With the Name of Allah, All-Merciful, Most Merciful
A FURTHER CLARIFICATION &
RETRACTION
Further to my detailed statement dated 15th February 2011 about evolution, I would like to state, after reflecting on the matter and listening to the advice of others:
1. I regret and retract some of my statements in the past about the theory of evolution, especially the inflammatory ones.
2. I do not believe that Adam, peace be upon him, had parents.
3. I seek Allah’s forgiveness for my mistakes and apologise to others for any offence caused.
4. This does not excuse the cowardly and fraudulent campaign spreading lies and slander against me over the last two months.
5. Neither does it excuse those who have continued their mediaevalist, hair-splitting theological and jurisprudential discussions whilst remaining silent about the clear incitement to murder uttered by some in their midst. “Slaughter the people, but worry about killing mosquitos.”
Usama Hasan
London, Friday 4th March 2011
UNITY 
March 4, 2011 at 12:24 pm |
Have courage Dr Hasan.
Please don’t capitulate to the regressive fuckwits.
March 4, 2011 at 1:11 pm |
May Allah reward you greatly and forgive us.
March 4, 2011 at 1:32 pm |
Dearest Brother, salaams
It has been shocking to see the response over the last few months. It has shown me an extremely nasty, aggressive and provocative side of some of my muslim brothers who so easily and candidly turn on one of their own.
This minority have no excuses, indeed they will be judged by the Almighty on their actions on the Last Day.
With respect, peace.
March 4, 2011 at 2:02 pm |
Allahu musta’aan!!
March 4, 2011 at 2:19 pm |
Dear Br. Usama,
Sorry to see how a “scientific” discussion was used to vilify you.
This Ummah is led by “anti-knowledge” group that shouts down
any attempt to put some “reason” into their heads. We don’t know to “argue” any issue. Just use threats to “eliminate” those who say something different from what they “blindly” believe as the “truth.”
May Allah have mercy on us. Ameen
March 4, 2011 at 4:08 pm |
BarakAllahu feekum, Usama.
March 4, 2011 at 4:55 pm |
alhamdulillah
March 4, 2011 at 5:09 pm |
Repentance is sought from ALLAH SWT alone, and it’s pretty faithful to retract those statements in public, as they were published in public too.
The issue is that you refer to brother Abuz-Zubair who didn’t incite anything, let alone Murder, but he Jazahu ALLAH Khairan quoted Sheikh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen Rahimahu ALLAH, and it was due the application of Hadd Ridda, this is the opinion of Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, and tens of classic scholars.
I hope that you mean by:
_________
1. I regret and retract some of my statements in the past about the theory of evolution, especially the inflammatory ones.
_________
That you had retracted the whole thing about evolution, not just some of your statements, because evolution as a whole is Kufr, we know Adam PBUH was the 1st human, who was made from clay, and that ALLAH SWT created us in the best image, so when did this evolution started and when it has ended!?
Another point I’d like to mention, is that I hope you won’t be affected by others if they didn’t listen to you again, if you’re sincere in your Da’wah, and in the retraction of the whole evolution thing, keep it for ALLAH’s sake, and for nothing else, don’t turn back another time out of anger or frustration.
Sometimes, Philosophy brings disasters upon our heads, yet we refuse but to investigate it more and more, since these issues won’t increase/decrease our faith, why would we keep asking things the Sahaba r.A have never dared to ask about, such as the number of animals on Noah’s (Nuh) ship, the height of it and whatnot, even if we find its description from Ibn ‘Abbas r.A, or from Ibn Kathir, what would this benefit us?
Imam Al-Ghazali r.A faced the same temptations, and he was saved by the mercy of ALLAH SWT, who sparked the light of Iman into his heart to come back from his astray, so brother stay away from these useless stuff, take what’s in the Quran and Sunnah for granted, and start working to spread the right creed of Islam, and Walaa & Baraa, especially in our times, and in the west.
Let go of the Quilliam Munafiqeen, and embrace your real brothers, who share their pain with the rest of the Muslims around the world, as the Prophet PBUH stated, who doesn’t care about the issues of the Muslims, then he isn’t from them.
Peace be upon those who follow the guidance.
March 4, 2011 at 6:22 pm |
Dr Usama sahib
Thanks for this.
Are you saying that you do not believe in the theory of evolution anymore, and that you believe as the mainstream Muslims have believed for 1400 years that Adam PBUH was created as is mentioned in the Qur’an and Sunnah in the literal sense i.e. from dust etc
OR
Just that you believe that Adam PBUH had no parents?
Please clarify
Thank You
Abu Safwaan
March 4, 2011 at 6:30 pm |
Salam
When are you going to apologies for standing with the Quilliam Foundation, giving well wishing messages to those who are brutally occupying Afghanistan and your recent tv appearance against Muslim schools.
March 4, 2011 at 6:31 pm |
What do you say, Dr Usama, about the opinions of the scholars you had quoted to support Darwin’s theory?
March 4, 2011 at 7:19 pm |
Alhamdulillah, but why is your father reading out a statement of yours at the mosque after jumma salah. Surely yourself should tell us from your own mouth that what you believed then was false and you have come back to the truth. This would hold weight no doubt. Wasalaam
March 4, 2011 at 7:57 pm |
Please Dr Usamah can you denounce EVOLUTION please and make a video denouncing the whole theory so it can be more clear.
May Allah guide us all to sincerity.
And please can you state that evolution is Kufr
Thank You
March 4, 2011 at 8:00 pm |
Asalamu alaykum warahmatullah ya Dr usama hasan, May Allah reward you for the step you have taken, but it would be a huge beneficial if you make a video retracting the TOTALITY of the evolution and please also confirm that evoulution has nothing to do with islam as this will be very clear becuase you have said you have retracted SOME of evolution so inshallah please to that for the benefit of all, may Allah make it easy for you to do that. jazakalllah khair
may guide Allah us and you
Wasalamu alaykum warahmatullah
March 4, 2011 at 8:02 pm |
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retraction#Retraction_for_political_reasons
March 13, 2011 at 5:37 pm |
Interesting…
March 4, 2011 at 8:09 pm |
“This does not excuse the cowardly and fraudulent campaign spreading lies and slander…”
Does it excuse (and even legitimize perhaps) the accurate and academically sound corrections that have spread to keep the Muslims from falling into your (former) mistakes?
And what do you say of those who demonize the balanced and concerned critics of stances that you now distance yourself from?
March 4, 2011 at 9:51 pm |
Mashallah thats good news, may Allah accept it from you.
Will you also retract your views on hijab as well?
March 5, 2011 at 1:38 am |
You said that Adam (as) had parents that were nearly human, do you reject this position?
You said that you didnt think creation was beamed down and was a gradual evolution like the universes evolution.
Are you changing your position because your position has been threatened?
Have you been pressured by your father who has invested alot into the ahl hadith project?
What is your position on evolution now?
March 5, 2011 at 1:45 am |
mashallah…bro! well done
March 5, 2011 at 7:58 am |
brother, may Allah reward, can you be clear about what “some” mean. would be nice to state them clearly.
Thank you.
March 5, 2011 at 6:40 pm |
This retraction is very ambiguous and really doesn’t clarify much. Also, your views on evolution are not the only issues in need of a clarification/retraction. Let’s not forget your coments about hijab that can be found on the internet and also your call to secularism.
How about you take a stab at a proper retraction with specifics?
Disclaimer: I am in no way calling for people to stab you nor so I want to stab you. 🙂
And on that note, you need to stop being so bleeding melodramatic. “Clear incitement to murder” – Oh please! No one has called for your death or even threatened to kill you. Please stop trying to portray yourself as a victim. It is getting really pathetic now!
Umm Abdillah
March 5, 2011 at 8:22 pm |
You are at least a brave man who reflects back upon things which were said and stated. Keep it up and don’t bother too much about critics. Instead of engaging with them on regular basis, you should focus on your thoughts and manhaj and seek Allah’s help.
March 6, 2011 at 12:05 am |
[…] he posted a notice on his blog retracting a number of the statements he made about the matter of the “parentage” of […]
March 6, 2011 at 6:00 am |
Salaams Dr,
Jezakallahu khayr for this blog and your efforts. Inshallah is it possible to make a clear statment on whether you possess the mainstream islamic opinion on the khimaar i.e. a khimaar is something like the following:
http://www.thehijabshop.com/press/index.php
My salaams
Your brother!
March 6, 2011 at 7:34 am |
alhamdulillah, may Allah guide all of us! Ameen.
March 6, 2011 at 8:42 pm |
Tell the medieval cretins to get fucked.
April 24, 2011 at 12:55 am |
Sorry, no filthy dimwits are welcome here…
March 19, 2020 at 3:34 am |
control your dirty language
March 7, 2011 at 7:18 am |
>> I do not believe that Adam, peace be upon him, had parents.
Does you mean “parents” in the real sense of the word or “parents” as in entities that produce an off-spring?
Was the politicising of the whole issue a pre-meditated move?
March 7, 2011 at 11:46 am |
[…] he did issue a statement apologising for some of his “inflammatory” statements about evolution and retracted […]
March 7, 2011 at 5:09 pm |
Nobody should be in fear of expressing their opinion, especially when what you say is based on facts and regards the most strongly corroborated scientific theory in human history.
March 11, 2011 at 7:33 pm |
If that is the most strongly corroborated scientific theory…. then the worlds got much bigger problems than I thought. Abiogenisis – Life appearing from lifeless matter is factual and corroborated??!!!…. and you want to say Islam is based on fairytales…. That’s a Joke. So please confirm if this is your “belief” – Life started from a primordial soup which was a mixture of various lifeless chemical substances – this somehow (corroborated?) turn into a complex living one celled creature (with the complexity of dna etc) which was able to also reproduce(?) – this then went on sporn off into various other sub-spices (with very complex features – like eyes, with lenses and the ability to proces light photons etc) over a period of millions of years….due to single random mutations – which eventually led to the formation of Humans from Ape like creatures.
And you say all of this is corroborated and factual?
March 7, 2011 at 5:52 pm |
Putting aside the creation of Adam, peace be upon him, do you still believe man evolved from ape? The death threats made against you were few and were said by brothers in the heat of the moment, not that I am excusing their behaviour in this regard. But let us be frank, if it wasn’t for the outrage and firm stance of those people against you, would you have been suspended from leading prayer at the masjid or retracted ‘some of’ your statements about evolution.
March 7, 2011 at 7:32 pm |
Salam Usman
I am so, so sorry that you have been subject to death threats. This is totally and utterly wrong. Whatever the rights and wrongs of the debate on Islam and evolution, serious scholars such as yourself should be treated as such without any threats to your physical well-being
regards
Paul Williams
March 7, 2011 at 7:39 pm |
Hello Usama,
I met you a few years ago whilst I was working for bmsd, and you at the city circle. I think you are a brave man and I like a lot of others support you, your work, you have nothing to apologise for.
Shameful that the people who shout the loudest/ express disgusting intolerant and violent views are people who call themselves muslims, they really defile their religion. One day reason will prevail.
March 7, 2011 at 10:07 pm |
Salam Alaikum brother
I’m a student of science and thought you made some very good points in the khutba – it certainly made me think about the position of evolution in Islam and made me think that perhaps the theory evolution is not quite at odds with Islam. I’m saddened to think that the Muslim community reacted in such a way but I think it is mainly because they need to study science instead of reacting against something which they most likely don’t even understand. I watched the video of your talk on youtube and frankly, I’m very disappointed by the audience. Islam and science are definitely not at odds. Maybe they need to look up evolution.
Khair, I posted this to your blog to lend you some kind of support in the midst of all the chaos caused in the aftermath of your talk.
Did the prophet s.a.w not tell us to not judge evidence disproportionately. This is exactly what some members of our ummah are doing.
March 7, 2011 at 10:17 pm |
I am an atheist and I say, Do not back down on your quest for knowledge because of the fear your religion instills on you, continue doing research with an open mind. Read the qu’ran cover to cover and research and analyze it critically.
Knowledge and doubt can never be bad, look at the extreme reaction of fear and anger at the tiniest bit of knowledge. Please continue your quest for knowledge.
You may also be reminded that evolution is a theory (not in the sense that the common person uses) just as gravity is a theory. A scientific theory is a model that explains how a certain system works, it is not a guess, and it has made predictions that have been verified in the fossil record and in DNA.
Please continue
Sincerely,
AR
March 11, 2011 at 7:36 pm |
If that is the most strongly corroborated scientific theory…. then the worlds got much bigger problems than I thought. Abiogenisis – Life appearing from lifeless matter is factual and corroborated??!!!…. and you want to say Islam is based on fairytales…. That’s a Joke. So please confirm if this is your “belief” – Life started from a primordial soup which was a mixture of various lifeless chemical substances – this somehow (corroborated?) turn into a complex living one celled creature (with the complexity of dna etc) which was able to also reproduce(?) – this then went on sporn off into various other sub-spices (with very complex features – like eyes, with lenses and the ability to proces light photons etc) over a period of millions of years….due to single random mutations – which eventually led to the formation of Humans from Ape like creatures.
And you say all of this is corroborated and factual?
March 11, 2011 at 7:49 pm
You need to learn the difference between evolution and abiogenesis. Evolution is the mist strongly corroborated scientific theory, not abiogenesis.
Perhaps you should read “The greatest show on Earth” or “Why evolution is true” rather than websites such as as “Answers in genesis” and Harun Yahya’s website. At least appear to know what the subject matter consists of before saying it is rubbish.
March 8, 2011 at 2:24 am |
While I’n pleased to hear you’ve retracted those comments.
I was just wondering, what made you make those comments in the first place?
Do you believe in all the theories of evolution as taught by the likes of Dawkins today? Do you accept abiogensis? Do you accept common ancestry?
PS. I must agree with point 5 in your post, too many of these people were talking rubbish and inciting towards trouble.
March 8, 2011 at 10:27 pm |
Best wishes in difficult times.
March 8, 2011 at 10:56 pm |
No parents? Did Adam have a navel or not, then?
March 8, 2011 at 11:53 pm |
[…] that – in the light of the above – Dr Hasan has issued a clarification and then a retraction of his views on […]
March 9, 2011 at 10:20 am |
It is as plan as day to see that you have succumbed to the hegemony of some narrow-minded muslims… You seem like a person who stands up for your beliefs, so I’m guessing you are doing the retraction to save your family.
…I’m sad you had to lie to save your family.
Come on!!!
Retract the retraction!!!
Of course we’re descendants of apes… of course Adam and Eve were descendants of apes… To say otherwise is to live in a faery-tale where nothing makes sense.
Don’t let the bullies win!
March 11, 2011 at 7:24 pm |
To all those who are saying Evolution is true and the concept of Allah creating Life is a fairytale…. then you yourselves are believing in fairy tales when you believe in what’s called Abiogenisis – even if you label it scientific. Because in reality it’s is not, it’s not proved to observation or tests.
Same goes for the cosmos coming from Nothing. Because if you boil down all the scientific theories at the core you’re left with nothing that can be considered science. At best it’s conjecture…. but since you like label things as fairytales….you might as well label Existance of the universe from nothing a fairytale. And life self replicating and appearing from lifeless matter fairytales.
March 11, 2011 at 7:46 pm
I wonder, do you even realise the abiogenesis is nothing to do with evolution? If you do, then why even mention it? Evolution disproves Islam simply because the Quran says we all (humans) descend from a single person and his wife (Adam & Eve)
March 9, 2011 at 10:29 am |
Can we see some evidence of these alleged death threats especially leaflets claiming to call for your execution as is stated by the London Evening Standard?
March 9, 2011 at 4:03 pm |
[…] contacted Usama at the weekend to find out from himself directly whether he really believes in his ‘retraction’ statement that Adam had no parents. He had previously ridiculed the notion that Adam had been […]
March 10, 2011 at 12:43 pm |
Bravo.
Now, can you let go of the anger?
Salam
Jawad
March 11, 2011 at 2:31 pm |
Dear mister Hasan,
I feel very sad you had to come with this statement.
It seems to me that this is not the way to deal with threats of fundamentalists.
Galileo said: The Bible teaches how to go to Heaven, NOT how the heavens go…
The inquisition made him shut up.
I’m not a moslim, but I respect Islam.
You’re a wise man.
Please DON’T SHUT UP mister Hassan!
Don’t let fear come in your way.
Maybe this website can inspire people:
http://charterforcompassion.org
Respect!
Don’t hate!
I wish you all the best.
Jur Kuipers, The Netherlands
(sorry for my poor English)
March 11, 2011 at 2:39 pm |
If you are reading this then my message to you is simple. Look at the evidence! Read a book by a pro-evolutionist and see what evidence they present you with.
I would like to recommend “The greatest show on Earth” – don’t bury your head in the sand and expect someone to pat you on the back and say “well done”.
The truth not only withstands scrutiny, it outright insists upon it in order to be discovered.
March 11, 2011 at 10:04 pm |
So now, Abiogenesis is different to Evolution? So where did the ape, that came from fish that came from the insect that came from the multi-celled life form or from the plant come from? Yes according to evolution it came from the single cell – Which came from? The primordial soup – that is abiogenesis! At least if you want to believe in this falsehood and fairytale of Evolution from abiogenesis you should know the theory from beginning to end. And the 2nd matter is, I havn’t read Harun Yahya or any creationist website…. I don’t need to read those websites to find arguments to defeat this silly notion of abiogenesis along with random mutations to form multiple life forms. The theory itself has gaping holes if only you truly were rational – you wouldn’t say lifeless matter can turn into a living cell – which knows it needs to live and reproduce!
March 12, 2011 at 12:08 am
No, not “now”, it has always been different.
Abiogenesis is how self-replication started in the first place. The theory of evolution of species through natural selection only concerns itself with the details AFTER life has began. It explains how beneficial mutations propagate through natural selection, i.e. the death of those least suitably adapted to survive and reproduce.
Do yourself a favour, read a book on the subject because quite frankly your argument is showing your ignorance on the subject. Next you’ll be talking about “something coming out of nothing”. Oh hang on a minute, you already have.
Educate yourself, please.
March 11, 2011 at 10:03 pm |
So now, Abiogenesis is different to Evolution? So where did the ape, that came from fish that came from the insect that came from the multi-celled life form or from the plant come from? Yes according to evolution it came from the single cell – Which came from? The primordial soup – that is abiogenesis! At least if you want to believe in this falsehood and fairytale of Evolution from abiogenesis you should know the theory from beginning to end. And the 2nd matter is, I havn’t read Harun Yahya or any creationist website…. I don’t need to read those websites to find arguments to defeat this silly notion of abiogenesis along with random mutations to form multiple life forms. The theory itself has gaping holes if only you truly were rational – you wouldn’t say lifeless matter can turn into a living cell – which knows it needs to live and reproduce!
March 11, 2011 at 10:24 pm |
Even for arguments sake, Lifeless matter can turn itself into a living cell which reproduces and has metabolism – and has the form of dna in it’s structure… Even then, Evolution will not explain why a living cell does that. Evolution is not scientific in it’s entirety – some concepts within evolutionary theory are 100% factual and observed. But most of it and especially the CORE ELEMENTS – like abiogenesis and the explanation of single random mutations being able to sprout several (completely different and complex) species and common ancestry, then this is not proved at all. The majority of people who accept evolution as totally scientific are hoodwinked by using certain criteria to class it as scientific – if we look at the facts and especially at the Foundation from where evolution starts – then the theory fall apart and has no explanation or at least nothing that can be described as “scientific” in the true sense of the word. If you label one thing as a fairy tale at least label the what you believe to be fairytale too.
Dawkins believe if you go back far enough the Humans came from a single cell which appeared from Primordial Soup (even if you say comets brought life, all you’re doing is moving the location to somewhere else – which according to your understandings of life is even less likely to have occurred in the early solar system). Now, this belief of dawkins is not proven at all – in fact it goes against a lot of what “science” has to say about things like life (living cells) spontaneously occurring from lifeless matter.
Likewise, Hawkins in cosmology says when you go back as far as you can, the big bang appeared from Nothing. Now this may be true or it may be false. The point is, it’s not scientific. In fact if you were looking at it with scientific principles you’d say Everything – all matter, galaxies, gasses, quarks, everything we see (or even just a single atom) can not appear from nothing. What happened to cause and effect? When you see Low Entropy to begin with what does it say about the system? When there appears to be design and when everything in the universe is originated (i.e. not eternal) – then which is more likely – Allah who created everything or Nothing creating this existence itself with all it’s complexity, laws, order and low entropy?
March 12, 2011 at 12:10 am |
Cosmology does not say that the universe came from nothing, it says that it expanded from an unimaginably massive amount of matter compressed into an unimaginably small space. It seems that you don’t know anything about that subject either.
March 12, 2011 at 9:55 am |
Go read up what Hawkins says. The singularity according to some of the scientists was a place with No (Zero) Mass and No (Zero) Time. So maybe you need to learn what the “scientific community” are saying. Go read Hawkins wikipedia page.
My point is this, I don’t know if big bang is true as it is described by these people. It may be true and it be false. I’m sure some things described are not correct due to the lack of understanding. The main issue is calling it science when in reality it’s a belief. And if you call religion a fairytale then you must also accept a lot of what scientists say, also amount to fairytale.
Another matter is that, just because life come about from lifeless matter or the universe comes from nothing – then that in of itself is not against the general teachings of Islam. Where the main difference lies is how people understand the cause of this happening. God can create the universe out of nothing, whereas Scientists may say it created itself. One argument is more logical than the other. Because Nothing does not exist, so can it be the cause that created itself?
Likewise Allah can create life from lifeless matter or have created a process where this can occur. Although the understanding of this need to be in conformity to Islamic teachings. The main issue is none of this is proven yet is declared scientific, when in reality it’s just like a religion where people put faith in scientific theories (which in years to come are proven wrong).
The other point is, the theories that are put forward are just that – they are not facts which are confirmed true.
March 12, 2011 at 10:13 am
1: His name is “Hawking” not “Hawkins”
2: Zero matter is not the same as “nothing” – I merely explained it as compressed matter in order to have to avoid describing it as energy which formed matter.
3: What you call “nothing” is not the same as what a cosmologist calls “nothing”, watch “A universe from nothing” by Laurence Krauss.
4: I have said before, the scientific theory of evolution begins AFTER life has began. The simple fact is, you and I both share a common ancestor with apes – we were not a separate creation (Adam & Eve.)
and finally
5: A “scientific theory” is not the same as what you might call a theory (guess). A scientific theory is based on facts. It must explain all the facts and be contradicted by not a single one. Not only that but to be considered worthwhile they must make predictions. As more and more evidence is gathered the theory becomes falsified or corroborated.
Evolution is the most strongly corroborated scientific theory in the history of mankind. Micro biology, palaeontology, DNA, geology, all areas of science which have made discoveries which could have shown evolution to be false but have in fact made it more strongly corroborated.
So, for the very last time. Read a pro-evolution book and at least familiarise yourself with the claimants’ case – you are rejecting something it seems you know nothing about.
Read
The Greatest Show On Earth
Why Evolution Is True
March 12, 2011 at 10:36 am
***MODERATOR PLEASE NOTE***
Please delete my comments from this subject. Including this one there should be 3 in total.
Thanks!
March 12, 2011 at 10:05 am |
With regards to your other comment of Evolution not concerned about life coming about, then can you accept that without understanding the cause or understanding how life came about – then it is far more difficult to understand the nature of species we have. Why do species reproduce why is that “in built” in them?
I don’t agree that they are separate matters in the sense, evolution of life has to start at a point. The current theory of how this begins (abiogenesis) is not proven – Fairytale according to atheists.
Also, YOUR definition of Evolution is not really what is observed in reality. Beneficial mutations are very rare. RANDOM mutations is the wording you should use. It also, does not explain how differant speices appear from a millions of mutations, nor the complexity of certain eco-systems and complex organs. 1 random mutation at a time would not be able to describe how an eye (with a lens and other constituent parts) or a lung form. Anything like that would require several random mutations, which make the system unlikely.
Again the point I have, is not really if this happens (although I don’t believe it’s true) – the point is, this process of new species appearing from random mutations is not proven at all – yet it becomes a fact for some people. Just like a religious belief, or fairytale as others have said.
March 12, 2011 at 10:21 am |
The point you keep avoid is that we have absolutely conclusive proof that humans and apes evolved from common ancestors.
RE: Random mutations. When you look at the number of entities in existence at one time, how many offspring they produce during their, how many die, and how many millions of years there are you will find that beneficial mutations are not as rare as you think. Google “Nylonase” for a recent example, there is also the “Lenski e-coli” experiment which not only shows the evolution of a new ability, but also shows what is known as an “irreducibly complex” mutation. In addition to this, the samples were frozen each day, so the evolution was not only observed but has also been reproduced.
RE: New species. Google “Observed instances of speciation” – the Ensatina Salamanders are an interesting example.
March 12, 2011 at 11:02 pm
Your conclusive proof? Where are all the intermediaries? Where are the remains (which should be available if it took millions of years to happen) of those ape like creatures with stubs for arms? or the ape with no thumb? or where the mud-skipper suddenly gets on all fours and eventually 4 legs? in between these species there should be many remains of intermediary species, which are in betweens….this is because the process took millions of years allegedly. So where are these missing links? when we look at the fossil records at dating back to certain periods like the “Cambrian” (i think that’s how it’s spelt) period there are explosions in different species that can’t be explained by the current model of random mutations.
So no, I don’t think Humans coming from Apes is factual. In fact recent discoveries with DNA and the double helix structure – would suggest evolution is less likely.
RE: Ensatina Salamanders – then briefly reading the concept of ring species – then there may be truth in it but again it doesn’t make evolution true. There is a lot of mixing of concepts which are 100% true, observed and factual with concepts which are not in the whole evolutionary theory. Things like adapting to environments are known to occur.
Like I’ve said before even if a muslim were to accept some (limited) evolutionary understanding of life, it would not necessitate deviancy in the religion. It would if the muslim believed that Adam was descendent of Apes (and ultimately an amoeba from primordial soup).
Certain quranic verses on the face of it may support such thinking like “Allah has created every [living] creature from water. And of them are those that move on their bellies, and of them are those that walk on two legs, and of them are those that walk on four. Allah creates what He wills. Indeed, Allah is over all things competent.” [24:45]
al though to say this supports Evolution as some people understand it (Dawkins) would be wrong.
Allah also can create from Nothing. So even what limited understanding they have of the big bang (which is just conjecture) – even if someone assumes this process could be true, it doesn’t neccessitate it’s unislamic in itself. The biggest danger is when people say Nothing can create
March 12, 2011 at 11:24 pm
Ahmed said:
“So no, I don’t think Humans coming from Apes is factual. In fact recent discoveries with DNA and the double helix structure – would suggest evolution is less likely.”
Really? Would you like to explain? Are these more recent discoveries than those of endogenous retroviruses within DNA, which confirm the relationship of man with other apes?
March 12, 2011 at 10:38 pm |
Hawking writes, “The question is: is the way the universe began chosen by God for reasons we can’t understand, or was it determined by a law of science? I believe the second.” He adds, “Because there is a law such as gravity, the Universe can and will create itself from nothing.”[from wikipedia page on HAWKING]
March 12, 2011 at 2:17 pm |
Your article is both an inspiration and a comfort. It is a comfort to hear views, by no means original in the context of the history of Islamic thought, but a welcome change from the hardened minds of the majority of today’s Muslim community in the UK. Also inspiring, as your view awakes the possibility that there may be others out there who I, as British liberal Muslim woman, might be able to truly relate to, as this is not the case with mainstream Muslim communities.
It is devastating to see Usama Hasan’s courageous and (arguably) harmless opinion met by such monstrous rage from our so-called Muslim ‘community’. We have become a cliché; dispensing fatwas, declaring jihad, burning books and deeming anything which does not fit into our suffocatingly narrow box as haram. It is sad that our history, so rich in religious debate, within different factions of Islam as well as an ‘interfaith’ context, has come to this. Even our infallible laws (shari’a) began had as a series of controversial opinions , defiantly expressed by learned jurists (Imam Hanifa, Imam Shafi’I, Imam Hanbal, Imam Maliki etc.), which even led to their persecution by the rulers of the day. Although they always made it clear that their opinions were just that- opinions- these became distinct schools of thought, and hardened with time, have become unquestionable.
The Qurán is infallible and inimitable, unlike our limited human minds, and so it is capable of withstanding interpretations that develop with different ages. It is constant, but we are changing, and in order to keep the message alive, it needs to be allowed to breath and grow. I do not underestimate the beauty and the power of the word of God, and I although I would not ask anyone to agree or follow Usama Hasan’s expressed opinions, I would ask all to tolerate and respect it for what it is; an opinion.
March 12, 2011 at 3:39 pm |
Please accept this edited version of my original comment.
Dear Usama,
I wanted to say I found your view both inspiring and a comfort. It is a comfort to hear views, by no means original in the context of the history of Islamic thought, but a welcome change from the hardened minds of the majority of today’s Muslim ‘thinkers’. Also inspiring, as Usama Hasan’s view awakes the possibility that there may be other practising Muslims who I, as a young liberal British Muslim woman, might be able to truly relate to, as this is not the case with mainstream Muslim communities in the UK.
It is devastating to see your (arguably) harmless opinion met with such monstrous rage from our so-called Muslim ‘community’. We have become a living cliché; dispensing fatwas, declaring jihad, burning books and deeming anything which does not fit into our suffocatingly narrow box as haram. It is sad that our history, so rich in religious debate, within different factions of Islam as well as an ‘interfaith’ context, has come to this. Even our infallible laws (shari’a) began had as a series of controversial observations, defiantly expressed by learned jurists (Imam Hanifa, Imam Shafi’I, Imam Hanbal, Imam Maliki and others).
I understand that these courageous jurists were persecuted, by the rulers of their day, and although they always made it clear that their opinions were just that- opinions- these eventually became distinct schools of thought. Hardened with time, and with the end of the principle of Independent Reasoning (ijtihad), these human understandings have become infallible. Only the Qurán is infallible and inimitable, unlike our limited human minds. So the Qurán is easily capable of sustaining interpretations as diverse as the Muslim world of today.
We are continually changing, and in order to keep the message alive, surely it needs to be allowed to breath and grow with us. I do not underestimate the beauty and the power of the word of God, and although I would not ask anyone to agree or follow Usama Hasan’s expressed opinions, I would ask all to show respect and tolerance towards his views. How do we expect to be understood and respected, as Muslims, when we cannot dispense the same courtesy to our own people?
My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.
April 3, 2011 at 12:25 am |
Peace be upon you.
I would just like to say I concur with your thoughts, feelings, views and concerns completely.
I belong to a community which is forward and progressive yet fully subjected and guided by the Qur’an and Sunnah. In fact it was the forward and progressive life-long trait of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him) that turned a people that were deaf, dumb and blind a people that went on to contribute immensely to religious, social and scientific thought.
I pray that just as was the need at the birth of Islam, today again people reflect on the arguments presented to them with hikmah and cease to follow blindly on the path of their fore-fathers and exercises the law of the land as well as tolerance and the right to freedom of thought and expression.
March 14, 2011 at 2:29 pm |
[…] <https://unity1.wordpress.com/2011/03/04/a-further-clarification-and-retraction/> […]
March 22, 2011 at 5:21 pm |
This is odd, I discovered this issue today but I am shocked by the reaction to this guy’s statement. Although I do not agree with him, I see no reason for any of us to judge him or to give threats.
Muslims must come to terms with the reality and respect opinions and ignore offensive ones. If we continue to overreact for just about everything we will not develop, we will just go down. Let us stop insanity by starting to ignore things we don’t like.
March 23, 2011 at 4:13 am |
Keeping it short and sweet and civilized. You are a puppet that was used by the west to denounce the truth in the holy scripture. Islam encourages you to read the Holy Quran, you went away and read so much other worldly trash to question what is written in the Quran. I really suggest you to go for an Umrah, purify your soul and come back on the righteous path. PS: Prophet Adam (PBUH) has NO parent – re-read the Quran brother.
March 23, 2011 at 5:04 pm |
It is sad that you had to retract your statements. I agree with your initial statements and I don’t think they contradict the Quran, rather I think it is what the Quran implies. Keep up the good work, the Muslim world needs more people like you. May Allah protect you.
April 3, 2011 at 12:02 am |
Dear Dr Usama Hasan, Assalamu Alaikum wa Rahmtaulla.
Firstly, I would like to extend my support to you over the trying and alarming difficulties that have unjustly been imposed upon you. As a scientist as well as an Islamic scholar, you have been led to the conclusion that evolution is compatible, nay propounded by the Qur’an. The fall from grace to apostate, in the eyes of the blood-thirsty narrow-minded self-acclaimed custodians of Islam, is not doubt a cause for great concern for you.
Unfortunately, until the great Muslim thinkers and scientist can rise above the hold of the deaf, dumb and blind Muslim school of thought that prevails in the current day and age, the Muslim world will continue to experience it’s ongoing dark-ages.
I would very much like to further exchange with you on the concept of Islam and evolution. There is an undeniable declaration in the Qur’an that describes all the stages of how the earliest life-form evolved (this is not the time or space to expound). Further, Adam who represents the first Man (as we know it), does not necessarily represent Prophet Adam (peace be on him), the first prophet. Remember, a prophet is appointed from amongst the people and for the reformation of the people. If there were no people prior to Prophet Adam (peace be on him), then who was he a prophet unto?
I implore the few Muslims scholars that think outside the ‘block’, to fear the Creator rather then the created.
May Allah be with you and all those that speak the truth, strive to understand the secrets of the Qur’an and follow the sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him).
Wassalam,
A concerned fellow Muslim
April 9, 2011 at 4:38 pm |
In light of your current retractions, and ‘clarifications’ Is it still your position that you would expect others to agree with your views on the remainder aspects of evolution. the inescapable incompleteness of your retraction aside, should we expect further such retractions, in due course, until you get your position within the mosque board back. and all the while, how many people would be misled by your position, and your clearly insatiable desire to spread what are your own opinions on selective aspects of evolution among a population that has deeply held views and Islamic positions.
incidentally how convenient that you dismiss one aspect of the Islamic tenet, creation, and take advantage of another, the ability to retract and seek forgiveness. selectiveness indeed sir.
April 9, 2011 at 4:39 pm |
by the way, the idiots who can’t debate and yet choose to make such death threats should be ashamed of themselves, and nor, that does not excuse your own actions either.
April 11, 2011 at 10:42 am |
Dear Usama Hasan, Aslamo Aleikum
You are right in your statement that first Prophet Adam( peace be upon him) had parents . You no need to regret and retract of your statement. You should need only to present a difference between both Adams that are described in Quran and Bible.
In Quran there is description of two kinds of Adam. One Adam who is the first person of our present generation and he was also first prophet of Allah who was given first principles of living together and from him had started the civilisation of our present generation and he was about 6000 years before . There is ever 7000 years circle of evolution of a generations and when a generation comes to an end after 7000 years and then after a while starts a new one .As it is described in Quran and in Bible that Allah had made it in seven days and Allah’s one day is 1000 year.
The second name of Adam is given to the person or first life that starts on earth million years before and that was without father. You can contact if you need references from Quran . Have a good luck
With kind regard and Dua
Faiqua
April 20, 2011 at 12:04 pm |
Quran 3:7 (The Book He has sent down bears an important Principle.) He it is Who has revealed to you (O Prophet) the Scripture. In it some verses are Literal, while some verses are Allegorical. The verses that pertain to Permanent Values have been presented literally. These verses, MUHKAMAT, are the Essence of the Divine Law. On the other hand, abstract phenomena, historical events, and the World of the Unseen are described in similes, metaphors and allegories for your understanding (MUTASHABIHAT). But those who are given to crookedness in their hearts pursue the allegories and try to give them literal meanings, thus creating dissension. None knows their final meaning (of such as the Essence of God, His Throne, His Book of Decree, the Eternity) but Allah. Those who are well founded in knowledge understand why the allegories have been used and they keep drawing lessons from them (74:31). They proclaim the belief that the entire Book is from their Lord. As the human knowledge evolves, many of the other allegories will unfold their literal meaning (41:53). But only the men and women of understanding will bear this fact in mind. (Each of the verses in the Qur’an is MUHKAM, Absolute Truth and you can understand which ones are to be taken literally and which ones are to be taken allegorically, by the context (11:1), (47:20). And each verse in the Book complements the other (39:23)).
April 20, 2011 at 12:05 pm |
”literal” translation of metaphors and allegories in the Qur’an 1 thousand years ago in Persia is going against the science of today but i dont know y clergies can never stand up for reason?
April 21, 2011 at 8:43 am |
[…] safety but worryingly for us, decided to retract some of his statements. In particular, he has retracted the statement that started the mini-riot at Leyton mosque in February, namely that Adam had human-like […]
April 24, 2011 at 1:06 am |
O mankind! Be dutiful to your Lord, Who created you from a single person (Adam), and from him (Adam) He created his wife [Hawwa (Eve)], and from them both He created many men and women and fear Allah through Whom you demand your mutual (rights), and (do not cut the relations of) the wombs (kinship). Surely, Allâh is Ever an All Watcher over you. [Quran, An-Nisa’:1]
April 24, 2011 at 1:08 am |
“O you who believe! Keep your duty to Allah and fear Him, and speak (always) the truth.”
“He will direct you to do righteous good deeds and will forgive you your sins. And whosoever obeys Allah and His Messenger (SAW) he has indeed achieved a great achievement.” [Quran, Al-Ahzaab:70-71]
April 24, 2011 at 1:32 am |
Whoever Allah guides, no one can misguide. And whomever Allah misguides, no one can guide.
May 15, 2011 at 12:34 pm |
You should have stuck to the following line
“Whether or not I think evolution is true is irrelevant. The purpose of this talk is to ask: IF evolution is true does that make the Quran wrong?”
May 16, 2011 at 9:20 am |
The Qur’an can never be wrong but human beings can. The problem is with us, the understanding of the Quran in 9th and the 10th century was done according to the knowlegde of that time but to our dismay we stopped understanding Qur’an 1000 years ago and it resulted in certain aspects of the Qur’an, how we understand started conflicting with Science. One more reason why sometimes science and Qur’an dont match because of direct translation and literal understanding of the verses of the Qur’an which are allegorical or are actually metaphors. In Quran chapter 3 verse 7 is written that Qur’an is based on 2 principles, some verses are literal and some verses are allegorical but we have taken the literal meaning of the allegorical verses.
May 16, 2011 at 9:44 am
>The Qur’an can never be wrong but human beings can
The basis of your argument is that you believe it is from god. However you are a human and can be wrong. You could be wrong that it is from god. Therefore the Quran can be wrong if you (a human) are wrong about its origin.
The Quran is just as factually wrong as other old religions are. People just disable their objective reasoning for the religion they choose to believe in – that’s why so many people believe the “wrong” religion with just as much conviction as you believe yours.
>because of direct translation and literal understanding of the verses of the Qur’an which are allegorical or are actually metaphors.
Quite a monumental failure for the creator of the universe – perhaps it should have made it literal and then the understanding would not have been lost.
>In Quran chapter 3 verse 7 is written that Qur’an is based on 2 principles, some verses are literal and some verses are allegorical
A simple human tactic. If something doesn’t make sense, say it is allegorical.
February 22, 2012 at 4:05 pm |
I find it strange that people who believe in an all-powerful deity would also think this very same deity needs to resort to cheap magic tricks to create life.
As anyone who has ever studied the evolution of life on Earth will know the truth is far more majestic than anything that has ever been dreamed up by ancient unscientific men.
February 22, 2012 at 5:34 pm |
Evolution, more speficic speciation, is a fact. It has been observed. Just like you fall down when jumping from a bridge. Religious people who deny this are just silly.
February 24, 2012 at 9:37 am |
I wish you strength and braveness Usama Hasan. Islamic philosophers in the Islamic Golden Age (from the 8th to the 13th centuries), like Ibn Khaldun, have explored ideas about natural history and in some cases anticipated on an evolutionairy like devolment of live. Muslims today should remember that. Instead of hanging on to religious dogma’s they should look at the (overwelming!) evidence for evolution.
March 2, 2012 at 5:49 am |
If a candle is lit, it doesn’t matter if it starts a fire, even if it makes one person warmer, lights a single pathway, it’s enough.
Stay strong, my scientific brother. Don’t let centuries of blind faith built around a single [person] tell you what to believe.
January 2, 2013 at 8:20 am |
when ignorant muslims snuffed out rational discussion, it pains me. i hope to explain that there is no conflict between evolution and Islam.. in due time. mean time, i’ve got to track up the incidents leading to this – i caught by the tail. I am a professor of molecular biology in malaysia
November 15, 2014 at 5:25 am |
Sorry, that Dr. Usma Hassan was intimidated to retract his words on theory of evolution. I am Muslim evolutionist and believe from Quran that Adam and Eve are not biological parents of human species but spiritual parents because Adam was the first Prophet of the Islam, the religion with Allah. I am the author of “Islamic Theory of Evolution The Missing Link between Darwin and the origin of species -ISBN-13: 978-09825867-0-9; Co-authored with Rabbi David Kay and Prof. Howard Van Till the book, And God Said, “Let There Be Evolution!”: Reconciling The Book Of Genesis, The Qur’an, And The Theory Of Evolution ISBN-13: 978-0984639250, edited Prof. Charlie M.Wynn and Arthur W. Wiggins
October 21, 2015 at 3:07 pm |
[…] he posted a notice on his blog retracting a number of the statements he made about the matter of the “parentage” of Adam, […]
March 19, 2020 at 3:33 am |
control your dirty language
March 19, 2020 at 3:33 am |
control your dirty language