Conclusion

Abstract

This study has presented the thoughts of Arab writers, both Christians and Muslims, on Darwin’s theory of evolution. It has demonstrated how Darwinism, as a Western scientific idea, was greatly discussed and debated among Arab thinkers who were responding to the impact of Western thought. Arab reaction to Darwinism came at a time when secular-rational ideas were already known among the educated segment of population. The writings of both Muslims and Christians, radical and conservative, remained rooted in the philosophical, social and religious aspects of Darwinism. While it is obvious that biological evolution was not the main concern of Arab thinkers, they demonstrated a wide diversity of thought about evolutionary ideas. This diversity of thinking did not elaborate on Darwinism, as such. Arab writers neither introduced original ideas on the subject nor did they produce scientific research of their own. Nevertheless, the earliest Arab responses to Darwinism during the late nineteenth century came at just about the same time that the battle over almost the same issues was being conducted by Westerners.