Theory of evolution is a scientific fact: A response from mystic literature
List of Authors
  • Md Maruf Hasan

Keyword
  • Muhammad Iqbal, Theory of Evolution, Richard Dawkins, Neo-Darwinism, Rumi, Darwinism, Islamic Literature, Charles Darwin, Ibn Maskawaih

Abstract
  • For a long period of time, the theory of evolution has been subjected to criticism in religious countries and politicians misuse this topic as to get support from religious communities. The theory of evolution is considered as a scientific fact by many evolutionary biologists like Richard Dawkin, Daniel Dennet, and so on. For the theory of evolution, there are mountains of evidence that have been gathered through Carbon dating, Genome sequencing, etc. No theory has such strong backbone as much as theory of evolution has in terms of evidences. The world is approximately 6000 years old according to the teaching of the Bible and Darwin’s evolution theory mainly challenged to Christian belief during his period of time. This theory has also a great influence on Muslim countries nowadays. Now this evolution theory has been subjected to question if this theory should be included in the syllabus in Muslim countries. Despite the evidence from evolutionary biologists, this theory is given less prioritization, or to some extent, it is taken out from the syllabus in many countries. This trend has existence the current status quo. Poet and Philosopher Sir Muhammad Allama Iqbal gave the solution to the problem existing in the current context by synthesizing Islamic Sufism in response to the theory of evolution in his book, “The Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam “. This research uses a qualitative methodology, and the comparative and content analysis will be done to understand the existing problem within Muslim countries to teach the theory of evolution. This research finds that the theory of evolution makes sense as a scientific theory as explained by the evolutionary biologists, and this is suggested that Muslim countries may adopt Sir Allam Iqbal’s approach to deal with the theory of evolution if they find it necessary to include in the syllabus.

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