A while back I was listening to Mr. Javed Ghamidi on a program in which he mentioned evolution. He said that evolution is not in conflict with Islam. I would like to know if you agree, and if so, could you please elaborate. While Islam mentions the creation of mankind, the theory of evolution seems to give an alternate explanation. How can it be reconciled with Islam?
Answer
I believe that the theory of evolution is an explanation of how this world and its inhabitants were created. It doesn’t deal with question of who created it.
There could have been two possibilities of how God created this world. It could either have been created abruptly or gradually. The Quran seems to be supporting the cause of gradual, evolutionary process of creation. Of course, there could always be differences in the understanding of the details of how that gradual process took place. However, the basic idea of evolution is, far from contradicting the Quran, is consistent with it.