Evolution discussions are not very popular in the Muslim world, but that is not due to a lack of controversy or conflict. Rather, it is a result of widespread outright refusal of the theory amongst many communities, especially the layperson on the street.

Resistance to critical thinking or scientific analysis has led to decades of refusal to even discuss evolution. Stock themes that creationists in the West regularly use are employed by evolution deniers in the Muslim world, such as saying evolution is only a hypothesis, an incomplete theory, full of scientific flaws and gaps, or implausible.

Last year, the British Council took a wonderful step to celebrate Darwin’s 200 years anniversary by holding a large conference in Alexandria, Egypt, to discuss evolution. They brought a diverse, international team of wonderful speakers to present their thoughts, research and work. Holding such a conference in this particular place was the first opportunity for many science students in the Arab world to actually hear and learn about evolution in detail – and from a completely different perspective from the one they have heard for all their lives.

While the bulk of students walked out of the three-day conference unconvinced of evolution and still praising Harun Yahya (popular Turkish evolution denier) for standing up against this “atheist theory” (as several called it), the conference was an important start. The debate had come to the Arab world and there was no stopping it now. Now I just hope the pressure can be built on and more discussions, debates and education finds its way to this region of the world.

Discussion of the details of evolution and Islam can take up several posts, highlighting the problems and conflicts, and the various interpretations of the Quran, the Muslim holy book, that can accept or deny evolution.

Meanwhile, Hampshire College, US, has put up a wonderful resource for anyone interested to learn more about Evolution, Darwinism and Islam. The newly launched Evolution and Islam seeks to start a nucleus of reliable information on this topic. Besides having links to evolution and religion lectures and a dedicated blog on the issues, the website also hosts webcasts and videos from an excellent conference held at Hampshire College held in October 2009 titled Darwin & Evolution in the Muslim World.

The website is definitely worth keeping an eye on. The ball has rolled and I feel that evolution discussions in the Muslim world will get more vocal in the coming years.