Episode 56 Addendum – Can a Genetic Test Exempt You?

Peace and God's mercy be upon you, dear viewers.

Introduction: An Attempt to Islamize Evolution

One writer sought to prove that Adam, peace be upon him, evolved from earlier beings, and that the Quran does not oppose this but rather points to it.

The Writer's Evidence for Evolution

Among the things he offered in support of this were words by Muhyi al-Din Ibn Arabi, one of the major Sufis who held the polytheistic doctrine of the unity of existence, and a Shiite report from Ja'far al-Sadiq. He repeats the claim of that fantasist Ibn Arabi that God created a hundred thousand Adams, and the Shiites' claim that God created a thousand thousand Adams. Fine—but tell us: are they a hundred thousand, a thousand thousand, or a thousand thousand thousand?

He then asserted that the claim that all people trace their lineage to one father, Adam, does not come from the Quran but from the corrupted Torah. He therefore saw no problem with what the theory of evolution says: that rational humans living today developed from predecessors and are not the descendants of one man.

Replying to the Denial of Humanity's Descent from Adam

Prophetic Hadiths

Then what do we do with the Prophet's saying, peace and blessings be upon him: "All of you descend from Adam"? Does that not indicate that all people are Adam's children?

This writer tells you that the Prophet's saying, peace and blessings be upon him, "All of you descend from Adam" does not establish the intended meaning, because none of the Chinese, the Native Americans, or the people of Malacca were among those addressed.

Then what, distinguished writer, do we do with the hadiths stating that people are Adam's children? Such as the authentic hadith: "People are the children of Adam, and God created Adam from dust."

And what do we do with the authentic hadith: "O people, your Lord is one and your father is one. No Arab has superiority over a non-Arab, nor a non-Arab over an Arab, nor a red person over a black person, nor a black person over a red person, except through piety. Indeed, the most noble of you before God is the most pious of you."

O people: in this hadith too, the Prophet mentions humanity by its peoples and colors—the Arabs and non-Arabs, the red and the black—and tells them all: "Your father is one; your father is one."

Quranic Verses

And what do we do with the verses that address people as "Children of Adam"? Your claim, distinguished writer, means that these verses are directed to one ethnic group, Adam's children, and not to the other peoples—the Chinese, the Native Americans, or even some Arabs.

• “O children of Adam, if there come to you messengers from among you relating to you My verses, then whoever fears Allah and reforms—there will be no fear concerning them, nor will they grieve.”
• “O children of Adam, let not Satan tempt you as he removed your parents from Paradise.”
• “O children of Adam, take your adornment at every mosque, and eat and drink, but be not excessive. Indeed, He likes not those who commit excess.”

Imagine: according to genetic tests, all these verses would apply only to one ethnicity, the children of Adam!

The Writer's Fallacies and Their Consequences

Then tell us, distinguished writer, how are we to escape the difficulty if one person has an Adamic gene and a gene from people who are not Adam’s descendants? Would that person then be obliged to observe only half of what these verses contain?

Can intellectual immaturity and disregard for the sanctity of the Quran reach this point—that someone says what the verses and authentic hadiths refute, on the basis of pseudoscientific theories, the words of Ibn Arabi, who held the doctrine of the unity of existence, and a Shiite report without a chain of transmission, despite what is known of their reports? Some Shiite versions of this alleged report say: "God created a thousand thousand worlds and a thousand thousand Adams"—meaning distributed among them.

Brothers, this writer, despite his obvious, profound ignorance—there are people who celebrated his words, even passing them on to him. How many are deceived!

He concludes his four articles on the subject with novelistic phrases: "On earth, quasi-humans begin gradually to reason by God's command, moving from Homo erectus to Homo sapiens, so that they may be companions to Adam and partners with him in cultivating the earth."

Conclusion and Warning

It seems that Islamizing the fable of evolution has become fertile ground for writers and novelists such as this one and others. I would not be surprised if, in the coming days, their novels flooded the markets, setting their imaginations loose and speaking about the Quran without knowledge, guidance, or an illuminating Book. God is our help.

Announcement of the Next Episode

In any case, our next episode of Journey of Certainty, next Saturday God willing, will address the verse cited by those who Islamize human evolution. As you can see, brothers, the matter is not only the origin of man; it is speaking recklessly about the Quran, an assault on its sanctity, and a distortion of its meanings. For what? Out of a sense of inferiority and the myths of false science. God is our help. So continue with us.

Peace and God's mercy be upon you.