Presented by Zia H Shah MD

Audio summary:

The following research report provides a comprehensive investigation into the biographical backgrounds, theological methodologies, and scientific perspectives of two influential contemporary Muslim thinkers: the renowned Pakistani scholar Javed Ahmad Ghamidi and the American physician-theologian Dr. Zia H. Shah. Central to this discourse is a critical comparison of their divergent views on the theory of biological evolution and the common ancestry of all life forms. While Ghamidi represents a rationalist-modernist approach that acknowledges gradualism but remains skeptical of simian common descent, Dr. Shah advocates for a model of “Guided Evolution” rooted in the definitive data of molecular biology, paleovirology, and genomic mapping. This analysis explores the epistemological foundations of their thought, the biological significance of endogenous retroviruses in the development of the human placenta and brain, and the teleological role of natural beauty as a path to recognizing the Creator.

Abstract

This report examines the intellectual intersection of Islamic theology and modern evolutionary science through the works of Javed Ahmad Ghamidi and Dr. Zia H. Shah. Ghamidi, an esteemed Islamic philosopher of the Farahi-Islahi school, posits a worldview wherein the Quran emphasizes the “perfection of form” (Taswiya) and a two-stage creation process—first from the “womb of the earth” (clay) and subsequently through human reproduction. Based on a detailed analysis of his scholarly video presentations, Ghamidi accepts evolution as a general principle of development but characterizes Darwinian common ancestry as “science fiction” due to a perceived lack of transitional fossil evidence. Conversely, Dr. Zia H. Shah, a pulmonary specialist and Chief Editor of The Muslim Times, presents a scientifically rigorous synthesis termed “Guided Evolution.” Shah argues that the “best evidence” for evolution resides not in fossils but in molecular biology, citing the universality of the genetic code, pseudogenes, and the fusion of human chromosome 2 as incontrovertible proofs of common ancestry. Furthermore, Shah introduces the concept of “creativity from viruses,” detailing how Human Endogenous Retroviruses (HERVs) acted as architects for the human placenta and brain. The report contrasts Shah’s “Two Books” paradigm—the harmony of Scripture and Nature—with Ghamidi’s textual rationalism, ultimately exploring how Shah utilizes the mathematical elegance and aesthetic transcendence of the universe as a contemporary physico-theological proof of a Wise Creator.

Biographical Analysis of Javed Ahmad Ghamidi: The Rationalist Reformer

Javed Ahmad Ghamidi is a preeminent Pakistani Islamic scholar, theologian, and philosopher whose work has profoundly influenced the landscape of modern Islamic thought in South Asia and beyond. Born on April 7, 1952, in Jiwan Shah, Punjab, Ghamidi was raised in a household steeped in the Sufi tradition, a factor that initially shaped his spiritual outlook before he transitioned toward a more rationalist and scriptural framework. His father, Muhammad Tufayl Junaydi, was a landowner and practitioner of medicine who ensured that Ghamidi received a rigorous dual education: a traditional path involving the mastery of Arabic, Persian, and Quranic studies under local scholars, and a modern academic path that culminated in a BA Honours in English Literature and Philosophy from Government College, Lahore, in 1972.

Ghamidi’s intellectual development was catalyzed by his association with two giants of 20th-century Islamic thought. He spent several years with Abu al-A’la Mawdudi, the founder of Jamaat-e-Islami, before finding his true mentor in Amin Ahsan Islahi, the author of the monumental Quranic commentary Tadabbur-i-Quran. Under Islahi’s tutelage, Ghamidi mastered the concept of Nazm (coherence) in the Quran, which posits that the scripture is not a collection of disparate verses but a perfectly unified structure with a central theme. This methodology became the cornerstone of Ghamidi’s own scholarly endeavors.

In 1983, Ghamidi founded the Al-Mawrid Institute of Islamic Sciences in Lahore to propagate a vision of Islam that is purely based on the Quran and Sunnah, stripped of what he views as historical contaminants such as classical jurisprudence (Fiqh), mysticism (Tasawwuf), and speculative theology (Kalam). His seminal work, Mizan, serves as a comprehensive treatise on the contents of Islam, emphasizing the separation of Sharia (divine law) from its human interpretation (Fiqh). Ghamidi’s career has also included public service as a member of the Council of Islamic Ideology in Pakistan and a decade-long tenure teaching Islamic studies at the Civil Services Academy. Currently serving as the Principal Research Fellow at the Ghamidi Center of Islamic Learning in Dallas, Texas, he continues to reach a global audience through his prolific television appearances and digital platforms, positioning himself as a leading voice for a rational, tolerant, and evidence-based understanding of the Islamic faith.

Biographical Analysis of Dr. Zia H. Shah MD: The Physician-Theologian

Dr. Zia H. Shah represents a unique synthesis of modern medical science and Islamic theology, practicing as a pulmonologist and sleep medicine specialist while simultaneously serving as an influential voice in the dialogue between religion and science. Based in Upstate New York, Dr. Shah’s professional life is marked by over 40 years of experience in managing complex conditions such as obstructive lung disease, sleep apnea, and asthma at institutions like Our Lady of Lourdes Memorial Hospital. His medical training, which includes graduation from the Universidad Pedagogica Y Tecnologica De Colombia and board certifications in Internal Medicine, Pulmonary Disease, and Sleep Medicine, provides him with a critical, evidence-based lens through which he approaches scriptural exegesis.

Beyond his clinical practice, Dr. Shah is the Chief Editor of The Muslim Times, a digital publication with a substantial international following, and the founder of the blog The Glorious Quran and Science (thequran.love), where he has authored more than 500 articles. His theological project is characterized by what he terms “Theistic Evolution” or “Guided Evolution,” a middle path that seeks to reconcile well-established scientific truths with the core tenets of Islamic monotheism. Shah’s worldview is significantly shaped by his “Two Books” theory—the belief that the Book of Scripture (Quran) and the Book of Nature (Science) are both authored by God and therefore must exist in perfect harmony.

Dr. Shah is known for his radical pluralism, famously stating, “I am a Jew, a Catholic, a Christian, and a Muslim,” a manifesto intended to emphasize the shared ethical and monotheistic heritage of the Abrahamic faiths while rejecting sectarian tribalism. This inclusivity is reflected in his editorial work, which advocates for universal human rights, interfaith dialogue, and the use of science as a common ground for all humanity. Drawing inspiration from scholars like Muhammad Asad and Maurice Bucaille, Dr. Shah views the scientific consistency of the Quran as an “intellectual miracle” that serves as a perpetual sign of its divine origin for the modern age.

Feature	Javed Ahmad Ghamidi	Dr. Zia H. Shah MD
Primary Domain	Islamic Jurisprudence & Philosophy	Pulmonary Medicine & Theology
Education	BA Honours in English & Philosophy	MD, Specialist in Pulmonology & Sleep
Key Framework	Farahi-Islahi School of Coherence	“Two Books” Harmony (Science/Quran)
Key Platform	Al-Mawrid / Ghamidi Center	The Muslim Times / thequran.love
Methodological Focus	Rationalist scriptural exegesis	Molecular biology & theistic evolution

Detailed Summary of Javed Ahmad Ghamidi’s Views on Evolution

In his comprehensive discourse on the relationship between Islam and the theory of evolution, Javed Ahmad Ghamidi presents a view that acknowledges the structural reality of biological development while maintaining significant theological and empirical reservations regarding Darwinian common ancestry. His perspective is primarily grounded in his reading of the Quranic narrative and his critique of the current scientific consensus.

Rejection of Darwinian Common Ancestry

Ghamidi distinguishes between “evolution” as a general process of growth and development and the specific Darwinian theory that all species, including humans, descended from a single common ancestor or shared ancestry with primates. He characterizes the Darwinian model as “science fiction,” arguing that it lacks sufficient empirical support, particularly within the fossil record. Ghamidi posits that if one species truly transitioned into another—for instance, a reptile into a bird—the Earth should be teeming with intermediate, transitional forms. Because he perceives the fossil record as showing species in their “perfect” or complete forms rather than in a state of flux, he concludes that species are created as distinct types.

The Two-Stage Process of Human Creation

Theologically, Ghamidi explains that the Quran describes human creation in two distinct phases :

1. Creation from the Earth: In the first stage, the human biological form was developed directly from clay and earth (Salsalin, Teen-e-Lazib). Ghamidi uses the metaphor of the “belly of the earth” acting as a womb, where the components of the soil were transformed into a living creature. He suggests that this initial creature, the “animal form of man,” emerged from a protective layer similar to an eggshell once its physical formation was complete.
2. Reproduction and the Spirit: Once the physical form was perfected (Taswiya), God “breathed His spirit” (Rooh) into the form, granting humans unique consciousness, sight, hearing, and moral agency. Following this point, human propagation shifted from the “earthly womb” to the sexual reproductive cycle we observe today.

Ghamidi maintains that humans did not evolve from apes or chimpanzees but were brought into existence as a separate species, likely appearing in a mature or capable state to ensure survival in the early environment. He interprets the “six days” of creation mentioned in the Quran as long cosmic eras or periods, allowing for a vast timeline of development, yet he restricts this development to within-species maturation rather than cross-species common descent.

Detailed Analysis of Dr. Zia H. Shah’s Views on Guided Evolution

Dr. Zia H. Shah presents a model of “Guided Evolution” that fully embraces the scientific consensus on common ancestry while framing it as the divinely orchestrated “Habit of God”. Shah’s position is that the Quran and modern science are not in conflict; rather, any apparent discord is the result of “Wrong Theology” or a lack of understanding of biological reality.

Molecular Biology as the “Best Evidence”

Dr. Shah argues that the most compelling proof of common ancestry does not come from the fossil record—the traditional focus of Ghamidi’s critique—but from the “hard evidence” of molecular biology. He posits that every gene and protein in the human body serves as an exhibit for the truth of our evolutionary history.

Molecular Proof	Mechanism and Significance
Genetic Universality	All life forms use DNA as genetic material and share a nearly universal genetic code for protein translation, indicating a single origin for all life.
Homologous Genes	Conserved genes like the cytochrome c protein show identical amino acid sequences in humans and chimpanzees (100% match), reflecting recent common ancestry.
Pseudogenes	“Genetic fossils” like the GULO gene (required for vitamin C synthesis) are non-functional and shared at the same locations in humans and other primates, pointing to a shared ancestor where the gene broke.
Chromosome Fusion	Human chromosome 2 corresponds to two distinct ape chromosomes that fused together, providing a structural signature of our descent from simian ancestors.
Molecular Clocks	Constant mutation rates in DNA allow scientists to estimate that humans and chimpanzees diverged from a common ancestor roughly 6–7 million years ago.

Shah emphasizes that while humans share about 98.8% of their DNA with chimpanzees, we also share 90% with cats, 85% with mice, and even 60% of our genes with banana plants. This deep genetic continuity is, for Shah, the ultimate proof that all 9 million species on Earth are part of a single, vast family tree.

The Theistic Synthesis: Guided Evolution

Unlike “blind” Darwinian evolution, which posits that life is the result of random mutations and impersonal selection, Shah’s “Guided Evolution” asserts that the process is teleological and divinely directed. He utilizes the concept of quantum indeterminacy to suggest that the seemingly “random” mutations at the molecular level may be the locus of Divine Action—events that appear probabilistic to scientific instruments but are steered toward the emergence of complex life and consciousness. He firmly rejects Richard Dawkins’ “Blind Watchmaker” thesis, arguing that the calibrated ascent from single cells to the sentient human mind demonstrates a Guiding Hand.

Creativity from Viruses: HERVs as Genomic Architects

A groundbreaking element of Dr. Shah’s argument for guided evolution is his examination of Human Endogenous Retroviruses (HERVs) and their role in “building the human brain and placenta”. He challenges the traditional view of the human genome as a stable, purely mammalian sequence, instead describing it as a “complex, chimeric assembly”.

The Mechanism of Viral Integration

Retroviruses, such as HIV, replicate by inserting their genetic material into the host’s genome. If a retrovirus infects a germline cell (a sperm or an egg) and that cell contributes to an embryo, the viral DNA becomes a permanent part of the offspring’s genetic code, passed down through Mendelian inheritance. These sequences are known as Endogenous Retroviruses. Shah notes that approximately 8% of the human genetic code is composed of these ancient viral remnants.

The Probability Argument for Common Ancestry

Shah employs a powerful probability argument using ERVs to refute Ghamidi’s skepticism. The human genome contains 3 billion base pairs. Humans and chimpanzees share many of the exact same ERV insertions at the exact same locations. Shah argues that the probability of a virus inserting itself into the same base pair in two independent, separate creation events is effectively zero. The presence of these shared “genetic scars” proves common descent beyond a reasonable doubt; to believe otherwise would be to suggest that God is a “Deceiver” who planted false evidence, a concept Shah rejects as theological blasphemy.

The Viral Architects of the Placenta and Brain

Dr. Shah highlights that these viral elements are not “junk DNA” but are active participants in life.

• The Placenta: The development of the mammalian placenta was made possible by syncytin, a protein derived from an ancient retrovirus. This viral protein, which originally allowed the virus to fuse with host cells, was co-opted to allow the fusion of trophoblast cells, creating the syncytiotrophoblast layer essential for maternal-fetal nutrient exchange. Shah describes the placenta as a “masterpiece of bioengineering” that performs the functions of the lungs, digestive system, and kidneys for the fetus while maintaining an “immune truce” to prevent rejection by the mother.
• The Brain: HERVs are similarly implicated in the regulation of the brain’s cognitive architecture and the defense against pathogens. Shah views this transition of lethal parasites into essential symbiotic partners as a profound narrative of “transformation and transcendence”.

Beauty in Nature as a Path to God

Dr. Shah utilizes the aesthetic richness of the universe as a contemporary physico-theological proof of a Creator, arguing that the pervasive beauty of our planet far exceeds what is required for evolutionary survival.

Aesthetic Transcendence and Al-Muṣawwir

In Shah’s theology, beauty is an intentional sign (āyah) meant to invite humanity to recognize the Source of that beauty. He identifies God as Al-Muṣawwir (The Fashioner), who bestows specific, elegant forms upon all creation. The concept of “aesthetic transcendence” suggests that the human capacity to marvel at abstract art, music, and cosmic phenomena is a bridge to a higher reality.

• Mathematical Elegance: Shah cites the mathematical order of the universe, from the laws of physics ($E = mc^2$) to the Fibonacci sequence and the golden ratio observable in DNA and sunflowers, as evidence of a supreme Mind.
• The Firefly: He presents the firefly as an “eloquent witness”. The chemical reaction that produces its light is nearly 100% efficient, generating no waste heat—a feat of engineering superior to human-made light bulbs. While light serves mating and defense functions, Shah interprets the “synchronized blinking” and “living light” as a deliberate artistic flourish by the Creator.
• Art Beyond Survival: Shah points to the male bowerbird, which builds elaborate, decorative nests that scientists describe as “art”. This production of “beauty for beauty’s sake” challenges purely materialistic views that limit all biological traits to survival necessity.

Shah concludes that the world is “saturated with beauty at all levels,” which acts like “lamps on a trail” leading the seeker toward the Source of all light.

Compare and Contrast: Ghamidi and Dr. Shah

The divergent views of Ghamidi and Shah reveal a profound tension between textual rationalism and empirical synthesis in modern Islamic thought.

Dimension	Javed Ahmad Ghamidi	Dr. Zia H. Shah MD
View on Common Ancestry	Rejects it; calls simian ancestry “science fiction”.	Accepts it as an established biological fact.
Evidence Foundation	Focuses on fossil record gaps and linguistics.	Focuses on molecular biology, DNA, and HERVs.
Creation of Humans	Two-stage: “Egg shell” in earth womb, then Rooh.	Evolved from ape-like ancestors through guided processes.
Interpretation of Clay	Literal “womb of the earth” biological process.	Metaphor for inorganic origins (abiogenesis).
Method of Creation	Gradualism within species; “perfecting” of form.	Guided evolution; viruses as creative tools.
Epistemology	Rationalist exegesis based on Quranic coherence.	“Two Books” paradigm; science as an exegesis of nature.

The “Elephant in the Room”

Dr. Shah identifies the theory of evolution as the “elephant in the room” for Muslim apologetics. He argues that Ghamidi’s position, while modernist, suffers from a lack of empirical evidence and relies on “made-up stories” about eggshells in mud that are not found in the Quran or supported by genetics. Shah posits that denying our relationship to the rest of the biological world is as untenable as denying gravity.

Conversely, Ghamidi maintains a commitment to human uniqueness that he believes Darwinism undermines. His skepticism of common ancestry is a defense of the Quranic narrative of a specialized creation, even if that creation occurred over long cosmic eras. However, Dr. Shah counters this by arguing that God’s “Kun” (Be) command works through the “Habits of God” (natural laws) rather than through “magic” that leaves no physical trace.

The Role of the Spirit (Rooh) and Consciousness

Both thinkers converge on the importance of human consciousness, though they frame its arrival differently. Ghamidi sees the blowing of the Rooh as a specific point in time where a biological form was elevated to a moral being. Shah views this as the “spiritual milestone” where an evolving lineage became “human” in the spiritual sense—capable of receiving revelation and bearing moral responsibility. Shah further uses his expertise in sleep medicine to analyze the Rooh, arguing that the continuity of the self across the “little death” of sleep serves as evidence of the soul’s independence from active brain states, providing a bridge to the theological concept of Resurrection.

Thematic Epilogue

The intellectual dialogue between Javed Ahmad Ghamidi and Dr. Zia H. Shah reflects the vibrant evolution of Islamic thought in an age of unprecedented scientific discovery. Ghamidi provides a necessary bridge from dogmatic traditionalism to a rationalist, coherence-based reading of scripture, emphasizing that God’s creative wisdom operates through gradualism and laws. His work has successfully challenged many of the “dubious laws” of classical jurisprudence, opening the door for a more inquisitive and objective engagement with faith.

Dr. Zia H. Shah, however, invites the Muslim community to step through that door and fully embrace the “Book of Nature” as a primary source of divine revelation. By centering the argument for God in the “hard data” of molecular biology and paleovirology, Shah moves beyond the linguistic limits of the 7th-century audience toward a “universal monotheism” that is intelligible to the modern scientist and the seeker alike. His model of “Guided Evolution” does not diminish the Creator; rather, it magnifies His wisdom by showing how He utilizes even the “ghosts” of ancient viruses to architect the complex wonders of the human brain and placenta.

Ultimately, both scholars point toward a single, unified truth: that the universe is created bil-Ḥaqq—with purpose, truth, and law. Whether through the mathematical elegance of a firefly’s light or the genetic ties that bind all living creatures, the contemporary Islamic discourse as represented by Ghamidi and Shah suggests that the more we understand the “Work of God” in the physical world, the more profoundly we can appreciate the “Word of God” in the scripture. The challenge for the future of Islamic scholarship lies in this synthesis—moving from the defense of a literalist past to the embrace of a scientifically transparent and spiritually enriched future.