EVOLUTION IN ISLAM

The Quran is very clear in its support that humans came from lower beings and that creation had a process
involving diverse successive stages:

The long time in which humanity didn't exist:

(Quran 76:1) Has there come on man a long period of time when he was a thing unremembered?

(Quran 35:1) All praise is due to Allah , Creator of the heavens and the earth, [who] made the angels messengers
having wings, two or three or four. He increases in creation what He wills. Indeed, Allah is over all things
competent.

^Here, the Quran informs us that Allah increases the complexity in creation (read the beginning of the verse).
Not only that, the title of this chapter is called "The originator". So by mere juxtaposition the Quran makes
an extraordinary point! Allah originates the creation and then increases its complexity. This mirrors the origin
and evolution of life. Life was originated and through time it gets more complex. Right after this verse, the
Quran speaks about human creation and natural phenomena. This seems to be an interesting correlation. This
verse asserts that Allah increases the complexity of creatures. This verse points us to an example of how Allah
adds ‘wings’ to the angels however he pleases. It is important to note that ‘wings’ is probably metaphorical as
it refers to a thing needed to fly. The basic idea in this verse is that Allah increases or adds complexity to his
creations as he wills. One can ask the question, why did the Quran mention this and what point is the Quran
trying to make? The point this verse is trying to make is clear, Allah creations go through a process of increasing
in complexity. Further, the title of that chapter is “The Originator”. This further brings you to an understanding
that Allah originates creation and increases complexity to creation. This is in line with the basic idea of the
evolution of life. Life on earth originated and gained complexity.

(Quran 29:20) Say: "Roam the earth and observe how the creation was initiated.

^This verse is a direct commandment to humans telling us to travel the Earth and observe how creation was
brought forth. The funny thing is Darwin unknowingly followed the commandment in this verse and
discovered how (the mechanism) creation formed. This verse implies that by travelling through the Earth, you
would see the mechanism of creation! Darwin has unknowingly followed that commandment and has discovered
how creation began, from his travels he published a revolutionary book titled “The Origin of Species”.

(Quran 71:14) God created you in diverse stages

^This verse could be talking about our personal creation in the wombs of our mothers and it could also be a
reference of the creation of humanity in full ('you' in the verse is plural). This verse carries both meanings! Since
the verse (and such other verses) speaks in a generic sense without restricting its meaning to some particularity,
here it refers to both - our evolutionary stages, and a child's successive developments in its mother's womb to
birth.

(Quran 24:45) Allah has created every animal out of water . Of them (is a category which) walks upon its belly,
(another which) walks upon two legs, and ( a third which) walks upon four . Allah creates what He wills. Allah
is Able to do everything (He wants).

^Every animal is from the same origin--Water. The first living cell existed in a primordial soup and it mainly
consisted of water. This verse speaks about the inter-relation between various species' origins. All creatures are
from same origin and certainly the human walking on two legs is also from the same.
(Quran 21:30) Have not those who disbelieve known that the heavens and the Earth were of one connected
entity, then We separated them and We made every living thing out of water? Will they not then believe?

^This verse is talking about the process of creation. The universe and the earth were once connected (in a
primordial fireball), then they were separated and in the process, every living thing originated from water! Do
you know what is interesting? When we look for extra-terrestrial life, we look for planets with water.

(Quran 6:2) He is Who has created you from clay, then he spent a term of time (away from you), and (it is) a
specific term he determined. Yet, you doubt (his ability)!

^In this verse, we know that God’s creation of life from clay (which is a combination of water and earth soil)
happened first a long time ago. God then stayed away from his creation letting it evolve to interfere (give us
scripture) when He determined that it was time.

(Quran 71:17) And Allah has caused you to grow from the earth a [progressive] growth.

^This means that organisms grew from the earth (originated from Earth) progressively

(Quran 64:3) He designed you then made your design better.

(Quran 40:64) He formed you then made your forms better.

^Human form went through a process of betterment. If this verse wanted to say that humans have a perfect
design, it would have not been worded this way, thus, this verse is showing that humans were designed as
something and our design (or form) was improved and perfected to Allah's liking.

(Quran 30:27) God originates creation; Then reproduces it; and For him it is most easy.

^Creation gets originated and then reproduced

(Quran 11:61) It is He Who has produced you from the earth and settled you therein..

^We were produced from the Earth, not as modern creationists say God literally molded us with his hands in
heaven.

(Quran 82:6-9) O mankind, what has deceived you concerning your Lord, the Generous, Who created you, then
proportioned you, and then balanced you; in whatever form He willed has He assembled you.

^This verse is referring to the whole of mankind. It separates creation, proportioning and balancing into
3 separate categories implying a difference of steps and time in each. Then the verse tells us that we (mankind)
have been assembled through the process of creation, proportioning and balancing into a form that which Allah
expected.

(Quran 96:1-2) Recite in the name of your Lord who created, Created man from a clinging substance (Alaq or
embryo).

^This verse says that mankind was created from a clinging substance/alaq. 'Alaq' is the embryo. This refers to
all of mankind. Creationists say that mankind's formation did not involve an embryo--it was simply God getting
some making a human being instantaneously without embryological development. Unfortunately, this verse
affirms that all of mankind were formed in an embryo-no exceptions.

(Quran 16:4) He created man from a sperm-drop; then at once, he is a clear adversary.
^Again, this verse states that all of mankind were created from a sperm-drop. If humans were created from a
sperm-drop that means that the sperm-drop came from generations of non-humans. In other words by saying
that all humans were created from a sperm drop, the Quran is refuting the creationist statements that the first
humans were without ancestors.

(Quran 35:11) And Allah did create you from dust; then from a reproductive fluid; then He made you in pairs

^Here the Quran makes a very important point. This verse is stating the process of creation. We were first
created from dust (a basic compound) then we were created from a reproductive fluid (This is signifying the
creation of sexual reproduction), after sexual reproduction: we were created in pairs-male and female. This also
shows that the first humans were created from a reproductive fluid and not instantly as creationists believe. The
process of formation involved simple compounds and then sexual reproduction formed which ten allowed
humans to be in pairs-male and female. This is exactly how it occurred in the evolutionary timeline. The first
cell came from the Earth, then through several generations, sexual reproduction evolved which gave rise to more
variation and genetic recombination which allowed for higher-level organisms like mammals to evolve.

(Quran 3:33-34) "Indeed, Allah chose Adam and Noah and the family of Abraham and the family of 'Imran over
the worlds. DESCENDANTS, some of them from others. And Allah is Hearing and Knowing"

^This verse calls Adam (mankind), Noah, Family of Abraham, and Imran descendants. Allah chose Adam
(mankind), over who? Other human-like people. And then the Quran says that Adam (humans), Noah, Abraham
and Imran are descendants of others. If humans were descendants of other beings, then that supports the
scientific view of evolution and rejects the creationist view of creation.

(Quran 76:28) We created them and strengthened their forms. And when we please. We will substitute the likes
of them by a change.

^Here, Allah has given us stronger forms. He created us and made us better. And when he pleases, he will
substitute us by a creation with a change! How did God strengthen human's make? Could it be through
evolution? If this verse should be interpreted otherwise, then why does it not simply state, 'It is We who have
created them in a strong make,' instead of implying two separate steps and a time lapse? The same argument
pertains to one translation of the following verse: 'He...designed you and (time lapse) perfected your design...'
(64:3)

(Quran 2:30) And when your Lord said to the angels, "Indeed, I will make upon the earth a successive authority."
They said, "Will You place upon it one who causes corruption therein and sheds blood, while we declare Your
praise and sanctify You?" Allah said, "Indeed, I know that which you do not know."

^Allah will make a successive authority on Earth. Doesn't that hint that humans were evolved to be a successful
rule on earth? Not only that, the Angels were questioning Allah. How did the Angels know that we cause
corruption and shed blood? They saw previous human/hominid generations before Adam cause corruption and
shedding blood, so they were questioning Allah as to why he is creating an animal that is corrupt when we
(Angels) are perfect? Allah tells them that it is all a part of the plan and he knows humanity will succeed.

(Quran 2:35) And We said, "O Adam, dwell, you and your wife, in Paradise and eat therefrom in [ease and]
abundance from wherever you will. But do not approach this tree, lest you be among the wrongdoers."

Here Adam and his mate refers to early mankind. They are dwelling in Jannah but displace later because of their
Zulm (unequality). Then they are compared to their ancestors that did wrong. "Or you will be among the
wrongdoers (al-zalimin)". This clearly implies there was someone before them dwelling. Therefore, Adam and
his companion were NOT suddenly created.
(Quran 10:13-14) And we had already destroyed generations before you when they wronged, and their
messengers had come to them with clear proofs, but they were not to believe. Thus do we recompense the
criminal people. Then we made you successors in the Earth after them so that We may observe how you will
do.

^this verse complements Quran 2:30 in saying that humans were made on the Earth successors. This verse is
making it clear that humans were successors to previous generations. If humans came after previous generations,
then those generations would have to be non-human as they don't fit into the description of being humans
(humans came from them--therefore they cannot be humans). This goes against the creationist account that the
first humans didn't have ancestors. The following verse makes it clear that our ancestors were non-human:

(Quran 6.133) If He wills, he can do away with you and give succession after you to WHATEVER He wills,
just as He produced you from the descendants of another people (qawmin).

Allah can get rid of Us and make another creature succeed just as he produced US from another people!

(Many translators have translated the Arabic word for “whatever” as “whomever”. They, unfortunately, added
their own understanding to a verse. The Quran specifically uses the word "Whatever" or "What" ("ma" in Arabic
‫)ما‬. This Arabic word "ma" does refer to humans; this word is strictly reserved for non-humans (the Arabic word
that does refer to humans is "men ‫"من‬, meaning "who" or "whoever" but it was not used here).

If this verse is not of evolution, why does it say humans are from the descendants of 'other' qawmin, why not
'same' qawmin? Qawmin is a term/taxa like 'genus', 'species' etc. This verse is thus talking in a generic sense.

(Quran 4:133) If it were His will, He could destroy you, o mankind, and create another race; for He hath power
this to do.

(Quran 35:16) If He wills, He can do away with you and bring forth a new creation.

(Quran 14:19) If God wills he can remove you and put in your place a new creation.

(Quran 47:38) And if you turn away, He will replace you with another people; they will not be the likes of you.

^Again, we see a reference to Allah destroying Mankind and creating another people. If you notice from the
context the verse before 35:16 shows that its talking about mankind. Now with verse 6:133 in mind and the
other verses, what do you propose is the mechanism Allah would use? Further Quran 47:38 explicitly says that
the other people the Quran is talking about in 6:133 will not be like us and that we descended from another
people NOT like us! Take a look at this related verse:

(Quran 43:60) And if we will, We could make angels from amongst you (minkum), succeeding each other on
the earth.

^Again, a reference to Allah destroying Mankind through letting something else (angels) come amongst us and
succeed each other on the Earth just as we (humans) came from another creature and succeeded after them.
Angels are spiritual beings that could be embodied in physical form on the Earth.

(Quran 32:7) Allah is He who has made everything He created BETTER, and He began the creation of the
human (being) out of clay--> He made everything he created better. Evolution seems to explain the mechanism
of perfecting God's creation. (Clay is a product of wet earth-Exactly what you are made of: Water and Earth.
What's even more fascinating about this verses is that Allah say he made all of his creation better from the
original and he began the creation of a human. This verse is hinting at a connection. A connection that human
beings were made through a process of evolving better than the original creation.

(Quran 32:8) Then He made his posterity out of the extract of a liquid disdained.

^This verse comes right after the previous one. So AFTER human beings BEGAN forming,, our posterity comes
from an extract of semen. This is hinting at sexual reproduction forming.

(Quran 32:9) Then He proportioned him and breathed into him from His [created] soul and made for you hearing
and vision and hearts; little are you grateful.

^AFTER Allah made sexual reproduction, he proportioned us and given us vision/hearing/consciousness.

Allah BEGINS the process of creation, lets sexual reproduction happen, and then we get proportioned and
achieve higher consciousness. Aren't these verses clear in their support of gradual creation of humans?

The preceding verse seems to be a highlight of the major evolutionary steps and it uses a sequential conjunction
to illustrate its purpose. Creation began from a basic earth like substance (clay), then after the initiation of
creation, sexual reproduction develops and then after that higher intelligence forms. This verse specifically says
that our posterity was made from an extract of a liquid disdained, this implies that after the initiation of creation
of man from the Earth, the ability to sexually reproduce formed. After sexual reproduction formed, higher
intelligence develops. Evolutionary, we can say that life formed from the Earth (or what became to be the earth).
Their mode of reproduction was asexual. Then sexual reproduction occurred which allowed for more variation
and more complexity in organisms. Through sexual reproduction, more variation occurred which allowed
extremely complex multicellular organisms capable of thought, like humans to develop. This Quranic verse
appears to highlight such a phenomenon by stating that creation started out of the Earth, then sexual reproduction
developed, then humans formed.

The following verse informs us that humans were created from a single cell:

(Quran 4:1)...created you [all] from a singular 'nafs' and created from it its mate and dispersed from both of
them many [human] men and women.

The question arises: What is a 'nafs'? 'Nafs' is a living being as the following verse informs us:

(Quran 21:35) Every living being (nafsin) shall have a taste of death

Thus we must conclude that we were created from a singular living being in which its pair was created from it.
This singular cell and its pair then made many human men and women. 21:35 "Every living being (nafsin) shall
have a taste of death." Whatever dies have Nafs. So it means any living being including single cell being.
Therefore, in verse 4:1 "Who has developed you from one Nafs (living being), and from it its mate and sent
forth from both many male and female.", one Nafs was not Adam, it talks about the "same origin" of all nafses
(beings), the rudimentary simple single cell and the relation between the Nafses. And its mate means genderly
mate of any species and also other companions of same species. Since the origin of all living being is same,
they certainly were not separately created. There is NO verse that tells that the living being were developed
separately.

The following verse indicates that Allah literally calls himself "the evolver":

(Quran 59:24) He is Allah , the Creator, the Inventor, The Evolver (al bari); to Him belong the best names.
Whatever is in the heavens and earth is exalting Him. And He is the Exalted in Might, the Wise.
From the root b-r-' which has the following classical Arabic connotations:

to create, to form out of nothing, to manifest

to create using pre-existing matter, evolve

to be individual, free and clear of another thing

to be free and clear of fault or blemish

Bâri' denotes the way the One works with substances, often creating from existing matter, making and evolving
that which is free and clear of any other thing, free and clear of imperfections. (Source)

Indeed, in the Quran, Allah calls himself the evolver. The one who shapes, who fashions creation--the one who
perfects his creation

All praise is to Allah, the one who has created life and fashioned life.