Videos by Shoaib A . Malik
I discuss my upcoming book with Routledge in this video. I utilise Al-Ghazali's metaphysics and h... more I discuss my upcoming book with Routledge in this video. I utilise Al-Ghazali's metaphysics and hermeneutics to determine reconciliation possibilities. 236 views
Papers by Shoaib A . Malik
Routledge, 2024
The question of the location of Adam and Eve's Garden is being instrumentalised as a specific arg... more The question of the location of Adam and Eve's Garden is being instrumentalised as a specific argument by contemporary Muslim opponents of human evolution. They insist that the Garden is the heavenly Paradise to negate the possibility of the earthly evolution of the human species. Likewise, Muslim advocates of evolution, by placing the Garden on Earth, are claiming to provide a novel solution to a conflict between religion and science. However, the question of the Garden's location was a point of discussion for exegetes throughout most of Muslim history, and it was often addressed at great length, yet they did not conceive of it in reference to the question of evolution. Their motivations and frames of reference were necessarily different. This provides an opportunity to explore the impact that varying temporal concerns have on interpretation. It also gives insights into how the intersection of science and religion impacts on hermeneutics as well as on general perceptions in the religious community. This study examines seventeen exegeses from various eras to determine how exegetes perceived, contextualised, approached, and responded to this question, and what influenced their responses. Four major opinions are identified – two placing the Garden in heaven, one locating it on Earth, and a stance of non-commitment – with supporting arguments and counterarguments. The motivations that influenced the different opinions were varied, from linguistic to theological to reformist, but never scientific. Therefore, the controversy that has surfaced today replicates one that existed in the past for entirely different reasons. Moreover, exegetes of the past generally agreed there is no consensus on this issue and they regarded no interpretation as theologically binding. This contrasts with contemporary claims that a heavenly location is theologically binding doctrine, showing a fundamental hermeneutical and methodological disconnect between some contemporary traditionally minded Muslims and the tradition they purport to follow.
Routledge, 2024
This article delves into a critical analysis of Stephen Meyer's Return of the God Hypothesis, foc... more This article delves into a critical analysis of Stephen Meyer's Return of the God Hypothesis, focusing specifically on his emphasis on the Judeo-Christian tradition's pivotal role in the genesis of modern science, and his arguments for Intelligent Design (ID). We contend that Meyer's narrative may inadvertently marginalize significant contributions from other intellectual heritages, particularly the Islamic kalām tradition, which similarly provides a robust theological basis conducive to scientific inquiry. Additionally, we suggest that Meyer's ID framework is vulnerable to two types of criticisms commonly associated with God of the Gaps arguments: firstly, it may prematurely resort to divine explanations for phenomena not yet elucidated by science, and secondly, it seems to offer a limited perspective on divine action. Through advocating for a contingency-based framework, this article proposes a more inclusive and adaptive discourse between science and religion, one that accommodates ongoing scientific advancements while still acknowledging the possibility of divine design.
Routledge, 2024
This chapter delves into the intellectual journey of Maurice Bucaille (d. 1998), a pivotal French... more This chapter delves into the intellectual journey of Maurice Bucaille (d. 1998), a pivotal French doctor in the discourse of Islam and science. Focusing on his lesser-known work, What is the Origin of Man?, which was written in the 1970s, this chapter traces the influence of the French scientific tradition, particularly Neo-Lamarckian evolution, on Bucaille’s engagement with the Qurʾān – ḥadīths are notably absent in his analysis. It explores the development of evolutionary ideas in France, from Jean-Baptiste Lamarck’s (d. 1829) early theories of species transformation through Henri Bergson’s (d. 1941) vitalistic élan vital to Pierre-Paul Grassé’s (d. 1985) Neo-Lamarckian evolution. Shaped by this French intellectual tradition, particularly the anti-Darwinian stances of Grassé, Bucaille adopts and applies the notions of ‘Creative Evolution’ and ‘organizational planning’ on the Qurʾān while acknowledging the available evidence for evolution in his time. His main concern is the origins of human beings, which he believes do not share any ancestry with apes, for which he proposes various compatible scenarios: (1) direct creation by God and (2) divine intervention in a pre-existing hominid lineage. Unexpectedly, he entertains (3) the potential for shared ancestry between humans and apes under divine guidance as a forethought, though he sees this option as very unlikely, given the unlikelihood of ever proving this scientifically. In short, Bucaille seems to have espoused a variation of human exceptionalism. Overall, What is the Origin of Man? is an exciting text that demonstrates Bucaille’s clear commitment to reconciling science and faith.
Religious Studies, 2024
This article critically evaluates Jeffrey Koperski’s decretalism, which presents the laws of natu... more This article critically evaluates Jeffrey Koperski’s decretalism, which presents the laws of nature as divine decrees functioning as constraints rather than dynamic forces. Building on his work, we explore whether his model successfully avoids the implications of occasionalism, as he claims. By analysing his latest publications, we first reconstruct Koperski’s argument and then present three key objections. These include (1) issues related to scientific realism, (2) the principle of simplicity, and (3) the reduction of Koperski’s model to occasionalism. We argue that despite his attempts to distinguish his framework, Koperski’s model ultimately collapses into occasionalism due to the continuous divine sustenance required for natural processes. By engaging with recent developments in metaphysical and scientific debates, this article highlights the limitations of Koperski’s decretalism
Journal of Islamic and Muslim Studies, 2024
The advent of artificial intelligence (AI) has presented novel questions across various intellect... more The advent of artificial intelligence (AI) has presented novel questions across various intellectual and theological landscapes. This article seeks to explore two distinctive challenges that AI poses to Islamic thought. First, it examines the potential role of AI in Islamic knowledge production and scholarship, questioning the feasibility of an AI-powered religious authority, the concept of the iMufti and techno-madhhabs, along with capabilities to contribute to the chains of transmission and issue religious edicts (fatāwā). The second challenge delves into the implications of AI on the Qur’ān’s claim of linguistic inimitability (i‘jāz), investigating whether an AI, when taught the complexities of Arabic and literary composition, could potentially meet the Qur’ān’s challenge to produce a text of comparable stature, thus probing the foundational assertions of the Islamic worldview. The article provides preliminary reflections aimed at spurring further scholarly inquiry into the intersection of AI and Islamic thought.
Routledge, 2023
This is the 14th chapter in Islamic Philosophy of Religion Essays from Analytic Perspectives, edi... more This is the 14th chapter in Islamic Philosophy of Religion Essays from Analytic Perspectives, edited by Mohammad Saleh Zarepour. I discuss how evolution is not necessarily a problem with the creation account of Adam and Eve, engaging with the ideas of Nidhal Guessoum.
Theology and Science, 2023
In this article, I respond to my interlocutors, who have raised various points while engaging my ... more In this article, I respond to my interlocutors, who have raised various points while engaging my book, Islam and Evolution: Al-Ghazālī and the Modern Evolutionary Paradigm. In addressing their arguments and points of engagement, I have ordered this article into four parts: (1) methodological issues, (2) scientific issues, (3) metaphysical issues, and (4) hermeneutic issues.
Theology and Science, 2023
This book symposium begins with a concise historical overview of the emerging dialogue of Islam a... more This book symposium begins with a concise historical overview of the emerging dialogue of Islam and Science. Against this, we trace the historical developments and pertinent discussion of Islam and Evolution, culminating in the release of Islam and Evolution: Al-Ghazālī and the Modern Evolutionary Paradigm. For those unfamiliar with the subject, the introduction provides a breakdown of the monograph and its core thesis. The final section contains a summative review of all the articles in total featured in this special issue.
Theology and Science, 2023
This is an introduction to the special issue. It provides the historical context of Islam and Sci... more This is an introduction to the special issue. It provides the historical context of Islam and Science that then leads to the theme of the issue. This special issue is the proceedings of a conference at Cambridge Muslim College that was held in December 2022.
Theology and Science, 2023
This article critically reviews how creationists or antievolutionists are using discussions in ph... more This article critically reviews how creationists or antievolutionists are using discussions in philosophy of science to undermine the efficacy of evolution to defuse the tension between evolution and religion. They include (1) the scientific realism debate, (2) the distinction between historical and experimental sciences, (3) the problem of induction, and (4) the definitional problem of species. It then discusses how using these specific arguments to undermine evolution is misplaced when looked at from an Ashʿarī perspective, a Sunnī school of theology. In doing so, it reveals the multiple ways that theology and philosophy of science interact with one another in the ongoing creationism-evolutionism debates.
Religions MDPI, 2023
In the nascent discourse of Islam and science, the discussion of how to reconcile evolution with ... more In the nascent discourse of Islam and science, the discussion of how to reconcile evolution with Islam is one of the most, if not the most, pressing concerns. This article reviews the various studies that have looked at the reception of evolution in multiple contexts to highlight the pedagogical challenges that materialise for Muslim students and teachers. It argues that, while recognising the obstacles and challenges mentioned in other studies, the crucial subject matter of Islamic theology (aqīda) is not fully appreciated in those analyses. How and why theology is a vital discussion matter is examined, along with the benefits that it can offer. These insights could provide fodder for teachers and students when discussing the thorny topic of Islam and evolution in classroom settings. This paper’s deliberations could also be of interest to researchers examining the pedagogy and reception of evolution in Muslim contexts.
European Journal of Analytic Philosophy, 2022
There have been many developments in the field of science and religion over the past few decades.... more There have been many developments in the field of science and religion over the past few decades. One such development is referred to as 'theology of nature' (ToN), which is the activity of building or revising theological frameworks in light of contemporary scientific developments, e.g., evolution, chaos theory, and quantum mechanics. Ian Barbour, John Polkinghorne, and Arthur Peacocke, all of whom are Christian thinkers, are the most well-known advocates of this kind of thinking. However, this discourse has not been examined from an Islamic perspective. Given this gap, in this article, we view this strand of thinking from the Ashʿarī school of thought that is part of the Sunnī Islamic kalām tradition. We first review how ToN manifests in the works of the thinkers mentioned earlier. Following this, we highlight the essential principles in Ashʿarism relevant to God, His interaction with the created world, and science. These are then compared with the ideas of the said thinkers. Two conclusions are reached. First, we demonstrate that atomism, which is generally understood as a long-held position in the Ashʿarī tradition, should not be held as a theological position but rather a philosophical or a scientific one. Second, an important distinction is made between science-informed theology (SIT) and contingency-informed theology (CIT). For Ashʿarīs, a CIT is sufficient for understanding God, but they would find the SIT displayed in ToN problematic. The motivation and methodology of localising or modifying God's nature or attributes to fit the science of the day would be seen as theologically very costly and a form of scientism.
Zygon, 2022
Some Muslim thinkers argue against evolution using intelligent design (ID) arguments. One possibl... more Some Muslim thinkers argue against evolution using intelligent design (ID) arguments. One possible impetus for this line of reasoning is the several indications of design mentioned throughout the Qurʾān. Therefore, criticizing ID could be seen as a direct attack on the Qurʾānic outlook. However, this article will argue that this is a false equation. The Qurʾānic design argument, as articulated in the tradition of Sunnī scholastic theology (kalām), argues for the existence of a supernatural God by acknowledging natural causes that bring about designed phenomena in the universe. By contrast, Muslim thinkers who use ID to argue against evolution are arguing for the existence of a supernatural being through the supposed inability of science to explain designed phenomena through natural causes. Thus, there is a fundamental difference between the design outlook provided in the Qurʾān versus the arguments of ID. Accordingly, this article argues that critiquing ID does not undermine the design discourse of the Qurʾān.
Zygon, 2022
This introduction provides an overview of the significance of the Symposium on Islam and evolutio... more This introduction provides an overview of the significance of the Symposium on Islam and evolution that results from a conference hosted by the Leiden University Shīʿī Studies Initiative (LUSSI) in July 2021. The objective of this conference was to stimulate further research in the area. Scientists, theologians and philosophers participated in the conference to discuss the topic from various angles. The selected articles that were accepted for this thematic section are summarized.
Cultural Studies of Science Education, 2022
This piece responds to the article by Arif Rachmatullah, Soonhye Park, and Minsu Ha "Crossing bor... more This piece responds to the article by Arif Rachmatullah, Soonhye Park, and Minsu Ha "Crossing borders between science and religion: Muslim Indonesian biology teachers' perceptions of teaching the theory of evolution," in which the authors are among the first researchers to explore the views of Indonesian science teachers regarding evolution instruction. This new context is important for furthering a global perspective on evolution education. However, the authors use preexisting taxonomies for their analyses that were developed in studies executed in mostly Christian contexts. In this response, we argue that investigations into new geographical and religious milieus, such as the teachers in the study by Rachmatullah and colleagues, could instead be used to develop more attuned categorizations for the burgeoning research area of the interaction of Islam, Judaism, and other traditions with evolution. We reflect upon experiences from our own work in studying Jewish and Muslim views of evolution, as well as on alternative taxonomies developed regarding Islam and evolution; we close with a brief rationale for a current initiative to create a researchers' network for those who study the interface of science, religion, and society in the Middle East and North Africa.
Jurnal Studi Ilmu-ilmu Al-Qur'an dan Hadis, 2021
Muslim scholars who oppose the compatibility of Islam and evolution usually advance three kinds o... more Muslim scholars who oppose the compatibility of Islam and evolution usually advance three kinds of arguments: scientific, metaphysic, and hermeneutic. This paper will examine the position of Nuh Ha Mim Keller, a prominent Sunni scholar who employ these three lines of arguments and proposes that believing in human evolution entails kufr. In this article we will critically analyze Keller’s understanding of the science of evolution in which he claims that the theory of evolution is not robust. We argue that through the consilience of induction, evolution is the best explanation for the biological origins and diversity. We also argue that a more nuanced understanding of the metaphysical and hermeneutical aspects of Islam and evolution debate would reveal that Keller’s anti-evolution claims are unwarranted, including his accusation of kufr against those who accept human evolution.
Cambridge University Press, 2021
In this book chapter, I critique the arguments utilised by atheists who resort to al-Ghazālī as a... more In this book chapter, I critique the arguments utilised by atheists who resort to al-Ghazālī as a major cause for the decline of the Muslim world. In particular, I show that he neither denied nor discarded philosophy or the use and study of science.
Journal of Religious Ethics, 2021
This article reviews al-Ghazālī’s conception of Divine Command Theory (DCT) in light of contempor... more This article reviews al-Ghazālī’s conception of Divine Command Theory (DCT) in light of contemporary philosophical developments. There are two well-known objections against DCT. These include the problem of arbitrariness (PoA), which states that God randomly chose our moral framework for no reason given His capability to choose any moral commands; and the problem of God’s goodness (PoGG), which questions God’s goodness if morality could be other than what it is. Modern defenders of DCT have attempted to counter these objections through various strategies. This article juxtaposes al-Ghazālī’s interpretation of DCT with modern strategies to illustrate how these two issues are untroubling concerns in al-Ghazālī’s framework. In doing so, it highlights where and how they differ in their approaches. Additionally, it critiques interpretations suggested by some contemporary thinkers who suggest that al-Ghazālī may not be a strict proponent of DCT.
Springer, 2022
What does the doctrine of creation have to do with the issue of randomness? Orthodox Christian an... more What does the doctrine of creation have to do with the issue of randomness? Orthodox Christian and Islamic traditions hold that God initially created the universe out of nothing. By itself, creation out of nothing doesn't dictate whether randomness exists or not in the universe. It is not God's act of creation that seems to be directly relevant to the existence of chance or fortune in the world, but God's governance. Some schools of thought in the Christian and Islamic traditions, however, hold that God also continuously creates the universe after its initial creation out of nothing. In its most radical version, the doctrine says that God continuously recreates the universe out of nothing in each successive instant (Edwards 1970, 401-404). Although the doctrine of creation out E. Salim (*)
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Videos by Shoaib A . Malik
Papers by Shoaib A . Malik
You can see the video presentation here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgf3LnDXYSo
Link to conference:
https://youtu.be/OAVVgGanguE
This work views the discussion through the lens of al-Ghazālī (1058–1111), a widely known and well-respected Islamic intellectual from the medieval period. By understanding al-Ghazālī as an Ashʿarite theologian, a particular strand of Sunnī theology, his metaphysical and hermeneutic ideas are taken to explore if and how much Neo-Darwinian evolution can be accepted. It is shown that his framework can be used to reach an alignment between Islam and Neo-Darwinian evolution.
This book offers a detailed examination that seeks to offer clarity if not agreement in the midst of an intense intellectual conflict and polarity amongst Muslims. As such, it will be of great interest to scholars of Science and Religion, Theology, Philosophy of Religion, Islamic Studies, and Religious Studies more generally.
Among the several areas of discussion taking place in this territory, the notions of (1) human uniqueness and (2) human nature have hardly received any consideration from Islamic perspectives (in contrast to the several publications by Christian thinkers in this area). The theory of evolution suggests that humans are continuous with the rest of the biological kingdom in time and space. Moreover, developments in human evolution have revealed that there were many other hominins prior to and, at one point, existing alongside Homo sapiens, the species which modern-day humans belong to. In light of these developments, this online conference is an invitation to develop Islamic perspectives on human uniqueness and nature both in a pre and post-Darwinian era.
Link: https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/humanities/departments/theology-and-religious-studies/news-and-events/events/2023/pre-and-post-darwinian-perspectives-on-islamic-theological-anthropology.aspx
In light of these developments, the University of Chester is hosting a two-day online conference that aims to re-engage with the question of how Islam and science could should and do relate to one another.
The field of philosophy of science has grown extensively since the 1960s with multiple sub-disciplinary areas of interest. However, there has hardly been any exchange of developments between philosophy of science as a whole and its specific inquiries with Islamic thought. This conference attempts to connect these two otherwise largely disconnected territories. We are looking for novel papers that engage questions posed in philosophy of science from Islamic perspectives
There has been a steady number of publications on the subjects of secularism and atheism in the past few decades. However, Islamic perspectives on these topics have been somewhat marginal in the literature. Accordingly, this conference aims to break new ground in these areas by offering scholars an opportunity to explore and discuss Islamic perspectives on and engagements with secularism and atheism.
https://www.academia.edu/67353496/Islamic_Perspectives_on_Exotheology_Conference_Booklet
Muslims have responded to this challenge through various strategies. Some accept evolution without question, while others completely reject it. From the former camp, one way of reconciling Islamicscripture with evolutionary biology is by interpreting the story of AEF non-literally. The most well-known advocate of this line of reasoning is the eminent molecular biologist, Rana Dajani, and Pakistaniphilosopher-poet, Muhammed Iqbal. Dajani observes that the AEF narrative is a story about moral lessons and therefore need not conflict with her belief in evolution. Iqbal believes that Adam is a symbol of humanity rather than a real agent.
This theological puzzle will explore if such non-literal readings are forms of hermeneutic scientism. In other words, it explores the question: does replacing the standard reading of AEF with a non-literal reading in light of evolutionary biology entail hermeneutic scientism?