placed therein firm mountains towering above it, and bestowed enduring bliss upon it. And He measured therein its sustenance in Four Eras, alike for all who (invariably) need it.
Now there is something to consider here. If it took a total 2 Eras to create the mighty heavens (each with laws and numerous celestial bodies) including planet Earth and then the next 4 eras to create everything on Earth, does the latter 4 eras indicate a sudden or gradual formation?
Note that the latter 4 eras are almost double the time take for the creation of the main celestial bodies / space - if a linear epoch line is assumed.
Clearly, the mention of sustenance for all God's creatures of all kinds and complexities taking 4 epochs is quite significant. It is important to remember that one creature in the food web is often a means of sustenance for another within the animal kingdom. This whole process gradually took 4 periods out of the total of the 6 periods to create the universe.
The Earth's crust has constantly changed since its formation, as has life since its first appearance. Species continue to evolve, taking on new forms, splitting into daughter species, or going extinct in the face of ever-changing physical environments. The process of plate tectonics continues to shape the Earth's continents and oceans and the life they harbor.
We are at 5th stage moving into our last stage ie 6th stage called Aakhirat in Quran which starts from our end in this world and connects to the beginning of 6th stage via the suspended bridge Barzak mentioned in Quran
Creation of life
Homo sapiens (Neanderthal) from the elements of the earth.. Sludge, clay, mud sediment and water.. 21:30, 15:26 grew them
Al-Hijr 15:26
وَلَقَدۡ خَلَقۡنَا ٱلۡإِنسَٰنَ مِن صَلۡصَٰلٍ مِّنۡ حَمَإٍ مَّسۡنُونٍ
And We did certainly create man out of clay from an altered black mud.
Now the sounding clay in Arabic is 'salsalin' and the dark inorganic matter is being translated from ham-in. The Arabic reads 'salsalin min ham-in masnun'
Masnun is formed from the same root word (Siin-Nun-Nun) which forms other words such as 'sunnah' The root word means to follow a path, a line of conduct or mode of life, to establish the law, to form, to mould into shape, to polish.
Nuh 71:17
وَٱللَّهُ أَنۢبَتَكُم مِّنَ ٱلۡأَرۡضِ نَبَاتًا
And Allah has caused you to grow from the earth a [progressive] growth.
From the earth like plants So initially spawned from womb-like sacks in the earth as sexless organisms which at some point later developed/evolved into male and female characteristics.
The Arabic word 'anbatakum' which means growth is formed from the root word nun-ba-ta which means to grow, germinate, to sprout like a plant or to grow up like a child.
Man Created In Diverse Stages Like Universe Evolving
Nuh 71:15
أَلَمۡ تَرَوۡاْ كَيۡفَ خَلَقَ ٱللَّهُ سَبۡعَ سَمَٰوَٰتٍ طِبَاقًا
Do you not consider how Allah has created seven heavens in layers
The verse referring to a long evolution of the universe
Nuh 71:14
وَقَدۡ خَلَقَكُمۡ أَطۡوَارًا
He is the One Who has created you in successive stages.
Al-Mu'minun 23:14
ثُمَّ خَلَقۡنَا ٱلنُّطۡفَةَ عَلَقَةً فَخَلَقۡنَا ٱلۡعَلَقَةَ مُضۡغَةً فَخَلَقۡنَا ٱلۡمُضۡغَةَ عِظَٰمًا فَكَسَوۡنَا ٱلۡعِظَٰمَ لَحۡمًا ثُمَّ أَنشَأۡنَٰهُ خَلۡقًا ءَاخَرَۚ فَتَبَارَكَ ٱللَّهُ أَحۡسَنُ ٱلۡخَٰلِقِينَ
Then We made the sperm-drop into a clinging clot, and We made the clot into a lump [of flesh], and We made [from] the lump, bones, and We covered the bones with flesh; then We developed him into another creation. So blessed is Allah, the best of creators.
The above verse is a reference to man's short period in the mother's womb and its diverse stages during the gestation period.
One of meanings of Adam is mud clay.
'Nutfah' = Gamete, male or female, when they meet the form single cell zygote
All the cells in the human body start as one cell The human body made up of more than 100 trillion cells naturally degenerates and regenerates over time This process in the human body is going on during the whole life without interruption Thus many a time during our life period we are degenerated and regenerated totally as a new whole body.
Creation of humans after getting breath ie where the human mind and soul started synchronizing
The Difference Between 'Bashar' And 'Insaan'
Then perfected with the breathing of the ruh(Adam stage) and with sexual union the process of procreation and the the age of Homo sapien sapien (modern man)
The fashioning of the mortal and the breathing of God's spirit.
Al-Hijr 15:29
فَإِذَا سَوَّيۡتُهُۥ وَنَفَخۡتُ فِيهِ مِن رُّوحِى فَقَعُواْ لَهُۥ سَٰجِدِينَ
And when I have perfected him in due proportion and breathed into him of My Energy, be of service to him.”
It is quite possible from the above verses that an 'insaan' is only complete once the spirit of God is blown into him.
This is what would separate Adam (as a man and 'insaan') from his state as a 'bashar' or any physiological state that resembles a 'bashar'.
Bashar
This word is formed from the root 'Ba-Shiin-Ra' and refers to the more physical, physiological attributes of a human being. It refers to the skin, complexion, beauty, elegance of form, physical intimate relationships, contact of the skin etc. It also takes meanings such as rejoicing and good tidings.
Insaan
This word is formed from the root word 'Ins' (Alif-Nun-Siin) and points to such attributes as faculties, perception and knowledge. It means to be companionable, or to show an inclination to have company or make conversation. It means sociable, conversable, amicable and cheerful.
For example, we note in 28:29, where Moses 'perceived' (Arabic: anasa) a fire. The Arabic word 'anasa' is formed from the same root 'Ins'. In other verse, orphans are told to be assessed for sound judgment and if one perceives (Arabic: 'anastum') to be so, then their wealth is to be passed to them. Again, the same root is used.
There is clearly a difference between a 'bashar' and 'insaan' and the terms refer to different aspects of a human being.
Ar-Rahman 55:1
ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنُ
The Most Merciful
Ar-Rahman 55:2
عَلَّمَ ٱلۡقُرۡءَانَ
Taught the Qur'an,
Ar-Rahman 55:3
خَلَقَ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنَ
Moral man with sound judgement
When spirit of message enter Bashar his animal instinct will be overpowered by Insaan sound judgment
What About Adam's Special Creation?
It is to be appreciated that 'man' became a special creation, not due to his physiology alone, but when God breathed His spirit into him and gave him volition, understanding, sense of mercy, justice, power of specialised communication and vicegerency on the Earth.
This has no bearing on what process God possibly used to create him be it via a process of Evolution or otherwise.
Story of Adam and evolution
When we want to teach our child about something we narrate stories and give them lessons from it, we know it's not perfectly true but we narrate.
The tale concerns a shepherd boy who repeatedly tricks nearby villagers into thinking a wolf is attacking his town's flock.
When a wolf actually does appear and the boy again calls for help, the villagers believe that it is another false alarm and the sheep are eaten by the wolf however wolf eats the boy
The moral stated at the end shows how liars are rewarded: even if they tell the truth, no one believes them
We have come into being through evolutions through different stages, ALLAH want to teach us some lesson of life, in quran by narrating fables of Adam, iblis and angels we are guided how to mold our life, quran speak about hidden ego jinn iblis, quran talks about Adam jauz, companion we translate, however jauz also means pair, when ALLAH breathed HIS part ie soul or Rouh its exercise of choice ie fujuruha wa taqwaha pairs
Adam = self/nafs our consciousness, rouh which Allah breathed, nafasi lawwama because he made mistake and regretted
Jauz = pair of two, companion
(fujur & Taqwa ie criterion of right and wrong)
Angels always obey because they are mutamain and do what ALLAH commends them to do nafas mutma-innah,
Ibliss = hidden ego nafasi ammara keeps tempting and rebellion
So all above is our ownself ALLAH explain through this example in quran, ALLAH says we can be Satan or we can be Angels choice is ours
Purpose of creation through the story of Adam
Quran 2:30-39 Adam
Al-Baqarah 2:30
وَإِذْ قَالَ رَبُّكَ لِلْمَلَٰٓئِكَةِ إِنِّى جَاعِلٌ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ خَلِيفَةًۖ قَالُوٓا۟ أَتَجْعَلُ فِيهَا مَن يُفْسِدُ فِيهَا وَيَسْفِكُ ٱلدِّمَآءَ وَنَحْنُ نُسَبِّحُ بِحَمْدِكَ وَنُقَدِّسُ لَكَۖ قَالَ إِنِّىٓ أَعْلَمُ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ
And when Your Lord had made it known to the cosmic entities/elements لِلْمَلَٰٓئِكَةِ that He was going to install a Deputy خَلِيفَةًۖ on earth. In response, they exclaimed, Would you appoint thereupon someone/species, who will ruin the peace and shed lots of blood ٱلدِّمَآءَ, whereas we are already there striving hard to manifest your respect and praise نُسَبِّحُ بِحَمْدِكَ and going far away to sanctify you by accomplishing your plansوَنُقَدِّسُ لَكَۖ. The Lord replied by saying: Indeed you are not aware of my creative plans.
Allah: I am going to put you as my deputy on earth to manifest My attributes you will replace by another in the earth till time appointed.
Human: Oh Allah what about my shortcomings as human being I may ruin the peace and shed lots of blood while your forces of nature are already carrying its assign work without any blemishes or flaws, I m trying to understand my purpose of creation
Allah: I know your purpose of life but you are not aware yet. U too can fine purpose by investigating, finding the hidden potential within u and my forces which are spread out to discover self.
Al-Baqarah 2:31
وَعَلَّمَ ءَادَمَ ٱلْأَسْمَآءَ كُلَّهَا ثُمَّ عَرَضَهُمْ عَلَى ٱلْمَلَٰٓئِكَةِ فَقَالَ أَنۢبِـُٔونِى بِأَسْمَآءِ هَٰٓؤُلَآءِ إِن كُنتُمْ صَٰدِقِينَ
Then He bestowed man with the faculty of learning the distinctive properties of things ٱلْأَسْمَآءَ, and thereafter presented those before the entities already having their functional powers ٱلْمَلَٰٓئِكَةِ, then asked them tell me the distinctive properties بِأَسْمَآءِ of these things if you are true in your assessment of the new species.
Each creation knows only his own functionality but humans through their study and knowledge started discovering and identifying distinctive properties of other forces of nature and how they function (Malaaika).
By 21st century humans were able to discover gravitational forces, electro magnetic forces, strong and weak nuclear forces, he now was able to reach outer spaces, travel distances in minutes, communicate with long distances, explore new medical breakthrough which led to his expanded life span and many more , all this acheived when Man truly assessed his ability which was bestowed to him by Allah.
Al-Baqarah 2:32
قَالُوا۟ سُبْحَٰنَكَ لَا عِلْمَ لَنَآ إِلَّا مَا عَلَّمْتَنَآۖ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ ٱلْعَلِيمُ ٱلْحَكِيمُ
They responded by submitting that You are the ever vigilant one سُبْحَٰنَكَ, our knowledge is limited to the function you have programmed us to do, Indeed you alone are the all knowing and all wise.
Humans through their study and exploration understood that forces of nature has particular properties and specific functions as they were programmed in such manner by the Creator Allah, He alone is aware behind the wisdom to limiting both forces of nature and irfan ability to create balance. Whereas Allah is the one who is source of all knowledge and source of all wisdom.
Al-Baqarah 2:33
قَالَ يَٰٓـَٔادَمُ أَنۢبِئْهُم بِأَسْمَآئِهِمْۖ فَلَمَّآ أَنۢبَأَهُم بِأَسْمَآئِهِمْ قَالَ أَلَمْ أَقُل لَّكُمْ إِنِّىٓ أَعْلَمُ غَيْبَ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَأَعْلَمُ مَا تُبْدُونَ وَمَا كُنتُمْ تَكْتُمُونَ
The Lord then said o mankind, show them your knowledge of the properties of these things. When they had done so, the Lord stressed by saying Didn’t I tell you that I know the future of the entire celestial bodies غَيْبَ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ including the Earth, and I know what properties you presently display and what potentialities you keep concealed within مَا كُنتُمْ تَكْتُمُونَ
Allah Orders: humans go ahead and work through and show me what have u done with the ability given to u. U can do all work and discoveries, I have given u that capacity as I am the one who placed those properties in the universe and they will appearas as u explore the hidden forces of nature.
After acquiring knowledge humans remembered their purpose of life as deputy to Allah attributes, they now has to utilise these forces of nature for their fellow human being development as role of deputy to Allah, humans now started exploring the outer spaces and beneath the earth and by 2lst century they were able to send satellite in space and used rare metals within the earth by knowing apparent and hidden properties of all elements he has till date discovered
Al-Baqarah 2:34
وَإِذْ قُلْنَا لِلْمَلَٰٓئِكَةِ ٱسْجُدُوا۟ لِءَادَمَ فَسَجَدُوٓا۟ إِلَّآ إِبْلِيسَ أَبَىٰ وَٱسْتَكْبَرَ وَكَانَ مِنَ ٱلْكَٰفِرِينَ
And it so happened that WE asked the entities/elements already having their functional powers لِلْمَلَٰٓئِكَةِ, to surrender to man so they did, except the element of fear/grief/despair إِبْلِيسَ . It defied and showed arrogance as it was one of the negative elements ٱلْكَٰفِرِينَ.
By understanding distinctive properties of things ٱلْأَسْمَآءَ all the forces of nature started submitting to humans one by one, we were able to make use of them, electricity removed darkness from our life, inventions which made travel from distance land , communication made ease on click of the button, strong and weak nuclear energy which benefits in medical field like X-ray, we reach outer space but same time humans fails to realise that there is one more force within themselves which has arrogance, pride, fear, grief, despair ie Iblis satan within us.
Humans get overpowered by their own shortcomings of grief, greed, my way high way which might fail human purpose of life to represent Allah on earth, Allah wanted circulation of wealth humans greed said saturation is better, Allah attributes demand justice as He said atom weight of evil or good both will be accountable, but power within us said i and not we which created disharmony
God knows for humans to reach its optimism, evolution of soul is needed. So He created both elements fujur ie disintegration and taqwa ie self evolution of consciousness, now struggle is on going due to negative element until it is overcome by self consciousness, the key is when we get challenged we evolved, one day this will end when we humans will return to submit their account to their Creator
Al-Kahf 18:50
وَإِذْ قُلْنَا لِلْمَلَٰٓئِكَةِ ٱسْجُدُوا۟ لِءَادَمَ فَسَجَدُوٓا۟ إِلَّآ إِبْلِيسَ كَانَ مِنَ ٱلْجِنِّ فَفَسَقَ عَنْ أَمْرِ رَبِّهِۦٓۗ أَفَتَتَّخِذُونَهُۥ وَذُرِّيَّتَهُۥٓ أَوْلِيَآءَ مِن دُونِى وَهُمْ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّۢۚ بِئْسَ لِلظَّٰلِمِينَ بَدَلًا
And recall the time when we had ordered the elements/forces of nature , to surrender ٱسْجُدُوا۟ to mankind; so all of them obeyed except the natural instinct of fear/despair إِبْلِيسَ. It was a power with an invisible existence كَانَ مِنَ ٱلْجِنِّ , so it rebelled against the command of its Lord. Would you still take this instinct, and its subsidiaries وَذُرِّيَّتَهُۥٓ, as your friends instead of ME, while those are your real enemies, a very bad substitute it would be for the transgressors!”
Al-Baqarah 2:35
وَقُلْنَا يَٰٓـَٔادَمُ ٱسْكُنْ أَنتَ وَزَوْجُكَ ٱلْجَنَّةَ وَكُلَا مِنْهَا رَغَدًا حَيْثُ شِئْتُمَا وَلَا تَقْرَبَا هَٰذِهِ ٱلشَّجَرَةَ فَتَكُونَا مِنَ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ
And we instructed o man, live you and your community وَزَوْجُكَ a life of protection and joy ٱلْجَنَّةَ and get/acquire from here وَكُلَا مِنْهَا plentifully whatever you both may wish, but do not go near this split/division/different of opinion هَٰذِهِ ٱلشَّجَرَةَ because you would be committing an excess with yourselves.
Al-Baqarah 2:36
فَأَزَلَّهُمَا ٱلشَّيْطَٰنُ عَنْهَا فَأَخْرَجَهُمَا مِمَّا كَانَا فِيهِۖ وَقُلْنَا ٱهْبِطُوا۟ بَعْضُكُمْ لِبَعْضٍ عَدُوٌّۖ وَلَكُمْ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ مُسْتَقَرٌّ وَمَتَٰعٌ إِلَىٰ حِينٍ
But their sentiments of rebellion ٱلشَّيْطَٰنُ tempted them against this admonition, so it resulted in getting them out of the state of peace they were in. And then We said to them Get down to a degraded state of life ٱهْبِطُوا۟ since you have become enemies of each other, and on this earth you have a temporary stay مُسْتَقَرٌّ and sustenance وَمَتَٰعٌ up till a fixed time.
Al-Baqarah 2:37
فَتَلَقَّىٰٓ ءَادَمُ مِن رَّبِّهِۦ كَلِمَٰتٍ فَتَابَ عَلَيْهِۚ إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلتَّوَّابُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ
Then man received word from his Lord, who reverted to him in kindness, indeed He is the one who reverts with kindness ٱلتَّوَّابُ and is ever merciful.
Al-Baqarah 2:38
قُلْنَا ٱهْبِطُوا۟ مِنْهَا جَمِيعًاۖ فَإِمَّا يَأْتِيَنَّكُم مِّنِّى هُدًى فَمَن تَبِعَ هُدَاىَ فَلَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ
We said, go to a lower state of life from the We said, go to a lower state of life from the present one ٱهْبِطُوا۟ مِنْهَا collectively, and whenever comes to you a guidance from me, whosoever would abide by that guidance, would have nothing to fear and to grieve aboutpresent one ٱهْبِطُوا۟ مِنْهَا collectively, and whenever comes to you a guidance from me, whosoever would abide by that guidance, would have nothing to fear and to grieve about
Al-Baqarah 2:39
وَٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ وَكَذَّبُوا۟ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَآ أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ أَصْحَٰبُ ٱلنَّارِۖ هُمْ فِيهَا خَٰلِدُونَ
And those who would deny/conceal/cover and would tell lies upon our signs, they would be the companions of the fire of remorse أَصْحَٰبُ ٱلنَّارِۖ therein they would live forever.
By realizing statement which Allah made “ALLAH knows and aware and humans are not”
Humans now understood the purpose of creation and their ability to make live Allah's attributes in their own life, as humans consciousness started growing the nuclear bomb which they bombed japan now no longer used to destroy their own existence but in contrary they started using nuclear clean energy to support life on earth ,
Humans are the only creature with God like qualities in limited sense and ability to think and power of choice or free will, whether humans fails or pass to represent as deputy of Allah will be known to them in life Hereafter, without the guidiance of message from Allah time to time and His last revelation ie Quran it would have not possible for them to rise from animal life to become human