A Critical Review of Theory of Evolution as Viewed by Allameh Tabatabai and Mohammad Shahrour in Tafsir

Mohammad Shahrour and Allameh Tabatabai have been careful not to ignore the scientific theories in their interpretation of the holy Quran. The Darwinian evolution theory, which has been accepted by biologists, has taken the attention of these two commentators. The main idea of the theory of evolution, the gradual creation and derivation of living things from the same ancestors, dates back to ancient Greek. This idea and its alternative, that is, “stability of species” had been introduced to scientific circles before the decent of the holy Quran. The present paper is a comparative study of the way the theory of human evolution has been viewed by Allameh Tabatabai and Mohammad Shahrour in the interpretation of Quranic verses. According to Allameh Tabatabai, although it is stipulated in the verses of the holy Qur'an that human beings are traced back to Adam and Eve, this is subject to interpretation. The most explicit evidence referred to by Allameh Tabatabai is the analogy drawn between Jesus (pbuh) and Adam (pbuh) in the holy Qur'an. Nevertheless, it is not certain that the analogy is based on lack of father. Historical evidence shows that the point of similarity is the fact that both are human beings created by God. Believing in no contradiction, Shahrour tries to reconcile the difference, but in some cases his attempts are overshadowed with formalities. He believes that the blowing of the soul in Adam (pbuh) is a turning point that marks the beginning of emergence of contemporary man.