As I haven't enough reputation points to answer or comment on the topic How would a future British Muslim respond to rule by alien mages? I am writing here.
Setting:
I start with these two questions:
I will try to give some short answers here hoping the thread will be re-opened for discussion (as i might have some questions and suggestions about the character of the young Muslim woman mentioned there):
Islam accepts that there is something called magic. Scholars even make a difference between at least 3 kinds of magic, but in Islam in general (maybe their are some slightly differences about the kinds) doing magic, learning magic, etc. are forbidden. As a reference, you can read the following in verse 102 (one of the longest in the Koran) of the 2nd surah al-Baqara ("The Cow"):
[Instead of this,] they began to follow that [magic] to which the devils falsely attributed [the greatness of] the kingdom of Solomon. In fact Solomon was never involved in any practice of disbelief, but the satans, who taught magic to the people were themselves guilty of disbelief. They were after that thing which was sent to Harut and Marut, the two angels at Babylon. Whenever these two angels taught the black arts to anyone, they would always give a clear warning beforehand, saying, "We are merely a trial for you; so you should not commit blasphemy." But in spite of this warning, those people used to learn from the angels the art which caused division between husband and wife. Although it was obvious that they could not do any harm to anyone by means of this magic without Allah's permission, yet they learnt that art which could not be profitable even for them but was actually harmful. Moreover, they knew it full well that anyone, who purchased that art, would have no share in the Hereafter. What a vile commodity it was for which they sold off their souls, if they had but known it!
This means magic from an Islamic point of view has some (in this verse, harmful) results but nothing (good or bad) can happen to anyone without God's (Allah's) permission. And magic is something bad which a faithful person should reject.
About aliens, I think most Muslim scholars would reject the idea of aliens. But in a small booklet entitled The Koran and Scientific Research I found an essay entitled "Are There Cosmic Creatures?" The author, a Moroccan university professor, stated that the Koran doesn't exclude their existence and cited some Koranic verses.
As indications of possible cosmic creatures, he quoted (I quote just the relevant parts of the verses):
These 3 verses would traditionally be interpreted that those who are in the heavens are the Angels, but the next verse shows that there seems to be something else:
- And whatever creature that is in the heavens and that is in the earth makes obeisance to Allah [only], and the angels [too] and they do not show pride. (XVI.49, but see Shakir's translation)
Creatures are mentioned elsewhere in the Quran as:
- Allah has created every [living] creature from water. And of them are those that move on their bellies, and of them are those that walk on two legs, and of them are those that walk on four. Allah creates what He wills. Indeed, Allah is over all things competent. (XXIV.45)
Again, another verse seems to mention plants:
- [And] so they do not prostrate to Allah, who brings forth what is hidden [الْخَبءَ] within the heavens and the earth and knows what you conceal and what you declare (XXVII.25)
But unfortunately here all the translations only used one interpretation of the word in the Quran ("the hidden"), but الْخَبءَ also means "plants".
- We will show them Our signs in the horizons and within themselves until it becomes clear to them that it is the truth. (XLI.53)
About the Big Bang Theory, he quoted:
- Have those who disbelieved not considered that the heavens and the earth were a joined entity... (XXI.30)
By the way, some Muslim scholar (from the Sunni Hanafi Madhab) thought a long time ago about humans on the Moon and asked himself how and to which direction one should pray if living there. (The direction would be the actual direction of Earth.)
