by Turki Al-Owerde
Natural science depends on the changeable paradigm
A question that has always bothered Muslims who have not built their faith in a correct, objective and systematic way as God and His Messenger have guided, is that there’s a conflict between natural scientific facts and Islam.
Personally, I never worry about contradiction between Islam and the natural science. I will explain the reasons.
What is the Science (Knowledge) in general?
Linguistically, it is perceiving something for what it really is. The simplest, idiomatic definitions of science are: a collection of facts, events, news, theories and methods.
Islamic Science or Shariah is the knowledge of what God revealed to His Messenger Mohammed – peace be upon him, which is preserved as evidence and guidance in the Qur’an and Sunnah.
Natural Science is one of the branches of science, and it is the science that studies the physical and chemical properties of all phenomena on Earth and the universe surrounding us.
Here is the critical point to focus on:
Islamic science (Shariah) relies on a fixed model and methodology which is purely and absolutely based on the sacred revelation (the Qur’an) that can never be altered, twisted, changed, added to, reduced. And then it’s based on the authentic fixed texts of the Prophet’s Sunnah or traditions which is a revelation too as a walking perfect model of the The Holy Qur’an.
Natural science depends on the changeable paradigm, whereby what is agreed upon among the scientific communities can be reversed or modified later, such as gravity, relativity, and the big bang. In the past, the brightest minds believed in every absurd concept. Aristotle believed that a fetus is composed of a man’s semen and a woman’s menstrual blood.
In fact, we always find scientific studies with contradictory results or at least not consistent or compatible. There are scientific studies that are paid for or directed in an ideological or economic way to achieve specific results that are consistent with the vision and goals of a set of beliefs or specific objectives of the sponsors of the research.
The naive ignorant romantics who say (I believe in Science) as an absolute objective criteria, may feel shocked by the authoritarianism, exclusion and persecution that may happen to those who adopt scientific opinions or findings that merely refer to The Creator whether through the theory of intelligent design or other results.
In conclusion, the idea of believing – absolutely or most probably – in natural science to define values, to determine right or wrong – objectively – it appears to be overwhelmed with absurdity given its relative, changing and contradictory nature due to the human imperfection nature or because of the contradicted reasons, objectives and methodology used.
It should be noted that there is a natural science that depends directly on experience, direct observation and objective correction, and from it, inventions and discoveries come that benefit or harm humanity in one way or another, and this is something that has been in humanity since its inception, where we see ancient human achievements that the scientific community today cannot understand.
Scientism
There is also scientism, which holds that the inductive methods characteristic of the natural sciences are the only source of truly factual knowledge.
This is what I call (epistemological dictatorship), where other sources of knowledge are ignored or suppressed, especially those that are most reliable at all, such as divine revelation.
Scientism is considered the most important pillar adopted by adherents of the phenomenon of new atheism in an absurd way that aims only to fight The absolute truth. There’s no justice, there’s no right or wrong, there’s no objective moral values, and there’s no objective basis or methodology that gives a human being a real value, in which all crimes and atrocities can be justified.
Back to the start, regardless of the absurdity of Scientism, natural science despite all its good or bad achievements does not in any way equate – objectively – the value of a single verse of the Qur’an or an authentic Hadith in terms of authenticity, reliability and credibility.
Conclusion
The Qur’an is the revelation of The Creator Almighty, the miraculous which God has challenged all mankind, for more than 1400 years up to this day. Mankind has been unable to meet its perfection, challenges and absolute objective examinations.
A true Muslim is one with an objective and firm belief, must consider The Qur’an the absolute dominant over all of human knowledges.
Finally, I advise myself and all people, Muslims and non-Muslims, to think and contemplate as He Almighty commands and urge for the best for peoples and the lands, and for maximum interest in the sciences of The Qur’an, because after death there’s no value in inventing a useful instrument or invoking an enlightening idea as long as a person is far from his Lord.
Turkey Al-Owerde is Editor-in-Chief and Political Analyst of the Herald Report. His knowledge of the religious undertones of most Muslim Terrorist Organizations makes his many “conflict analysis” a valuable source of information for many security experts from around the world. He tweets under @Turki_AlOwerde.
