Seyyed Hossein Nasr and the theory of evolution :a critical view

Abstract

Seyyed Hossein Nasr is a prominent Muslim scholar with a background in both classical Islam and modern science. However, he views both through the lens of perennial philosophy which he sees as a unifying principle embracing all religions and providing a view of science distinct from the mainstream. Nasr‘s life experience conditions these views as shown in a discussion of his biography. Nasr‘s perennial philosophy is assessed and shown to present distinct problems for both religion and science. In particular Nasr is very dismissive of the theory of evolution. His objections to evolution on both scientific and theological cum metaphysical grounds are discussed along with an overview of current evolutionary theory and its history. Other significant objections to evolution from a religious viewpoint are also discussed. The views of other selected Muslim scholars are also mentioned to provide a broader background to the topic. Nasr sees no possibility of reconciliation between religious belief and evolution and is highly critical of attempts to do so. Attempts by others to achieve reconciliation are discussed and evaluated. The approach to resolving such conflicts recommended by Ibn Rushd in his Kitab fasl al-maqal (The Definitive Discourse on the Harmony of Religion and Philosophy) is used to show such reconciliation is possible. The phenomenon of convergent evolution implies that evolution is constrained by natural laws inevitably resulting in similar body structures and functions of organisms performing similar roles. This includes the diverse forms of intelligence possessed by many animals. Convergence together with a discussion of Fakr al-Din al-Razi and Mir Damad‘s concept of time in Islam provides a means to integrate evolution into an Islamic framework. Among Muslim scholars who do accept evolution most draw the line at accepting human evolution. An overview of the evidence for human evolution is presented and discussed in the context of the Islamic view of man and his nature and origins. A fitrah-based approach viewing man as a being with both a material and a spiritual nature provides a potential answer to this problem.