Search

Islam and Science have a long and complex relationship, with both fields influencing each other in different ways. While there are many areas of overlap and compatibility, there are also several grey areas where tensions and disagreements exist. The relationship between the Quran and Science has been a topic of much discussion and debate over the years. While some argue that the Quran contains scientific knowledge that was only discovered by modern science, others believe that the Quran should be interpreted metaphorically and not as a scientific text. This analytical study aims to identify and analyze the grey areas that exist in the relationship between the Quran and Science through a review of relevant literature and analysis of Quranic verses. The study found that while there are areas of overlap and compatibility, there are also several grey areas where tensions and disagreements exist, particularly in the interpretation of Quranic verses related to science. There are also several areas of tension such as the role of women in scientific pursuits, and the relationship between Islam and modern scientific theories. The study concludes that there is a need for a deeper understanding and dialogue between the two fields to address these grey areas and promote a more harmonious relationship between Islam and Science. The study concludes that there is a need for a more nuanced and contextual understanding of these verses to promote a harmonious relationship between the Quran and Science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the doctrine of the miraculousness or inimitability (ijaz) of the Quran. It mentions that ijaz resides not in the Quran's Arabic text but rather in its ability to divine or predict the findings of modern science. It also mentions that Muslims of the modern age, which they associate with a widespread mobilization of science against religion.

Islam's positioning in relation to Western ideals of individuality, freedom, women's rights and democracy has been an abiding theme of sociological analysis and cultural criticism, especially since September 11 2001. Less attention has been paid, however, to another concept that has been central to the image of Western modernity: science. This article analyses comments about Islam gathered over the course of 117 interviews and 13 focus groups with non-Muslim members of the public and scientists in the UK and Canada on the theme of the relationship between science and religion. The article shows how participants' accounts of Islam and science contrasted starkly with their accounts of other religious traditions, with a notable minority of predominantly non-religious interviewees describing Islam as uniquely, and uniformly, hostile to science and rational thought. It highlights how such descriptions of Islam were used to justify the cultural othering of Muslims in the West and anxieties about educational segregation, demographic 'colonization' and Islamist extremism. Using these data, the article argues for: (1) wider recognition of how popular understandings of science remain bound up with conceptions of Western cultural superiority; and (2) greater attentiveness to how prejudices concerning Islamic beliefs help make respectable the idea that Muslims pose a threat to the West. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides a general survey of the contributions made by women to science, knowledge and welfare in Islamic civilisation. The paper determines that early Muslims approached Islam and science in a holistic fashion, after adopting an epistemology which maintained a unity between science, technology and spiritual knowledge. The paper also suggests that, in the early age of Islam, women were given positions of trust and high responsibility in the spheres of leadership, education, and science. But, this empowerment of women in early Islam bears little relation to the conditions of women in modern-day Muslim societies, where women often suffer the most in conflict-ridden regions, whether from insecurity, domestic abuse, low education levels or poor medical care. The paper accordingly establishes a direct link between the absence of good governance and issues like gender inequality, the violation of the rights of women, and the current weakness of Muslims in science and technology. Without good governance, the status of women is unlikely to improve. If women’s rights to both a proper education and an occupation continue to be neglected, the equilibrium of Muslim society will be damaged, hindering its ability to produce innovative and passionate minds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Islamization of Knowledge process is considered as one of the most important and intellectual movements of the 20ih century. It is also one of the most credible and longstanding contemporary Muslim intellectual responses towards modernism. The undefined structure and framework of the Islamization process makes it a challenging task and recognized more as a theory rather than effective methodology plan. This paper focuses on the Islamization of Knowledge in general, comprising with its history, definition and pioneers. Moreover, Islamization of science subjects in specific with the objective of introducing a framework for this phenomenon, based on Al-Farouqi's 12-step work-plan and Berghout's framework using a descriptive theoretical theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Dîvân: Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies / Disiplinlerarasi Calismalar Dergisi is the property of Bilim ve Sanat Vakfi and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This article is focused on some conditions in today's world of globalized media, which are producing either an uncritical acquiescence or fright in Muslim societies as a result of the interaction between these societies and the contemporary Western powers that represent modernity and postmodernity on the global stage. The rise of fundamentalism, a tendency toward returning to the roots and stringently insisting upon some pure and literal interpretation of them, in almost all the religions of the world is a manifestation of this fright. The central concern of this article is to suggest that fundamentalism is neither the only nor the most reasonable response for Muslim societies in the face of contemporary modernity. Muslims need to adopt an independent and critical attitude toward modernity and reshape their societies in the light of the ethics of the Qur'an, keeping in view the historical link between Islam and science in as much as Islamic culture paved the way for emergence of modern science during European Renaissance. The necessity of a pluralistic or contextualized modernization of Muslim societies is discussed along with the need for the removal of cultural duplicity in the role of the West in relation to Muslim societies. All this leads to an overall proposal for modernization which is given towards the end. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on the relation of modern science with the Islamic society. It is stated that Muslims find it difficult to accept the theories of modern science, if the theory contradicts their holy book of Quran. However, with a genuine Islamic framework of scientific enquiry with the support of scholars and scientists can help the Islamic society in understanding and contributing towards modern science.

This article examines the attitude of the Western world and the Islamic world toward technology. The influence of the Greek-Hellenistic world on early Islam led to an atmosphere conducive to the development of an Islamic pursuit and promotion of science. During the Middle Ages, Islamic people led the West in science and technology. Political and socioeconomic factors contributed to the stagnation of the pursuit of science in Arab countries following the eleventh century. A study found that Americanization is perceived by Muslims as a machine that destroys culture. It also found that the hostility directed at the West is rooted in Muslims' resistance to the technological culture.

The number of faculties and universities offering Islamic traditional sciences or studies has slowly increased over the past decades. However, the Islamic community has not felt their graduates' impact other than as teachers or religious personnel. In fact, if the criteria used to assess Islamic education is the growth of a genuine, original, and adequate Islamic thought or intellectualism, then most of these institutions have failed to provide such an education. I examine the goals and curriculum of higher Islamic education and the conditions conducive for the growth of intellectualism. I argue that poor pedagogy, which does not offer teaching methods that encourage critical and ethical thinking, contributed to the state of affairs. Further, I argue that the basic problem is the inadequate conceptualization of knowledge as regards Islamic epistemology in the curriculum and the lack of academic freedom. I assert that the issue of what knowledge is most valuable for today's intellectual and ethical Muslims has not been resolved and that this affects the curriculum structure and, inevitably, the programs of Islamic traditional sciences. The need to reintroduce Islamic philosophy into the curriculum is one of this article's major arguments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many question whether Islam and science can be compatible. In the first six hundred years of Islam, Muslims addressed all fields of knowledge available to them with unprecedented zeal and contributed immensely to the knowledge that became the precursor of the Renaissance in Europe. The Tatar invasion in the thirteenth century and the total destruction of Baghdad, the Muslim capital of knowledge and science, followed by the crusades, the ensuing hostility between East and West, and Western colonialism of Muslim countries led to a distrust of all knowledge emanating from the West. Such distrust closed the doors to ijtihad, a dynamic method in Islamic jurisprudence for addressing change, new demands, and new acquired knowledge, even though the Qur'an challenges Muslims to think, contemplate, understand, comprehend, and examine everything around them—tasks that bring humankind closer to God as they find methods to apply God's laws of justice and equity to the benefit of all humankind. Islam is the religion of yusr (ease) and not ‘usr (hardship). The creation of the world was for human benefit and use. Innovation for such beneficial use and application is a must. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the acceptance of the theory of evolution in Islamic countries. In 2007 professors at various U.S. universities received a book titled "Atlas of Creation," by the Muslim creationist Adnan Oktar, also known by the pen name Harun Yahya. The increasing battle over the teaching of evolution in U.S. has occurred for decades. According to the author, Islamic countries where biological evolution is still an emerging concept may be the next battleground. Topics include an overview of the views of Islamic scholars about evolution, the social and cultural threat it poses to Muslims, and the use of the Koran by some to justify either creationism or evolution. Statistics related to studies regarding the opinions of the general population about evolution is presented.