Can a Muslim scientist be an evolutionist?

- What is the state of the belief of a scientist who believes in the theory of evolution and works in this field? - Does a Muslim scientist have to reject the theory of evolution absolutely? - Is anything about the theory of evolution included in the Quran? - Can a Muslim be an evolutionist?

Dear Brother / Sister,

Science means knowledge about a being. In science, it is essential to know, not to believe. Therefore, we need to correct the question above as “someone who knows the theory of evolution” not “who believes in”. Then, it will be seen that the answer is already in the question.

For, knowing an issue is something and believing is another thing. A person who knows Christianity is not a Christian; a person who knows Islam cannot be a Muslim unless he believes in some of the basic principles of Islam.

From this point of view, knowing the theory of evolution, learning what the claims and evidences of evolutionists are and teaching someone the theory of evolution as a necessity of one’s duty is a scientific method and way of working. If such a person believes that the information he has obtained related to this subject is completely true, such a belief will definitely contradict the religion of Islam since there are certain points in this belief that contradict the clear decrees of the Quran.

The evolutionists who advocate atheism, first of all, build their theory of evolution on a view that rejects a creator and present everything as the work of chance and nature. Can a thought that begins by denying Allah have an aspect that is compatible with religion?

Atheistic evolutionists claim that all living beings originated from one another in a chain as a result of the evolution of a single cell by chance. They accept man as the last product of this chain of evolution. Although they use the word evolution in the sense of the evolution of species here, they also use it for all kinds of change and metamorphosis along with some laws and principles that are valid in the universe in order to cause a chaos of evolution, to confuse the minds and to spread their own superstitious and purely philosophical thoughts. Thus, it is not understood who means what with the word evolution.

All kinds of change, metamorphosis and differentiation take place in the universe through Allah's infinite knowledge, will and power. Therefore, it is pointed out in the Quran that all beings assume different structures gradually, that is, in the course of time. For example, it is stated that a person who starts to develop in the womb from a cell passes from stage to stage. It is pointed out that the Earth was initially together with the sun and then separated from it.

The cells and structures of humans, all other plants and animals change all the time. They express all these changes with the word evolution. However, these changes are in the form of a law; it has nothing to do with the word evolution that atheistic evolutionists use; all changes are made by Allah. However, they reject Allah at the beginning.

There is nothing contrary to Islam in the belief that accepts that everything is the work of Allah and that does not contradict the clear decrees of the Quran about creation, and in the belief in change and metamorphosis, and expressing them with the word evolution.

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