COMMENTARY: How a Muslim Physician Squares Evolution With Creationism

c. 2006 Religion News Service (UNDATED) It was an amazing find: Paleontologists recently announced the discovery of an ancient fish that provides the “missing evolutionary link” between fish and the first mammals that crawled onto land from the sea. Published in the science journal Nature, scientists described the animal, called Tiktaalik roseae, as having not […]

c. 2006 Religion News Service

(UNDATED) It was an amazing find: Paleontologists recently announced the discovery of an ancient fish that provides the “missing evolutionary link” between fish and the first mammals that crawled onto land from the sea. Published in the science journal Nature, scientists described the animal, called Tiktaalik roseae, as having not only scales and fins _ like a fish _ but also primitive wrists, fingers, ribs and a neck, like land animals.

University of Chicago scientist Neil Shubin, who co-led the team that made the discovery, was quoted by The Chicago Tribune as saying, “It represents the transition from water to land _ the part of history that includes ourselves. When we talk about the fish’s wrist, we’re talking about the origin of parts of our own wrist.”


Is this another blow to the creationists, many of whom dispute the theory of evolution precisely because of the lack of evidence of such “transitional animals”? Moreover, is this a problem for me, a devout Muslim who is a fervent believer in and servant of the One God of Abraham, Moses and Jesus (peace be upon them all)?

Not really.

As a believer, I do not accept that humans came from apes. I believe what God told me in the Quran: that he shaped our father Adam with his own hands and breathed into Adam the breath of life. Yet, as a physician, I also cannot argue with science and the scientific method, and evolutionary theory and biology are strongly supported by robust, well-conducted scientific experiments. This is easily reconcilable in my mind.

While I am not arguing with the science behind evolutionary biology, I look at it a little differently. I believe that all life on this Earth came from one unique and all-powerful creator. While it is possible that fish evolved into creatures that could both swim and climb on land, such as Tiktaalik, it is equally possible that both creatures were created by God and not related to each other at all. The fact that they may be genetically and biologically similar, in my mind, only points to the unique stamp of a unique creator.

The same is true with humans and apes. The fact the humans and orangutans are genetically almost identical is truly fascinating to me. But I do not conclude, however, that they are our “ancestors.” Rather, both humans and orangutans are so similar because they were made by the same creator. The fact that Tiktaalik’s wrist and arm are so similar to my wrist and arm does not mean to me that the Tiktaalik is my long-lost ancestor. Again, they are similar because we both have the same creator.

Every “creator” _ whether it be a writer, painter, sculptor, carpenter or architect _ has his or her own unique style that can be readily distinguishable. Well, the Lord God is the ultimate creator of all “creators,” and I believe he has a “style” and “stamp” as well, and this can be readily distinguishable when one studies the natural world.

Humans have the best hands, wrists, arms, etc. _ I believe _ not because we have mutated from lower human-like species, but because “We (God) have made humanity in the finest order” (Quran 95:4).

The researchers who made this remarkable discovery plan to go back and try to find more species that may be other “missing links” of the theory of evolution. If such discoveries are made, it will not shake my faith in God one bit. On the contrary, it will only increase my love and awe for God, and it will make me praise Him _ the creator of all life _ even more.


MO/PH END RNS

(Hesham A. Hassaballa is a Chicago physician and a columnist for Beliefnet. His book, “The Beliefnet Guide to Islam,” was published by Doubleday. You can read his blog at http://www.drhassaballa.com.)

Editors: To obtain a photo of Hesham A. Hassaballa, go to the RNS Web site at https://religionnews.com. On the lower right, click on “photos,” then search by subject or slug.

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