November 6, 2009
Old-Earth Creationism Growing in Islamic
Countries
Muslims object in particular to the idea of human evolution.
Old-Earth Creationism Growing in Islamic
Countries
Muslims object in particular to the idea of human evolution.
SUMMARY: Creationism is growing among Muslims, but it appears to be
primarily of the old-Earth variety and is still the minority view in Muslim
countries, academics at a meeting in Massachusetts were told. While the
Koran, the holy book of Islam, says the universe was created in six days, it
leaves the door open for an older Earth by adding that a day is "a thousand
years of your reckoning."
Salman Hameed, who convened the two-day conference at Hampshire
College where he is a professor, said that views of scientific evolution are
clearly influenced by underlying religious beliefs and that there is no
young-Earth creationism. More and more Muslims, while accepting the views of
astronomers and geologists, are quarreling with modern biology. The degree
of acceptance of evolution varies among Islamic countries.
High school textbooks in Pakistan cover the theory of evolution although also
containing quotations from the Koran, a practice that suggests religion and
evolution can coexist. A survey of high school students there found 28% were
basically creationists with 60% holding to evolution. Some 86% thought that
fossils showed life has existed for billions of years and changed over time.
The situation in Turkey has been changing. A conference participant said he
never encountered creationism while growing up in the 1970s. Now creationist
books appear in bookstores in the science sections and the teaching of
evolution has largely disappeared below the university level. In Indonesia fewer
students support evolution than in Turkey, but 85% still believe fossils indicate
life has existed for billions of years and changed over time.
What many Muslims can’t tolerate is the idea of human evolution. The Koran
states that Allah created Adam, the first man, separately out of clay. Pervez A.
Hoodbhoy, a prominent atomic physicist, says that when he lectures about the
evolution of life beginning with the Big Bang, everything goes pretty well until
he gets to the time when “the apes stand up.” Then he hears objections.
Biology education in Muslim countries may include evolutionist views, except for
the origins of humans.
Islamic creationists have readily borrowed arguments from Western creationists,
minus the young-Earth aspects, and Muslims living in the West appear to have
more strongly adopted creationism. Muslims of high school age living near
Toronto were far more doubting of evolution than students living in Indonesia or
Pakistan. Many Canadian Muslims even are young-Earth creationists, with only
half the students surveyed at Islamic schools in the Toronto area agreeing that
fossils showed life has existed for billions of years or changed over time.
(Picture of Muslim mosque in Medina, Saudi Arabia from Wikimedia Commons)
To read the entire lengthy article, click on this link to THE NEW YORK TIMES.
COMMENT: Some people may be surprised at the similarities of the creation
account in the Bible and in the Koran. We need to remember that the Islamic
religion did not originate until the 7th century B.C. when it is said that the
prophet Muhammad received special revelations and recorded them in the
Koran. It seems pretty obvious that he had access to the Bible. In fact, Muslims,
like Christians and Jews, trace their history to Abraham. Muslims also honor
Jesus Christ, but as a prophet and not as the Savior God.
Perhaps the growing acceptance of creationism, even young-Earth creationism,
among Muslims in the West might provide an opportunity to reach them with the
Gospel. Because of the similarity of the creation accounts, these followers of
Allah might be open to learning about the fall of Adam and Eve and the promise
of a Savior. If St. Paul could be converted by the Holy Spirit from a murderer of
Christians to a brave preacher of Jesus as Savior, then any other person by the
grace of God could also. May we all pray for Muslims and for those Christians
who are working to bring the wonderful message of salvation to them.
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**************************************************************************************
QUESTION OF THE DAY
Is the demand for software engineers increasing or leveling off?
**************************************************************************************
NOTE ON VISITOR COMMENTS: Visitor comments are invited including those
containing alternate views. However, comments containing profanity or
advertisements will not be published. After posting a comment, please allow
several hours for it to appear on the blog.
**************************************************************************************
primarily of the old-Earth variety and is still the minority view in Muslim
countries, academics at a meeting in Massachusetts were told. While the
Koran, the holy book of Islam, says the universe was created in six days, it
leaves the door open for an older Earth by adding that a day is "a thousand
years of your reckoning."
Salman Hameed, who convened the two-day conference at Hampshire
College where he is a professor, said that views of scientific evolution are
clearly influenced by underlying religious beliefs and that there is no
young-Earth creationism. More and more Muslims, while accepting the views of
astronomers and geologists, are quarreling with modern biology. The degree
of acceptance of evolution varies among Islamic countries.
High school textbooks in Pakistan cover the theory of evolution although also
containing quotations from the Koran, a practice that suggests religion and
evolution can coexist. A survey of high school students there found 28% were
basically creationists with 60% holding to evolution. Some 86% thought that
fossils showed life has existed for billions of years and changed over time.
The situation in Turkey has been changing. A conference participant said he
never encountered creationism while growing up in the 1970s. Now creationist
books appear in bookstores in the science sections and the teaching of
evolution has largely disappeared below the university level. In Indonesia fewer
students support evolution than in Turkey, but 85% still believe fossils indicate
life has existed for billions of years and changed over time.
What many Muslims can’t tolerate is the idea of human evolution. The Koran
states that Allah created Adam, the first man, separately out of clay. Pervez A.
Hoodbhoy, a prominent atomic physicist, says that when he lectures about the
evolution of life beginning with the Big Bang, everything goes pretty well until
he gets to the time when “the apes stand up.” Then he hears objections.
Biology education in Muslim countries may include evolutionist views, except for
the origins of humans.
Islamic creationists have readily borrowed arguments from Western creationists,
minus the young-Earth aspects, and Muslims living in the West appear to have
more strongly adopted creationism. Muslims of high school age living near
Toronto were far more doubting of evolution than students living in Indonesia or
Pakistan. Many Canadian Muslims even are young-Earth creationists, with only
half the students surveyed at Islamic schools in the Toronto area agreeing that
fossils showed life has existed for billions of years or changed over time.
(Picture of Muslim mosque in Medina, Saudi Arabia from Wikimedia Commons)
To read the entire lengthy article, click on this link to THE NEW YORK TIMES.
COMMENT: Some people may be surprised at the similarities of the creation
account in the Bible and in the Koran. We need to remember that the Islamic
religion did not originate until the 7th century B.C. when it is said that the
prophet Muhammad received special revelations and recorded them in the
Koran. It seems pretty obvious that he had access to the Bible. In fact, Muslims,
like Christians and Jews, trace their history to Abraham. Muslims also honor
Jesus Christ, but as a prophet and not as the Savior God.
Perhaps the growing acceptance of creationism, even young-Earth creationism,
among Muslims in the West might provide an opportunity to reach them with the
Gospel. Because of the similarity of the creation accounts, these followers of
Allah might be open to learning about the fall of Adam and Eve and the promise
of a Savior. If St. Paul could be converted by the Holy Spirit from a murderer of
Christians to a brave preacher of Jesus as Savior, then any other person by the
grace of God could also. May we all pray for Muslims and for those Christians
who are working to bring the wonderful message of salvation to them.
**************************************************************************************
Want to be automatically notified each time there is a new post? Just e-mail
your request to [admin@lutheranscience.org].
**************************************************************************************
QUESTION OF THE DAY
Is the demand for software engineers increasing or leveling off?
**************************************************************************************
NOTE ON VISITOR COMMENTS: Visitor comments are invited including those
containing alternate views. However, comments containing profanity or
advertisements will not be published. After posting a comment, please allow
several hours for it to appear on the blog.
**************************************************************************************
2 Comments
6p01053498834c970b said...It is also interesting to note that Islam recognizes
Jesus as the only sinless prophet. Not even Mohamed receives this honor.
Let's see, perfect and without sin. Hmm...maybe he really is the Son of God. Not
just maybe, his is the Savior of the World. Our substitute and our sacrificial lamb.
tahseen siddiqua said...I just came across a book “Extraterrestrial Intelligence:
Amazing New Insights from Qur’an...” It quotes extensively from Qur’an to prove
in an extremely amazing and convincing idiom that biological evolution isn’t at all
at variance with the Qur’an. It is available online at HarperCollins' website
Authonomy: http://www.authonomy.com/ViewBook.aspx?bookid=11309
6p01053498834c970b said...It is also interesting to note that Islam recognizes
Jesus as the only sinless prophet. Not even Mohamed receives this honor.
Let's see, perfect and without sin. Hmm...maybe he really is the Son of God. Not
just maybe, his is the Savior of the World. Our substitute and our sacrificial lamb.
tahseen siddiqua said...I just came across a book “Extraterrestrial Intelligence:
Amazing New Insights from Qur’an...” It quotes extensively from Qur’an to prove
in an extremely amazing and convincing idiom that biological evolution isn’t at all
at variance with the Qur’an. It is available online at HarperCollins' website
Authonomy: http://www.authonomy.com/ViewBook.aspx?bookid=11309
| LSI stands for the Lutheran Science Institute, an organization of WELS and ELS Lutherans interested in science and health issues with a special emphasis on the creation and evolution controversy. This blog's purpose is to search the Internet to find articles of interest to Christians. Views expressed are those of the author (Warren Krug) and are not necessarily those of the Lutheran Science Institute, Inc. |
Increasing. The Bureau of Labor
Statistics estimates a need for more than
324,000 new software engineers by
2016. But the Computing Research
Association found only 10,000
undergraduate computer-science
degrees were awarded by major
universities in 2008.
Source: Parade (10/18/09)
Statistics estimates a need for more than
324,000 new software engineers by
2016. But the Computing Research
Association found only 10,000
undergraduate computer-science
degrees were awarded by major
universities in 2008.
Source: Parade (10/18/09)