ISLAM AND SCIENCE
Conflict Between Religion And Science
The
relationship between science and religion has often been a turbulent one.
Historically, scientists have scorned the advent of religious ideas seeing them
as in conflict with rational thinking. Much of this prejudice has stemmed from
opposition by religious authorities to new scientific discoveries in the past.
Christendom in particular displays a history of confrontations between the
Church and scientists. This conflicting situation made the Bible subject to
adulterations. The European Bishops mutilated its teachings, changed its
concepts and beliefs and added philosophy to it. Scientific errors were also
assorted in it. The Christian followers adopted that belief as their own, which
in fact was not theirs but was an outcome of the wrong concepts added by the
priests. When the scientists, after having researched, raised voice against
such wrong concepts, the priests started thinking that the scientists were
negating religion as against science. So they started giving the verdict of
infidelity against such scientists. Scientists were tortured and tormented.
Countless scientists were buried alive as a result of their prejudiced laws. In
the Sixteenth century the Polish philosopher Copernicus came to know of the
Heliocentric Hypothesis, that the earth and other planets revolved around the
sun, but was frightened to publish his findings for fear of Papal disapproval.
However, it was Copernicus’s successor Galileo who suffered the full force of
the Church’s disapproval. When he published his work “The Dialogue Concerning
the Two Chief World Systems”, a masterful piece agreeing with the Copernican
theory, Galileo was brought to trial by the Inquisition in Rome in 1632. He
died in prison. These actions laid the foundations of a continuous struggle
between scientific discoveries and church authorities. During the Renaissance
period scientists inevitably took their revenge, which is still evident today.
Quran And Invitation To
Scientific Study
The case
with Islam differs. In the midst of ignorance, where scientific knowledge was
scorned, the Qur’ān eloquently pointed out many new found facts with such
remarkable accuracy that only the Creator of man could do. It has only been in
the last three centuries with specific regard being given to the present
century that scientific research has unfolded and clarified the workings of the
universe. This has ranged from the development and function of our own bodies
to the environment that we live in. Yet the Qur’ān has already described these
natural phenomena to focus man’s attention on the wisdom, benevolence and
authority of the Creator. Such liberal and advanced thinking led the way to an
entire host of Islamic academics and scientists between the 8th and 12th
centuries’ (A.D). At a time when Christianity laid down heavy penalties on
scientific development, Muslim scholars flocked to the University of Cordoba,
the cultural centre of Islam, making new discoveries. There is a long list of scientists
and scholars who made remarkable contributions in different fields of science.
Abul Qāsim az-Zahrawī was
a renowned Muslim surgeon and physician. His fame rests in his book
“al-Tasrīf”. This was an amazing work on medical science which laid the
foundation of the development of surgery in Europe. Abu Ishāq was a great
philosopher and translator. He translated and wrote commentaries on the
philosophical works of Aristotle. He was also a famous mathematician,
astronomer, optician, physicist and pharmacologist. Abū Raihān al-Bayrūni was
the first to discover that light travels faster than sound. He was also a
learned philosopher, geographer and a physicist. Abul Wafā al-Buzajānī was a
notable mathematician. His contributions to the development of Trigonometry are
remarkable. Ibn al-Haytham was a prominent Muslim physicist who made the first
significant contributions to the optical theory. Ibn Sinā, a renowned Muslim
scientist, produced a book “Kitab-ush-Shifā’”. It discusses the natural
sciences including Metaphysics, Astronomy, Geometry and Psychology. Muhammad
bin Mūsa al-Khawarzimī was a famous mathematician and astronomer. He
accomplished the oldest works on Arithmetic and Algebra. He was the first
person to use Zero. Al-Fārābī was a great Islamic thinker who transmitted the
doctrines of Greek philosophers Plato and Aristotle to the Arab world. And last
but not the least Jābir bin Hayyān is recognised as the father of modern
Chemistry. He introduced experimental research in chemical sciences. In the
eleventh and the succeeding centuries the Arabic knowledge gained popularity in
the West. Since the twelfth century knowledge seekers from all over Europe
traveled to the East and the Islamic West. The books of the Arab scientists
were translated on a large scale in that era.
Christian rulers of Spain followed the footsteps of the Muslim
sovereigns, opened the doors of their courts to scientists and scholars and
patronized dissemination of intellectual and scientific learning. Al-Fanso VI
occupied Teetlah (renowned cultural city of Islamic Spain) in 1085.This
conquest opened the way for the promotion of Arabic culture in Europe. A centre
named “Madrasa-tul-Mutarajjimīn” (centre of translators) was established in
Teetlah to introduce Arabic science to Europe. Here, Jewish scholars were
appointed to translate the Muslim authors. Books on Mathematics, Astronomy,
Physics, Chemistry, Medicine, Philosophy, Logic and Politics. Educational
centres were also set up on Islamic style in the twelfth and the subsequent
centuries.
In fact
the more, the modern science unfolds the reality of these phenomena, the more
the truth of the Qur’ān becomes evident to us. At a time when scientific
research did not even exist, let alone different fields of science, such
precise knowledge could not come from any source but from the knowledge and
wisdom of Allāh the Highest. For many this is a paradox, as religion has always
been seen the bane of science, its antithesis. The legacy of Galileo has
prejudiced the scientific community against religion, including the ambit of
Islam.
Thought For The Article:
Wake
Up, Do We Forget The Sacrifices Of Imam_E_Hassan R.A For Our Islam, Wake Up, Do
We Forget The Scarifies Of Hazrat Bilaal R.A For Our Islam,
Its Time To Unite And be one Ummah.
Mir Rahil
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