Question:
What is Islam? This
will tell us what Islam wants…
BELIEF
1) Belief in their being a Creator Who is
separate from creation
And
2) He has particular Names, Attributes and
Actions which are specific to His Divinity.
ACTION
-To protect: 1)
human life 2) intellect 3) property 4) honour and 5) religion
MANNERS
-1) To prevent harm,
2) to spread goodness and 3) to remain patient.
Question:
What is Science?
What is
the objective of science?
|
It seems
to have been a disregard for, or an obliviousness to, the difference between
objective truth and warranted truth that has led to the doctrine that there
is no objective or absolute truth. You still hear people assert that all
truth is relative, meaning no more than that no truth can be established
with certainty.
-David Miller
|
For Muslims, it
makes more sense to have one superior all-Knowing being that is external to the
laws of physics and science and gave us an objective message, rather than being
in a state of constant subjectivity.
What is
object morality?
-Science allows for
no set definition of morality, therefore “desires” and “sin” etc. are
subjective and completely relative (to harm, human rights etc.).
This is included in
the broader definition of science which could include political-sciences.
To conclude,
Science doesn’t have
a strict set of objectiveness. Rather, it has faith in subjectivity. However,
both sides can agree on – face and theories aside – that a way of life can only
truly be judged on its universality and its impact on human life and
societies.
NOTE: famous
scientists have always believed in a creator/originator, including Plato and
Darwin himself.
Therefore, the role of Islam and science
are two completely separate things.
-However, Islam
teaches us that there can possibly be an overlap but doesn’t make science the
benchmark.
But why?
Principle
1
-Islam in its very
nature is something unproduced my man, therefore man can’t understand it.
Therefore, to have faith means to believe in a world of the unseen and it’s
that unseen world which is given to Prophets and Messengers to convey to us.
What is a miracle?
|
The mu‘jizah (miracle) is
the extraordinary sign with which Allah supports His Prophets and Messengers,
and challenges people.
-Ibn Uthaymeen
|
Conditions for a
Miracle in Islam (this will then affirm an objectiveness to the call)
-Not
able to replicate
-Something
outside of natural norms
-For a
purpose and not idle – support their prophet
-That the one receiving is truthful
-It is not possible for anyone else to produce it
-Various
Principle
2
Islam doesn’t call to blind faith; rather it calls us to
ponder on the relationship between the universe and our existence.
وَتَمَّتْ
كَلِمَتُ رَبِّكَ صِدْقًا وَعَدْلًا لَا مُبَدِّلَ لِكَلِمَاتِهِ وَهُوَ
السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ
6:115
|
Just
as there is no discrepancy in His universal laws, there are no discrepancies
in the laws that He has placed down for people to follow.
-Ibn al-Qayyim
|
Therefore, there will always be a relationship between
the unseen and the seen in order for us to recognise what is truthful in both.
In actual fact, there may be things in the realm of the
seen which science can’t explain but Islam can give an explanation to (e.g. the jinn, cure for diseases
etc.).
Principle
3:
Science can never be
a benchmark for truth, in and of itself, because:
1- It lacks the
above, i.e. it can’t explain the miraculous beginning of creation nor the
nature of how to preserve its existence.
For Muslims, just
because we may not be able to understand the reality of something doesn’t mean
we need to and doesn’t mean we are supposed to. For example, just because a
person can’t figure out a detailed equation, doesn’t mean it math doesn’t exists.
But what Islam DOES teach is to go and understand it to the best of your
ability.
2-Science admits
ignorance, therefore everything is subjective and theoretical. Even the most
stone-wall facts are debateable.
This shows, as
science is changing, there isn’t an absolute truth and because it keeps
changing, it’s open to self-contradiction.
وَنُقَلِّبُ أَفْئِدَتَهُمْ
وَأَبْصَارَهُمْ كَمَا لَمْ يُؤْمِنُوا بِهِ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ وَنَذَرُهُمْ فِي
طُغْيَانِهِمْ يَعْمَهُونَ
6:110
3-Based on the
above, had we made science as a benchmark for truthfulness, then whose science
and intellect do we use? Everyone’s ability differs and is always changes.
Also, like religion,
science has always been infiltrated with agendas (Wiswas?) however mainstream
followers of religion remain without sinister agendas, and understand the above
principles also, its more than reasonable to suggest that good people will
remain on earth who following the correct interpretation of religion.
Principle
4:
Islam is not
anti-science. In fact, it is pro-science and development but will not use
science to challenge the principles above.
Ibn Taymiyyah’s
works are extensive on this. If we take each of the core aspects of Islam:
Belief
“The intellect which
is sound can never contradict the religion”
They don’t deny the
Prophet but they deny his message…None of the other creation deny Allah – not
the angels and not the inanimate from the sun and the moon…Nor do they say that
because they use the creation to their advantage, that they are now in a
position to deny Him. However, believers affirm that “something that doesn’t
exist is not a thing.”
Action
“There are two ways to establish truthfulness in Lordship:
1) Looking at His Signs. For example, the sun has rays which is a sign of its existence. Even if a person didn’t physically see the sun, he knows it exists due to the effects of its signs.
2) Servitude and we all have and this is part of our Fitrah (natural default).
1) Looking at His Signs. For example, the sun has rays which is a sign of its existence. Even if a person didn’t physically see the sun, he knows it exists due to the effects of its signs.
2) Servitude and we all have and this is part of our Fitrah (natural default).
يَا
أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اعْبُدُواْ رَبَّكُمُ الَّذِي خَلَقَكُمْ وَالَّذِينَ مِن
قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ
2:21
He said, “This is talking to the Fitrah and not the Athar.”
Therefore, Islam teaches a message of recognising His Signs and bringing about a betterment because of it.
Therefore, Islam teaches a message of recognising His Signs and bringing about a betterment because of it.
Manners
-Deducing from the
above: the sounder the Eman, the sounder the intellect, which creates sound
morals. The opposite is true with liberality.
IN FACT, I argue
that there is a conspiracy to reduce religiousness by create a religion vs.
science divide.
What’s
contradictory:
-Science is used to
create Shubuhat.
-Science is ignored
to promote Shahawat.
كَالَّذِينَ
مِن قَبْلِكُمْ كَانُواْ أَشَدَّ مِنكُمْ قُوَّةً وَأَكْثَرَ أَمْوَالاً
وَأَوْلادًا فَاسْتَمْتَعُواْ بِخَلاقِهِمْ فَاسْتَمْتَعْتُم بِخَلاقِكُمْ كَمَا
اسْتَمْتَعَ الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ بِخَلاقِهِمْ وَخُضْتُمْ كَالَّذِي خَاضُواْ
أُوْلَئِكَ حَبِطَتْ أَعْمَالُهُمْ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالآخِرَةِ وَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ
الْخَاسِرُونَ
9:69
However, Islam
doesn’t promote an “us vs. them” attitude. Rather, Islam’s relationship with
science is more like the following (as opposed to being in opposition to
science):
Proof
for this:
وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ إِلاَّ
رَحْمَةً لِّلْعَالَمِينَ
21:107
Muslim advancements include:
Mathematics
-Muslim mathematicians created a shift from using
numerals to numbers
-In order to be able to spread and always locate Makkah,
they were pioneers in astronomy. As a result, the use of mathematics
contributed to advancements in civil engineering, such as creating roads,
pavements, channels, sanitation and the likes.
-Al-Khawarizmi was the man who made ground breaking
findings in the field of algorithm. Without
this, there would be no screens today!
-Ibn al-Shatir developed work carried
out by the Greeks to prove the orbit of planets.
-Ijma that the earth is a sphere
Medicine
-Ibn Sina’s “The Canon of Medicine” is
a cornerstone for modern medicine.
-The Muslims were the ones who introduced the concept of
universities, hospitals, operations and advancing medicine.
-Ibn Hayyan used alchemy and distillation to
separate liquids and boil them. This was the basis of modern day chemistry.
-az-Zahrawi
developed eye surgery and was the first to develop tools such as
scalpels, bone saws, forceps, fine scissors for his eye surgeries.
-Ibn Nafis was the first to find blood circulation
in the human body and its pattern.
Technology
-Khwarizmi above
-al-Jazari used clogs and crank-shafts to create the
first engine to create water cycles. Later, this was refined to create valves
and pistons. This today is used in robots and all advanced machinery.
-Abbas bin Farnas created a model of aviation. He jumped
off the grand mosque in Cordoba and because he failed, he activated his
parachute! Later he tried again and flew for what is believed to be around 10
minutes.
-Ibn al-Haitham used light and optics to create a camera
(stemming from the word Qamar)
-purifying gunpowder using potassium nitrate for military
means. They were able to propel an egg-shaped ball at great speed. These
findings also apply to space travel.
Architecture
-Muslims in Andalus were tasked to develop Europe when
the Roman empire saw growth.
-They were also tasked to develop streets and channels
for providing services into people’s locality and homes.
Culturally
-The Muslims introduced the world to many things we take
for granted today including;
-textiles and insulating them.
-soap and private areas for personal hygiene and
grooming, using vapour and hydroxide to develop perfume and even introduce the
British monarchy to shampoo.
-finance and banking, vouchers and cheques and banks were
introduced very early on
-games and competitions such as chess and the likes
-food – such as tea and coffee
Therefore:
Islam, it’s Prophet and it’s Book is not making a
scientific claim and it’s not challenging it.
The objective of Islam is create good and conscious
people who have morals and positive to human development. This comes with an
assertion of recompense for good and redemption for errors.
And Allah Knows best
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