I. Foundations of a Unified Worldview (From Cosmic Dawn to Life)
Universal Life Science (A New Science): Universal Life Stories
This approach radically redefines the concept of "evolution": Evolution is the continuous process of change and transformation from the beginning to the present, not only of living things, but of everything that exists, from atoms to galaxies, from inanimate molecules to conscious creatures (Demirkuş, 2023).
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Modern knowledge is fragmented due to over-specialization. As a solution, the concept of a "Science of Universal Life Stories" proposes to unite all disciplines under a single umbrella. Physics, chemistry, geology, and biology become different chapters of this grand narrative. This approach sees science as answering "how" and theology as answering "why," as complementary paths.
More Info: E. O. Wilson's Concept of "Consilience"4-Dimensional Reality
Existence is examined in the dimensions of **Space, Time, Evolution** (increase in complexity), and **Energy** (transition from potential to actual) through three lenses (Concrete, Abstract, Digital).
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This model extends the traditional understanding of space-time. The **Evolution (ε)** dimension defines the complexity of a system. The **Energy (ψ)** dimension is the principle that allows existence to manifest.
Expanded Ontological Dimensions Model
| Dimension | What it Describes | Defining Question | Key Thinker/Theory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Space (x,y,z) | Position and volume | Where? | Euclid, Einstein |
| Time (t) | Process and flow | When? | Newton, Einstein, Prigogine |
| Evolution (ε) | Change and development | How complex? | Maynard Smith & Szathmáry, Chaisson |
| Energy (ψ) | Manifestation and motion | How/With what? | Aristotle, LeCun (EBMs) |
Figure 1 Universal Evolution from Being to Creation: The Integrity of Energy, Dimension and Information
II. The Great Unfolding: The Narrative of Creation
1. Cosmological Evolution: From Being to Creature (Big Bang ~13.8 Billion Years Ago)
With the Big Bang, the potential (Being) transformed into the concrete universe (Creature). Matter, energy, space, and time were born. Stars became the cosmic furnaces that produced the heavy elements necessary for life.
First Atoms and Light (~380,000 Years Later)
The universe cooled, and the first atoms (Hydrogen, Helium) formed. The universe became transparent, and the light we observe today as the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) was released (Planck Collaboration, 2020).
Stellar Furnaces (~200 Million Years Later)
The first stars synthesized heavier elements like carbon and oxygen through nuclear fusion. As Carl Sagan said, "We are made of starstuff" (Sagan, 1980).
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In this framework, the Big Bang is the first moment of "emergence" where Being transformed into Creature. Dark Energy, which drives the expansion of the universe, can be interpreted as an immanent creative will pushing this process forward. The formation of matter into its current form began with "spontaneous symmetry breaking." This unbroken chain of emergence constitutes the first steps of the journey from atoms to Adam. Each stage builds upon the previous one, step-by-step realizing the potential of matter to become increasingly complex, organized, and ultimately, self-aware.
More Info: NASA - History of the Universe2. Chemical Evolution: The Origin of Life (Abiogenesis)
The first sparks of life arose from inanimate matter. The Miller-Urey experiment showed that amino acids could form, while hydrothermal vents and the RNA world hypothesis offer alternative models for this process.
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Abiogenesis is a gradual process involving increasing complexity rather than a single event. Models like the "Primordial Soup Theory," "Stable Environment Theories," and "Cyanosulfidic Protometabolism" attempt to explain how the building blocks of life came together. This implies that the conditions for life's emergence were quite robust, and that there is a fundamental, perhaps inherent, tendency for matter to organize towards life.
More Info: Britannica - AbiogenesisMore Info: Article on Cyanosulfidic Protometabolism
3. Biological and Geological Evolution
Life diversified. Crises like the "Big Five Mass Extinctions," though destructive, reshaped biodiversity by opening up new evolutionary pathways. Epigenetics has added a new dimension to this adaptation process.
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Mass extinctions like the Permian-Triassic, which wiped out up to 96% of species, created new ecological niches for the survivors. This shows that disruptions and "reset" events are an integral part of the long-term unfolding of life. Epigenetics provides an "environmental memory" layer, allowing organisms to adapt to their surroundings faster than genetic mutation, revealing evolution to be a more dynamic and responsive process.
More Info: Mass ExtinctionsMore Info: Epigenetics and Evolution
4. "The Jinn's Mischief" (Pre-Moral Human Homo sapiens)
The era of intelligent hominins (*H. erectus, H. neanderthalensis*) devoid of moral consciousness. Theologically, it is the metaphorical equivalent of beings who "cause corruption and shed blood."
The narrative of the "jinn's mischief" in Islamic cosmology can be read as a profound theological metaphor for the evolutionary state of *Homo sapiens* and other hominins before being endowed with moral consciousness (the constructive and destructive potential of intelligence without moral guidance).
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This hypothesis integrates the question of the angels in the Qur'an (2:30) with paleoanthropological evidence and the exegetical tradition regarding the existence of "jinn" who were vicegerents on Earth before Adam but became corrupt. This positions Adam's creation not as a biological beginning, but a spiritual one. This "jinn period" represents not a moral collapse, but an a-moral state, not yet addressed by a divine moral law. In this state, both ruthless competition for resources ("shedding blood") and group solidarity and compassion (like the care for the Neanderthal child with Down syndrome in Cova Negra) were governed by instinctual and social dynamics.
Comparative Framework of Pre-Adamic Narratives
| Exegetical Narrative (Jinn) | Paleoanthropological Observation | Interpretive Meaning and Spiritual Analogue |
|---|---|---|
| Being made a vicegerent (khalifah) on Earth | Becoming the dominant and intelligent species on the planet | A being given the potential for responsibility |
| Causing corruption / Shedding blood | In-group conflict, resource wars, violence, hunting, interpersonal violence, territorial disputes | Impulsive, uncontrolled behavior; *Nafs al-Ammara*. Tendency for violence in the struggle for life |
| Pro-social Behavior / Altruism | Societal care for disabled individuals (e.g., Cova Negra Neanderthal child) | Evidence of compassion and social bonds before formal moral responsibility |
| Arrogance and rebellion | Hierarchical competition, dominance struggles | Selfish and ego-centric behavior patterns |
| Angelic intervention / Removal from vicegerency | Climate changes, natural disasters, genetic absorption | External regulatory factors; moral inadequacy |
5. The Adamic Threshold (~70,000 Years Ago)
The "breathing of the divine spirit" into the biologically existing *Homo sapiens*. The birth of symbolic thought, language, and moral responsibility (Vicegerency). The dawn of "Behavioral Modernity."
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This threshold can be associated with the "Upper Paleolithic Revolution" in the scientific record. Findings like the symbolic art in Blombos Cave can be interpreted as the physical "fossils" of this new Adamic consciousness. This allows us to see Adam's creation as a spiritual "software update" to an existing species. This event offers a theological solution to the debate on the time gap between anatomical and behavioral modernity: the "breathing of the spirit" was the trigger that unlocked the full potential of the already existing biological hardware.
More Info: The Origin of Modern Human BehaviorIII. The Adolescent Species: Diagnosis and Prescription
Humanity's Developmental Stages and Governance Models
Humanity's collective consciousness parallels the individual spiritual development stages of the Nafs (Self). Each level of consciousness produces its own worldview and governance model.
| Stage of Consciousness (Nafs) | Collective Behavior (Analogy) | Resulting Governance Model |
|---|---|---|
| Nafs al-Ammara (The Commanding Self) |
Reckless Adolescent: Impulsive, tribal, exploitative of nature, conflict-driven. | Nationalism / Predatory Capitalism: Governance based on power and narrow interests. |
| Nafs al-Lawwama (The Blaming Self) |
Developing Adult: Awakening of conscience, recognizing mistakes, remorse. | Transitional Systems: International law, human rights, climate agreements. |
| Nafs al-Mutma'inna (The Serene Self) |
Mature Adult: Wisdom, universal empathy, sustainability. The true Caliph. | Meritocracy of Universal Consciousness: Governance by the most wise and just. |
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This table explains humanity's collective behaviors through the metaphor of a "17-year-old adolescent." Our current crises stem not from an inherent evil in our nature, but from a collective phase of immaturity. The solution is to ascend from the dominance of *Nafs al-Ammara* (the impulsive self), to *Nafs al-Lawwama* where conscience awakens, and finally to *Nafs al-Mutma'inna*, where wisdom and universal responsibility prevail.
More Info: The Levels of Nafs and Their MeaningsIV. The Pre-Adamic World: "The Jinn's Mischief"
The narrative of the "jinn's mischief" in Islamic cosmology can be read as a profound theological metaphor for the evolutionary state of *Homo sapiens* and other hominins before being endowed with moral consciousness (the constructive and destructive potential of intelligence without moral guidance).
| Exegetical Narrative (Jinn) | Paleoanthropological Observation (*H. sapiens* & Neanderthals) | Interpretive Meaning and Spiritual Analogue |
|---|---|---|
| Being made a vicegerent (khalifah) on Earth | Becoming the dominant and intelligent species on the planet | A being given the potential for responsibility |
| Causing corruption and shedding blood | In-group conflict, resource wars, violence (Klein, 2009). Hunting, interpersonal violence, territorial disputes | Impulsive, uncontrolled behavior; *Nafs al-Ammara*. Tendency for violence in the struggle for life |
| Pro-social Behavior / Altruism | Societal care for disabled individuals (e.g., Cova Negra Neanderthal child) (Conde-Valverde et al., 2024) | Evidence of compassion and social bonds before moral responsibility |
| Arrogance and rebellion | Hierarchical competition, dominance struggles | Selfish and ego-centric behavior patterns |
| Angelic intervention / Removal from vicegerency | Climate changes, genetic absorption of Neanderthals (Li et al., 2024) | External regulatory factors; moral inadequacy |
| Creation of Adam as the new vicegerent | Emergence of "Behavioral Modernity" (~50,000 years ago) | The beginning of moral consciousness and divine address |
V. New Horizons: Conscious Evolution
Birth from the Cosmic Womb
The Earth is humanity's "womb." Space is the new realm into which our species will be born, becoming a conscious agent and "co-creator" of evolution.
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In this vision, humanity takes an active role in spreading life in space. With technologies like synthetic biology, we can consciously intervene in the evolutionary process by designing organisms suited to the conditions of new planets. This places an immense responsibility on humanity.
More Info: J. Craig Venter Institute - Synthetic BiologyTranshumanism and Responsibility
The potential to overcome our biological limitations with technology raises profound ethical questions about human dignity (fitra), justice, and ultimate purpose.
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Technologies like genetic engineering and cybernetics pose significant questions for Islamic thought: Do these technologies enhance or corrupt the God-given dignity (karamah) of humans? Does their unequal distribution lead to injustice? Muslim bioethicists are evaluating these questions within the framework of the public interest (maslahah).
More Info: What is Transhumanism?Bibliography
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