Responses of South Asian Muslims to the Theory of Evolution

Bibliographic Data

ID7748859
AuthorsMartin Riexinger (corresponding author)
Year2009
Volume49
Issue2
Pages212-247
Publication date2009-10-03
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueDie Welt des Islams (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0043-2539 • E-ISSN: 1570-0607
PublisherWalter de Gruyter GmbH (PUBLISHER • DE)
DOI10.1163/157006009x449465a
OpenAlexW4233979814
LanguageEN
Citations received5

Of all scientific theories the theory of evolution arguably poses the greatest challenge to theistic religions because it threatens to undermine teleology and the central position of mankind in nature. Nevertheless, modernist thinkers among South Asian Muslims like Sayyid Aḥmad Khān and Abū l-Kalām Āzād strove to demonstrate its compatibility with the Qur’ān. Their efforts were rejected by Islamists like Mawdūdī and more traditional scholars writing on the subject. They defended the concept of a consciously designed universe instead. That the defence of this idea is the main motivation for resentment against the theory of evolution among Muslims is underscored by the fact the even a thinker like Ghulām Aḥmad Parwez, who readily dismissed central concepts of traditional theology, accepted the concept of evolution only without the principle of natural selection. Although negative assessments prevail, the theory of evolution did not foment a campaign among South Asian Muslims as it did in Turkey. This is most likely due to the lack of awareness among many ‘ulamā’ and the fact that the theory of evolution was not ideologically appropriated by adversaries of Islamic groups

Epistemology · Ideology · Islam · Political science · Politics · Resentment · Sociology · Subject (documents) · Teleology · Theism · Theology · Evolution and Science Education · Islamic Studies and History · Law · Medieval and Classical Philosophy · Philosophy

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