The Quranic and Darwinian view of Evolution.
[Dr. Shehzad] So our first question is on evolution.
The question is how come your views on evolution are not
in line with your progressive, logical views
staunch evolution theory supporters like Chritopher Hitchens
and Richard Dawkins have strong arguments against the usual non-believing arguments?
[Ghamidi] Please understand a fundamental point about the nature
of scientific investigation
it is obvious that the object of science is to analyze this material world
and of the natural laws operating in it;
in their light, it is able to make inventions in the present,
as well as in overturning the past explanations of several phenomena.
So the laws explained by science, which have now become facts
The laws explained by science are a different matter
These laws most certainly are laws.
And we possess a kind of inventory of these laws are.
Fossil records also have been found to a large extent.
Any new thing found at any time only enhances such records
This is one thing.
Second thing is that these principles are to be provided with an explanation
So the explanation of a principle is never a fact in itself.
It is a point of view, a theory, although with the passing of time
it becomes a reality
However, it remains only a theory.
So evolution, from a point of view is only a theory, an outlook
And it is explaining some facts.
If someone else provides some other explanation
then it should also be given the same attention
that is given to the explanation of an evolution theorist
I have already stated this in many places that the common misconception of people is
that on one hand, we have the point of view or the theory of evolution
and on the other hand, we have religious people who say that
one day Allah ta'ala sent four angels in order to collect
from the four continents (there were only four, when people were talking)
to collect their soil and to bring it to make a figurine (just like kids make)
And after making it, they blew a soul into it and it became a human
So people think of it as, on one hand, what is called the point of view of Creationism.
And on the other, the theory of evolution It is not so.
The facts that are present in the world,
for their explanation, on one hand we have the evolution theory
and on the other, the statement of the Quran
And I'll put forward the case as it appears the Quran.
And then you can compare the conclusions that are being drawn out from it
and how correct they are?
The Quran says, 'bada'a khalq al-insani min teen
we started within the ductile mud, teen-e lazib, found along the coasts of seas
that process which now takes place within a mother's womb. What happens?
It means that you consume the produce of the earth
and from them you derive minerals such as calcium, carbon, hydrogen, etc.
All these form the concentrate and then within you there is a factory,
which in front of our eyes extracts blood from that raw material,
just like that it extracts a drop of water and an egg?
and after their combination, in nine or ten months
the act of making a human being takes place
This now takes place within nine months or less
So the Quran says that the very same act we started within the mud,
within the sludge on this very earth bada'a khalq al-insani min teen
We did not just make it, but started this process
From other places, we get to know that that this act, in its conclusion
Allah ta'ala brought into place the same act of Creation...
Like you have seen what scientists have done.
There was a time when computers requireda room bigger than this
(that is how things first come into existence and then start condensing)
now it can be fitted into our wristwatches
The same condensing act have taken place here too.
On a very large parameter, Allah ta'ala carried out the Creation act.
The same has been condensed into two facets;
One facet is where the baby comes out from a mother's womb
and is infused with the elements of this world just like we put raw materials
in a factory
which are then processed and the finished good come into existence.
The elementary particle that is there which keeps growing
and within nine months, it develops into an alive and breathing baby.
Another process also takes place in front of your eyes.
In that process, the act takes place in those animals
where it takes the shape of an egg
Then that egg comes out and is made to undergo a process
after which it cracks and from within it babies come out
Those who have seen hen's chicks come out of eggs
know how this takes place.
This second process, we learn from Quran took place
in much the same way, within the womb of the earth.
It says that the act began in the ductile mud and then how long it took?
If now it takes nine months so it is possible that around that time
it might have taken thousands or millions of years
So as its result, it took the shape of an egg. kal sal-saalin kal-fakhhaar.
And just like the shell of an egg, the mud dried up
Then the process of the creation of human being took place
But this was still not a human, this was his beastly existence.
In this beastly existence, Allah ta'ala says that in a different stage
(it is possible that we had some generations of such beastly humans)
In the second stage, we bestowed him with abilities.
summa ja'ala naslahu min sulalatin mim maain maheen
with such abilities so that he became a progenitor of his own generation
from this drop of water
This is the second stage.
He has still not become a human. This is a beastly existence.
About this beastly existence, it says 'summa savvaahu'
Then for a long time, we took time to create, shape and perfect him.
Gave it perfection.
When he had passed through all these stages
then it is obvious that from millions or thousands of such specimens,
two of them were chosen
fa nafakhna feehim min looi
And in them Allah Ta'ala says that I blew into them that breath
and gave them their humanity as a result of which he became
a rational and understanding being
and grew into a philosopher and a sage.
This is the process that is presented by the Quran
It also shows how humans have gone through different stages
In this too, we have had the generation of beastly humans
The beastly generation of humans has again underwent two more stages
Only after that humanity has been gifted to the humans
However, from the interpretation in the Quran, it is very clear that
this act from the very first day was carried out in humans only
The beastly existence was of human itself;
It's not that he started developing from one species,
successively progressing into chimpanzees and then took the shape of a human
This is the difference between the two point of views.
Now you can weigh both of them
and decide which outlook passes the standard of rationality and knowledge.
At this time, the facts that have come forward all of them are in agreement
with the point of view of the Quran.
No fact is against it and in comparison with the theory of evolution,
The statements of the Quran is more scientific and closer to reality,
and more fitting with reason.
[Dr. Shehzad] This means that evolution has surely taken place but
in a completely different way.
[Ghamidi] Yes, exactly like that.
This is the statement of the Quran
and one needs to see this in this light that who is making it?
Forget for a while that he is the messenger of God,
but a bedouin from the Arabian desert, and then you can estimate
that in a world of stories how he was stating the fact of the Creation of man.