Jews For Islam

First Chapter

Believing in Allah

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Accepting the Unity of Allah

(5) The Bible, The Qur'an, and Evolution

Here we will compare the Bible, and the Qur’an to the popular theory of evolution. 

Astronomers today have powerful telescopes and have studied the formation of our neighboring galaxies. From the studies we learned that galaxies are formed from the condensation of spiraling celestial "mists."

This is confirmed in the Qur'an 14 centuries before this was discovered by the " Hubble Space telescope" in 1925.

"Then He settled/equilibrated unto the firmament(sky) when it was smoke...." ( Qur'an 41:11.

We know from both scientists and the Qur’an that in the beginning, there was nothing in liquid or solid state, only in gaseous state yet the Bible is not in agreement on this matter; Genesis 1:1-2 (Revised Standard Version) "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep; and the Spirit of God was moving over the face of the waters."

The next verse in the Bible shows a chronological inconsistency. The Bible claims that there was light in the Universe on the first day; 

"And God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light. And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, one day."Genesis 1:3-5.

Yet then we see in Genesis 1:14, that the sun was not created until the 4th day; Scientists today know that light is a reaction to other stars in the Universe, and without the sun, (which was not created until the fourth day according to the Bible) than it is simply wrong to claim there was light when the sun was not yet created. Again we see this discrepancy is not in the Qur’an.

The Qur’an confirms what scientists of today agree upon, which is that the elements in the Universe were created at once, this is known as the "Big Bang theory":

"Do not the disbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were fused then We ripped them asunder.."Al-Anbia(21):30.

There are some truths in the Bible, but also some obvious disagreement with scientific facts. Another example is the growth of plant life on earth.

The Bible says that on the third day;

"And God said, "Let the earth put forth vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind, upon the earth." And it was so." (Genesis 1:11)

The problem is that God created the Sun on the 4th day (Genesis 1:14) and complex seed formation can not occur without sunlight.

In contrast to the Old Testament, the Qur’an does not use a day by day chronological description (i.e. on the first day, second day, third day ...), instead the Qur’an uses concise terms which do not prompt objections.

The Qur’an clarifies that the food appeared twoeons after the light was in the Heavens:

"And He made in it mountains above its surface, and He blessed therein and made therein its foods, in four periods: alike for the seekers." {Qur'an 41:10} Verses 41:11 and 12 in the Qur’an, use the adverbs "thummah" and "fa" which imply series of events. Neither of these two, however, are used in verse 10 (the only one which mentions four periods) which instead uses the adverb "wa" implying parallel, or "overlapping" actions. Therefore, we see the total time to complete the mountain formation and food growth is 4 periods. Within 2 of these four periods, we see light .

"So He ordained them seven heavens in two periods, and revealed in every heaven its affair; and We adorned the lower heaven with brilliant stars and (made it) to guard; that is the decree of the Mighty, the Knowing." (Holy Qur'an 4:12)

The following Verses in the Holy Qur’an also support the Theory of Evolution:

".....We made from water every living thing. Will they not then believe?"

(21:30)"What ails you that you hope not towards Allah with dignity when he created you by stages?

........And Allah has caused you to grow as a growth from earth.

"71:13-14"See they not how Allah produces creation, then reproduces it? Lo, for Allah that is easy. Say (O Muhammad): Travel in the land and see how He originated creation, then Allah brings forth the later growth. Lo, Allah is able to do all things.

"29:19-20"Thy Lord is the Absolute, the Lord of Mercy. If He will, He can remove you and can cause what He will to follow after you, even as He raised you from the seed of other folk. Lo! That which ye are promised will surely come to pass, and ye cannot escape. Say ( O, Muhammad): O my people! Work according to your power. Lo! I too am working. Thus ye will come to know for which of us will be the happy sequel. Lo! The wrongdoers will not be successful"

6:134-136"He produces creation and then reproduces it, that He may reward those who believe and do good works with equity."10:4 and 27:64

The following verses in the Bible show some divergence when compared to other Bible verses

regarding evolution;

GE 1:11-12, 26-27 Trees were created before man was created.

GE 2:4-9  Man was created before trees were created.

GE 1:20-21, 26-27Birds were created before man was created.

GE 2:7, 19 Man was created before birds were created.

GE 1:24-27 Animals were created before man was created.

GE 2:7, 19 Man was created before animals were created.

GE 1:26-27 Man and woman were created at the same time.

GE 2:7, 21-22 Man was created first, woman sometime later.

In conclusion, we see that the Qur’an resurrects the Bible, bringing back Divine Scripture beyond the level of learned scientists. Scientists can now look up to the Message of God rather than look down to it as is done with the Bible.

God gives all humans a reason to believe, and in the case of the Qur’an, the reason was given over 1,400 years ago, before the scientists even knew what to believe in.