A Review of "Creation AND/OR Evolution: An Islamic Perspective"
[ISBN 1-4134-6581-1].
282 pages; $31.99;
Author: T.O.Shanavas.
Publisher: XLIBRIS PUBLISHERS
International Plaza II, Suite 340
Philadelphia, PA 19113-1513
USA
Shanavas' son asked: "Dad, you send me to the best school
around our home to study science. You send me to the Islamic Center
to study the Qur'an. Science says that human beings evolved from the
world of apes, but the Islamic Center teaches us that humans were
initially created in heaven and came to earth fully formed. What is
the truth?" Creation AND/OR Evolution: An Islamic Perspective is
the answer to the question.
In Creation AND/OR Evolution: An Islamic Perspective, Shanavas
describes a novel concept of Islamic metaphysics of the future
focusing on the phrase, Inshah Allah (God so will). Within the
Islamic metaphysics of the future, all separately identifiable small
or large components of the universe have self and subjectivity and
the creation is a process. In this process, our short-lived and
imperfect universe evolves as creatures of all varieties choose the
divine proposals carried within arriving moments of future and
objectify them into material realities.
It is reasonable to anticipate a chaotic universe, which
evolves through practice of free choice. Yet, stunningly, in this
potentially chaotic universe, which evolves through the practice of
free choices of millions or billions of animate and inanimate
creatures, order emerges. Shanavas brilliantly describes how the
order evolves in universe where chance events are daily affairs.
Shanavas accepts chance events without rejecting Allah's Providence.
The author gives logical explanation for the existence of evil in
the universe under a compassionate God.
Quoting Qur'anic verses, Shanavas systematically and
methodically argues that Adam and Eve were created on the earth
originally. With reference from pre-Darwin Muslim scholar, the
author shows that the story of the creation of Eve from Adam's rib
was a Judeo-Christian story imported to Islamic faith by Muslims
converted from the People of the Book.
According to the author, the theory of evolution is no way
anti-Islamic. Pre-Darwin Muslim scholars originally proposed the
theory of evolution centuries before Charles Darwin. An American
scientist, contemporary of Charles Darwin, described the theory
as "the Muhammadan theory of Evolution." Historically, Muslims were
the first to record the discovery of human origin from the world of
apes even though we know now that apes and human have common
ancestor.
The book gives Islamic explanation for the birth of new
species, mutation, fossils, and theodicy. The author has
meticulously recorded the references to every point that he makes in
the book.
It is a ground breaking book.
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