The Relationship Between Islam and Science in Understanding Human Origins: A Comparative Study between the Qur'anic Narrative and Evolutionary Theory

Discourse concerning the origin of humanity has consistently become both a meeting point and a point of tension between theological narratives and scientific findings. On the one hand, the Qur’an provides a narrative regarding the creation of Adam as the first human being. On the other hand, evolutionary theory offers a materialistic explanation for the origin of Homo sapiens through the mechanisms of natural selection and common ancestry. This study aims to critically analyze the relationship between these two paradigms and to explore the possibility of an integrative dialogue between them. Using a library research method with a qualitative-analytical approach, primary data were derived from Qur’anic verses concerning creation, as well as scientific literature and contemporary Islamic studies. The analysis was conducted through comparative techniques and critical discourse analysis. The findings indicate that there are three models of relationship developed within academic discourse: conflictual, independent, and dialogical-integrative. This study finds that the dialogical-integrative model offers the most prospective middle path, wherein science is acknowledged for its capacity to explain biological processes (how), while the Qur’an remains the authority in explaining metaphysical origins and the existential purpose of humanity (why). The concept of Adamic exceptionalism developed by contemporary Muslim thinkers becomes one of the theological instruments that enables such reconciliation. This study concludes that the relationship between Islam and science in understanding human origins should not necessarily be positioned within a dichotomous framework, but rather can be understood as two epistemic domains that complement one another in the effort to understand the human phenomenon more comprehensively.