Salman Ahmed Shaikh

In simple words, science is knowledge established by observation and experimentation through an objective process. Scientific knowledge substantiates that the design, variety and balance in the universe is complex, intricate and detailed. Science tries to disentangle useful knowledge about matter so that this knowledge can be put to effective use. In light of the scientific body of knowledge developed thus far, the assertion of chance argument for the origin and dynamic organization of this universe becomes all the more weak as argued by Eric Metaxas in his Wall Street Journal article “Science Increasingly Makes the Case for God”.

Islamic worldview does not oppose the use of various tools for obtaining useful knowledge and then using that knowledge for material ends both at an individual and societal level. When one reads Quran, Allah is again and again inviting people to ponder over their creation, environment, ecology, design, variety and balance in the organization of matter in the universe in order to decipher the meaning of life amidst all these manifestations. Question of ‘why we exist’ is the focus of Islam. Question of ‘what exists and how’ is the focus of science. Thus, Islam and science are parallel rather than perpendicular to each other. They can complement each other since the drive for mutual help, engendering compassion, respecting biodiversity, intergenerational resource equity and sustainability requires upholding values which are strengthened by religion.

Conflict between science and religion appears when a descriptive falsifiable scientific theory is presented as a substitute and evidence to support a Godless philosophy of life. Theory of evolution attempts to describe the process through which life comes to exist in different varieties. All this theory can support is that different forms of complex life did not come to exist all of a sudden and at the same time. It merely identifies and explains few intermediate steps in the long chain of events. It does not concern with the question of meaning of life itself. If I am just part of an evolutionary process, why should good and evil matter? Why should conscience and ethics be in anyway different from dust and air? That is where religion could provide meaning to life with values and a set of priorities for a sustainable social contract.

Islam and science are not at odds as commonly perceived. According to World Values Survey Sixth Wave results, 32.73% Muslim respondents completely agreed that science and technology are making our lives healthier, easier, and more comfortable as compared to 24.89% non-Muslims citing the same opinion. The opinion was asked from respondents on a 10-point rating scale where 1 represented completely disagreed and 10 represented completely agreed. It is interesting to note that 80.13% Muslim respondents chose response between 6 to 10 on the scale as compared to 78.25% non-Muslims choosing the similar response.

In history, we find that Muslim scientists were the first to break free from axiomatic approach and introduced observational approach to science. The paradigm shift with observational approach which brought impetus to science has origins in early Muslim scientific work rather than in post-renaissance era. Muslims took the Greek works, updated them and translated them for wider use in both East and West. Muslims did not force Galileo to let go his discovery. In fact, most scientific discoveries found their way in Muslim areas without much opposition. When Mongols made Tigris River black with ink of thousands of books in siege of Baghdad, it was not Islam holding back science. Islamic Monotheism frees inquiry and the use of materials as creatures rather than regarding them as objects of worship.

The aversion with science emanates from misplacing the scope of both religion and science in society and the use of political force in suppressing the debate in past as well as in present. Initially, it was the rationalists who used political force against the orthodox traditionalists to suppress this debate in Muslim history.

It is important for the torchbearers of science to know their scope and highlight what they can offer to society in terms of curing diseases, improving food production and easing transport, for instance. Likewise, it is important for the torchbearers of religion to understand that their basic gift to society lies in providing meaning to life and engender values that can enable the responsible and beneficial use of resources.

This approach can help in narrowing differences. But, if the religious scholars deny the applicative and descriptive knowledge of science, then they will be seen as holding science and perhaps society backwards. Likewise, if the scientists go beyond their jurisdiction to support one particular philosophical view of life which is completely Godless and which goes against the basic tenet of religion, then they may face resistance in societies where the majority still believes in religion. This resistance will perhaps be lesser in consumption of scientific knowledge and scientific products, but it will be more in the production and contribution to scientific knowledge as inventors and pioneers.