Journal of Contemporary Studies on Religion and Science (JCSRS)

Journal of Contemporary Studies on Religion and Science (JCSRS)

A Reflection on the Genetic Heritability of Human Behavioral Traits: An Interdisciplinary Qur'anic Study

Document Type : Original Article

Abstract
The Holy Qur'an, as the divine scripture of Muslims and the principal source of Islamic knowledge, has consistently played a central role in presenting a worldview, beliefs, and doctrinal principles, while providing answers to fundamental questions that have long occupied human thought in various fields. Among these enduring issues, the subject of heredity and the transmission of traits from one generation to another has been of particular significance within both scientific and religious domains. In scientific fields such as biology and genetics, heredity has been thoroughly investigated, with the transmission of physical traits and certain behavioral characteristics through genes to subsequent generations now well established. However, the inheritance of spiritual attributes and doctrinal beliefs is considerably more complex than that of physical traits. This study explores the heritability of beliefs as traits closely connected to the human soul and psyche. Although the verses of the Holy Qur'an do not explicitly reference genetic science, the fundamental concepts presented within — particularly in relation to creation and the transmission of traits — are, in many respects, reconcilable with contemporary discussions on genetics and heredity. Notably, verses such as 27: Noah (Nuh), 43:28 Az-Zukhruf, and 2:124 Al-Baqarah, which bear more explicit implications in this regard, have been carefully analyzed in this study. It may be argued that the Qur'an contains allusions to the transmission of doctrinal and belief-based traits to subsequent generations, which could potentially offer valuable insights for specialists in this field of scientific inquiry.
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