Yes, there is.
Evolutionary coincidence.
No, there isn't.
Yes, it does. We gradually obtained it. Heck, ever since our species has appeared about 40,000 years ago, our brains have gotten a bit smaller.
"Merely a theory" is actually misleading, because that's the highest point a scientific concept can reach. It's like saying that gravity is "only a theory."
The word "theory", believe it or not, comes from a root that essentially means "that which is seen." (And, incidentally, is the same root that eventually evolved into the word "theater.") Therefore, when something is a theory, that means it has been observed.
But observation does. There's plenty of concrete evidence; many dinosaurs have feathers. There was an ancient Triassic reptile that had fur.
I don't know what changes you're referring to.
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Let me explain very very briefly =). We as Muslims don't want to mock or make fun of the Theory of Evolution. We Muslims believe that the theory of evolution is a very powerful idea because its simple and it does seem to explain some phenomenon that we see and observe in the world in which we live and in the fossil record and so on and so forth.
So The Question Is - Do Muslims believe in evolution?
Well its not a principle in our religion to believe in the theory of evolution. The theory of evolution is not the essence for our faith. So do we believe it in a sense that its a dogmatic thing in which we have to believe in?? Well its not a must as long as its not proven to be 100 percent correct and as long the theory is not surrounded by other conspiracy theories that tries to prove its truthfulness =)
How ever Muslims - (by in large) do believe that the scientific methodology (as a methodology) is a good and sound methodology. And that if science conclusively proves something to be true, then as Muslims we cannot ignore such facts if it has been proved scientifically.
Now a days we Muslims still argue that the theory of evolution is not conclusive. There are still many holes and discrepancies, that have not been dealt with, concerning this theory, and there is lack of thorough evidence in order to fully say that we can really be sure that this theory as a fact has taken place.
However, in-spite of that we Muslims at large, can say that, there is nothing that contradicts the idea, that creatures have evolved through small stages into the complex, different organisms that we find in the world today. There is nothing in principle in the Quran or the teachings of our Prophet(P.B.U.H) that says that we cannot believe in that.
In fact the Quran teaches us how the human being is developed through stages of embryonic development. Where each stage are different than the other. The Qur’an provides a concise and eloquent account of the developing human embryo. God in a sense explains that He himself has developed us through distinct stages in our mothers wombs. So the idea of development through different distinct stages, is not an impossibility, but in fact its a reality and the Quran acknowledges it in the human embryonic development.
So how about this idea applying to life in general? Its certainly a possibility. However there are TWO THINGS THAT WE CANNOT AGREE WITH! =)
1 - As Muslims we cannot believe that these processes are completely apart from and separate from the power and the guidance of God. So if evolution is taking place its because God is The Evolver. God is evolving the creation. In other words, we cannot accept the premise that these are purely natural processes that don't have anything to do with the power of The Creator and the knowledge of The All Knowing God. We can't accept that evolution is random or a coincidence.
2 - Muslims (at large) stick to the Orthodox opinion that God has created the Human being miraculously. Adam(P.B.U.H) was created in a way that is miraculous just as Jesus(P.B.U.H) was created. Jesus was created without a father, in the womb of the Virgin Mary(P.B.U.Her). For God to create, He just says "BE", and that thing becomes. Jesus was human and he created him without a father and in a similar way Adam was created without a father and a mother. Distinct from what ever processes was going on in the world at that time, God introduced Adam in to the order of the world in a miraculous way. So do we believe that human-beings descended along with monkeys from a common primate? No we don't believe that. Islam cannot accept that. We (at large) stick with the Orthodox position. Does that mean that there could not have been human like creatures existing before Adam? According to the teachings of Islam, that is certainly possible!
What makes us different as humans actually, and the most fundamental difference that makes us different from the animals is the intellectual difference. We can see the world around us and analyze the creation around us and that any creation or design or law or phenomenon and so on. We as Muslims believe that we have a choice to submit our will to GOD or not to submit. That's is fundamental thing that makes us different from animals. The physiological differences doesn't matter to us like the shape of the arms or the legs or my nose or the brain or the skull. The fundamental thing that makes us human and that makes us different from the animals the the power to contemplate, think, analyze, and choose to submit to the Creator or choose not to do so. Our destiny in the here after depends on our choice and that is what makes us humans, totally different from an animal.
We Muslims do believe as the Quran teaches, that God created Adam miraculously and God created Eve from Adam. But that does not mean that the evolution of other creatures did not take place. Islam does not have anything to say about evolution, definitively one way or the other. Science is almost proving it to be true and we Muslims have to support science as long as it goes along with Islam.
And Allah(S.W.T) knows best.
