Do Islam and Science Contradict?

Zayd Chowdhry

Introduction

The greatest speech is the speech of the most high, the all-knowing, and the most perfect. This is the speech of Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the most gracious. The Holy Qur’an is truly a miracle and a blessing from Allahسبحانه وتعالى, and with this blessing, mankind has benefited from it, is benefiting from it, and will benefit from it for the rest of time. It is obvious that the speech of Allah سبحانه وتعالى will contain infinite wisdom far beyond the understanding of mankind; the current understanding of the Holy Qur’an is only a tiny portion, a scratch on the surface, a drop from the ocean.

Even with this small portion, the Holy Qur’an and the teachings of the most beloved creation of Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, provides a person with everything they might need to live this short life successfully and to be successful in the hereafter, which is the ultimate goal. The Holy Qur’an gives us guidelines, commands, prohibitions, stories to take heed, warnings, and countless more benefits to ensure that we remain on the straight path.

It comes as no surprise that the Holy Qur’an also teaches about the nature of this universe and the reality of the systems of this world including how humans are formed and the reality of astrology. This knowledge from fourteen centuries ago, is now called science in this modern age. This shows that the Holy Qur’an is truly timeless, forever relevant, and will always be a source of knowledge.

In this secular society a heavy importance is placed on science and logical thinking. Unfortunately, as a result, people generally disregard religions. Islam, however, is the true divine path so it is simply wrong and ignorant to disregard Islam in favour of science. As a matter of fact, while there may be conflict between science and other religions, there is no conflict between Islam and science.

The Historical Perspective

The development of scientific understanding, methods, and technology has had a major impact on society. There was a time when even England was religious, even though the majority were Christian, and this was when scientific understanding was not very prevalent. Then came scientists like Copernicus and Darwin who challenged the Christian beliefs, and slowly the

public attitude towards religion and science changed. The beginning of the 20th century was a

major turning pointing in physics with scientists like Einstein, Heisenberg, and Dirac to name a

few, who paved the path to modern science with Quantum Physics and the theory of relativity. It is very easy to make the correlation between scientific developments and the growth of a secular society. In a study by David Voas and Stefanie Doebler into the secularization of Europe a clear trend was found which can be seen in figure 1.

The conclusion offered was that secularization was due to 'advanced modernity' and modernity can be interpreted as scientific advancements and improved technology. Another paper by Nikki R. Keddie titled 'secularism and its discontents' has also made this link and has explained that with the spread of science people feel that they no longer need religion.

The disregard for religion is because the public think with logic which is why they question the existence of Allah. They try to comprehend the greatest being, who is above everything, by analysing it on the world - the very thing that Allah has created - and conclude that no god exists, when in reality, Allah سبحانه وتعالى is above this and it is not possible to discover the nature of Allah سبحانه وتعالى with our weak minds. It is for this reason that people prefer the safety of science - something which aims towards logical proofs and explanations. Because, for the non-believers, admitting that Allah سبحانه وتعالى exists is admitting that there is a being which will never be understood through science and mankind is too stubborn to except this weakness. A clear evidence to this is to just look at everything left unexplained by science. Some examples include dark energy, the component of the universe which drives expansion, dark matter, which is the dominating matter in the universe, the nature of black holes, and the undiscovered 80% of the oceans.

Once this attitude towards science is changed, a new attitude can be adopted, one that prioritises Islam over science, an attitude where we believe not because science has proven but because Allah has said so and we don't deny the words of Allah and the beloved Prophet ﷺ just because our logic cannot comprehend it. One might object on adopting this attitude and say that by doing this science will never advance so it will be said to those who object to listen to the words of the Holy Qur’an.

The very first revelation of the Holy Qur’an was:

"Recite in the name of your Lord who created" [Surah Al-A’laq 96:1]

The command is to read, and the connection can be made between this command and seeking knowledge because reading is a means of acquiring knowledge and learning. Therefore, this highlights the importance of knowledge in Islam. Allah سبحانه وتعالى has made this world as a sign towards himself and this has been expressed many times in the Holy Qur’an:

"And He placed at your service whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on earth-all is from Him. In that are signs for a people who think." [Surah Al-Jathiya 45:13]

"In the creation of the heavens and the earth, and in the alternation of night and day, are signs for people of understanding." [Surah Āli-ʿImran 3:190]

"In the creation of the heavens and the earth; in the alternation of night and day; in the ships that sail the oceans for the benefit of mankind; in the water that Allah sends down from the sky, and revives the earth with it after it had died, and scatters in it all kinds of creatures; in the changing of the winds, and the clouds disposed between the sky and the earth; are signs for people who understand." [Surah Al-Baqarah 2:164]

In the tafseer of Jalalayn, the saying of Allah سبحانه وتعالى" In the creation of the heavens and the earth" in both verses also includes the marvels contained within the heavens and the earth and that they are signs indicating to the oneness of Allah سبحانه وتعالى.

Allah سبحانه وتعالى has also clearly said:

(19) Have they not seen how Allah originates the creation, and then reproduces it? This is easy for Allah. (20) Say, "Roam the earth, and observe how He originated the creation." Then Allah will bring about the next existence. Allah has power over all things." [Surah Al-Ankabut 29:19, 20]

In all these verses the word knowledge is used giving the common meaning and includes knowledge regarding this world - science. Therefore, it is understood that seeking knowledge about this world has also been emphasised by Allah سبحانه وتعالى, and the reason for this is to realise that this world is a very complex creation and there is only one creator and only one who has the power to create this world and that is Allah سبحانه وتعالى. This is how the world is just one large signpost pointing towards Allah سبحانه وتعالى, his power, and his oneness.

Glory be to Allah سبحانه وتعالى who has provided the answers to everything in the Holy Qur’an. By adopting an attitude where Islam is prioritised, science will continue to advance and even more so because the motivation for developments in science will have changed. People will want to advance scientific knowledge to understand the power of Allah سبحانه وتعالى and to draw closeness to Allah سبحانه وتعالى and there is no better nor purer motivation than this; so scientific endeavours with this intention would undoubtedly be full of blessings. To summarise, by prioritising Islam, scientific advancements will flourish due to the blessings from Allah سبحانه وتعالى.

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Science in the Holy Qur’an

People may also object that science contradicts Islam and the Holy Qur’an, but there is no way this can be true because the Holy Qur’an is the best book, completely free from faults, and contains only the truth. To show that this is not the case, one can again ponder on the verses of the Holy Qur’an; on numerous occasions, miraculously, many scientific discoveries in modern times have been in the Holy Qur’an for 14 centuries. Therefore, it is not possible that the Holy Qur’an contradicts science when the Holy Qur’an itself teaches it and has proven it before even scientists have discovered it.

The Expansion of the Universe

Allah سبحانه وتعالى has said:

"And the heaven we constructed with strength, and indeed, We are [its] expander." [Surah Al-Dhariyat 51:47]

It has been scientifically observed and proved mathematically that the universe is expanding

exponentially, and this fact is seen in many cosmology textbooks such as "Introduction to Modern Cosmology". And Allah has spoken about how he expands the heavens in the verse quoted above and this was explained in the Holy Qur’an 14 centuries ago. In contrast the first time the expansion of the universe was even considered was in 1922 by Alexander Friedmann.

The Formation of Man

"Then we made the sperm-drop into a clinging clot, and we made the clot into a lump [of flesh], and we made [from] the lump, bones, and we covered the bones with flesh; then We developed him into another creation. So blessed is Allah, the best of creators." [Surah Al-Muminun 23:14]

A truly beautiful verse of the Holy Qur’an which explains fully and perfectly the development of man in the womb of his mother. This explanation of embryology is in line with the current understanding and many modern textbooks regarding the formation of a baby in the womb of the mother. 14 centuries ago, this perfect explanation would not be possible but through the miracles of Allahسبحانه وتعالى.

Water

Allah سبحانه وتعالى has made mention of the importance of water in many places in the Holy Qur’an. Firstly, Allah سبحانه وتعالى has stated that man is created from water:

"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." [Surah Al-Nur 24:45]

A very similar verse is found in Surah Al-Ambiya [21:30] where Allah جل جلاله explains that every living thing is created from water, and in the tafseer it is explained regarding this verse that water is the cause of every living thing having life. It is a well- known fact that water is essential for human life and that 70% of the human body consists of water, therefore water is the origin of life. It is for this reason that scientists are so concerned about finding water on other planets because this would suggest existence of life there.

Secondly, Allah سبحانه وتعالى has explained the water cycle

very beautifully.

"And We have sent down rain from the sky in a measured amount and settled it in the earth. And indeed, We are able to take it away." [Surah Al-Rum 30:48]

Here Allah سبحانه وتعالى has beautifully explained the falling of rain, the absorption of water into the soil, and the subsequent evaporation of water. The water cycle is very well understood by scientists and is taught to everyone in primary school and this water cycle was explained perfectly by Allahسبحانه وتعالى. There are many more verses in the Holy Qur’an regarding the clouds and hydrology and they all explain the reality of the water cycle.

The Sky as a Protection

Allah سبحانه وتعالى showers us with his blessings and protects us constantly from the dangers coming from space. This protection is in the form of the sky:

"And We made the sky a protected ceiling, but they, from its signs, are turning away." [Surah Al-Ambiya 21:32]

There is a huge amount of research on the dangers of UV, Infra-red, and cosmic ray exposure, it has been proven without a doubt that prolonged exposure to these kinds of rays increase the chance of developing cancer. Through the blessings of Allah سبحانه وتعالى the atmosphere absorbs a huge amount of this radiation so the exposure to humans is decreased significantly. In this way Allah has made the sky as a protected ceiling.

Mountains

Again, through the mercy of Allah سبحانه وتعالى we are protected with the mountains made as pegs:

"And the mountains as stakes?" [Surah Al-Naba 78:7]

In the tafseer it is explained that this means the earth is tied down and made firm with the mountains acting as pegs. In a book by Geophysicist Frank Press, he has explained exactly this, that the mountains are stakes and are buried very deep under the surface of the Earth

There are many more examples in the Holy Qur’an and only a few have been briefly mentioned. These scientific advancements have only been proven and discovered in recent times however they have been mentioned in the Holy Qur’an 14 centuries ago. Therefore, this objection that science contradicts Islam is not correct and these verses are clear evidence for this. The Holy Qur’an is an endless source of knowledge and benefit so there is without a doubt many more scientific miracles in the Holy Qur’an which people cannot comprehend. This is also proof that understanding everything in The Holy Qur’an is impossible. However, we should not recite the Holy Qur’an with the sole intention of finding scientific miracles, the Holy Qur’an is a source of guidance for mankind and should be taken as such.

Incompatibility from another Perspective

From the previous two sections it can be understood that Islam and science do not contradict; in fact, Islam encourages science and Islam teaches it. But some people may still make objections that the science taught in the Holy Qur’an is not correct, so they are incompatible. One example of such an objection is that Allah سبحانه وتعالى has said:

"And the earth - We have spread it and cast therein firmly set mountains and caused to grow therein [something] of every well-balanced thing." [Surah Al-Ḥijr 15:19]

In this verse Allah has described the Earth as spread out and Allah has mentioned this in other verses as well such as in Surah Nuh [71:19] and Surah Al-Naba [78:6]. In the tafseer, it is explained that the Earth is made flat and people object on this and say that the Holy Qur’an is wrong because the Earth is in fact round. The answer to this objection is a trivial one: to the eyes of a human the Earth is flat, and its curvature is not seen because the Earth is so much larger than a person. Therefore, Allah سبحانه وتعالى has explained the nature of the Earth as expanded so that it is a more suitable description for what is seen by the human.

There are other objections like this but many of these objections can be attributed to a lack of understanding. Only a person of extremely high calibre can begin to understand the Holy Qur’an and there are many procedures that one must go through in order to learn and understand the book of Allah. The people making these objections are looking at the Holy Qur’an through the eyes of hatred and arrogance, it is very rare that they will have an extensive knowledge regarding the meaning of the Holy Qur’an, so it not warranted for them to make such absurd objections on the most perfect book of Allah.

It is also very important to consider the thoughts of professionals and not just the views of the public. There have been many papers written by scientists who have expressed their views on the incompatibility of science and religion, furthermore a lot of research has been done in this field.

Albert Einstein has also discussed this topic in an article published in 1939. In this article Einstein expressed his views and defined religion and science and he concluded that the well-known conflict between science and religion is a "misapprehension". He also goes on to state that science can only advance by people who are "thoroughly imbued with the aspiration towards truth and understanding", and this kind of feeling is only achieved through religion.

The idea that scientists need religion is also supported by another article titled 'Debate about science and religion' in which many scientists discuss this issue and many of the scientists agree that religion is needed for spiritual guidance and that science will always question "why" to which many times no answer or explanation can be given. In another paper by Abdulla Galadari, which provides a very good analogy between scientist’s views of gravity and the existence of God, it is also concluded that believing in either science or religion and rejecting the other is irrational.

Another research paper by Elaine Eckland looks at what scientists in general think regarding this conflict between science and religion and this was done through survey data with a sample size of 1646. It was found that most professional scientists do not perceive any conflict between science and religion. It is hoped that after exploring all these different angles it is seen that there is no contradiction between Islam and science, and this is the view proven by Allah and agreed upon by the specialists of this field as explained above. It is also important to note that only the word of Allah is sufficient to prove this.

Conclusion

Generally, people who view religion and science to be incompatible have views which either restricts themselves to only accepting science or completely disregarding science, this idea has been thoroughly researched and proven by Joseph Baker in his paper researching the public perception of incompatibility between science and religion. Allah has made the nation of

Muhammad ﷺ a "moderate nation" [2:143] so these views which are two separate extremes are not suitable in Islam. Therefore, there may be incompatibility between other religions and science, but this is not the case for the unique true Deen which is Islam. The proof for this is that even to this day science has not been able to provide a single piece of concrete evidence that fundamentally contradicts the Holy Qur’an.

Even though all these clear signs are in the Holy Qur’an and all these evidences have been provided people still seem to think that there is no concept of science in Islam. However, as it has been established, the idea of science in Islam does exist but it does not dominate Islam, and this is the major difference in attitudes that allows there to be no contradiction. Islam is the true, correct path, free from misguidance, and free from faults, and it is a Deen which encourages and teaches science.

And with this, I conclude this article, whatever is incorrect then it is from me and accursed Shaytaan, and I seek the readers forgiveness and whatever is correct and beneficial to the reader then it is from the blessings of the most high, Allah سبحانه وتعالى.

Zayd Chowdhry

Alimiyyah Graduate, Accountant,

Student of Shaykh Faizulhaq Abdulaziz حفظه الله

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