Biological Evolution: An Islamic Kalām Perspective by Professor Mohammed Basil Altaie

Prof Mohammed Basil Altaie (University of Leeds)

This article discusses the question where the Qurʾan sets a conceptual limitation on the interpretation of biological evolution of the first human creature, Adam, and presents a novel understanding for the process of biological evolution in general. The work is part of my endeavour to promote new studies in Daqīq al-Kalām which represent the Islamic approach to Natural Philosophy. The question of the creation of Adam will be discussed in two contexts, the first is what the Qurʾan precisely presents about this miraculous creation, and in the second context the general process of evolution will be discussed using of the principles of daqīq al-kalām. Due to the limitation on the size of the article to be presented in this workshop I will not be concerned with the traditional views about biological evolution, nevertheless I will focus on the how the Qurʾan presented the creation of Adam where it is explicitly shown that the special status obtained by this event centres on the divine spiritual blow which transformed a developed being into a human.

The second part of this article presents a new-kalām perspective to understand evolution through the principle of re-creation which was introduced by the Mutakallimūn and was adopted by several Muslim scholars like Mulla Sadra and others. This new approach will enable Muslim scholars of philosophy of science to establish new vender in the approach to delicate questions related to Islamic SharīꜤa and Science.