Origins of human life

• Evolution


  Scientific theory of the development of species which involves a process of natural selection and survival of the fittest
• Islamic beliefs about human origins


  • Qur'an teaches that life began when God created Adam from clay
  • Adam and Hawa appear in the Qur'an as the first man and woman
  • Adam is the first Prophet in Islam
  • Majority of Muslims believe science offers realistic explanations of the origins of humanity, evolution may be seen as part of God's plan
• Christian beliefs about human origins


  • Genesis teaches Christians that God created human beings 'in His image'
  • God formed Adam 'from the dust of the ground' and put him in the Garden of Eden to 'work it and take care of it'
  • He created Eve as Adam's 'helper'
  • Many Christians believe science offers realistic explanations of the origins of humanity
• Christian responses to scientific explanations


  • Fundamentalists / literalists
  • Liberals / Modernists
• Fundamentalists / literalists


  Reject scientific explanations because they take a literal reading of Genesis (it is literally true as the absolute, infallible, inerrant Word of God)
• Liberals / Modernists


  Believe there is no conflict between religion and science - Genesis has an important message but is not meant to be taken literally
• Evolution


  Explains HOW humans were created
• Religion


  Explains WHY / the purpose of their lives
• Islamic responses to scientific explanations


  • Some Muslims may view evolution with scepticism
  • Most Muslims believe science offers a more believable explanation for the origins-evolution as part of God's plan
• Some Muslims may view evolution with scepticism because the Qur'an teaches God created Adam from clay
• Most Muslims believe by studying science, we learn more about God and His creation
• Most Muslims believe there is no conflict between science and religion
• God is the creator all things (Surah 39:62)
• In the image of God he created them (Genesis 1:26)