Science and Islam

[Afgun]

Islam and science describes the relationship between Muslim communities and science in general. From an Islamic standpoint, science, the study of nature, is considered to be linked to the concept of Tawhid (the Oneness of God), as are all other branches of knowledge.[1] In Islam, nature is not seen as a separate entity, but rather as an integral part of Islam’s holistic outlook on God, humanity, and the world. This link implies a sacred aspect to the pursuit of scientific knowledge by Muslims, as nature itself is viewed in the Qur’an as a compilation of signs pointing to the Divine.[2] It was with this understanding that the pursuit of science was tolerated in Islamic civilizations, specifically during the eighth to sixteenth centuries, prior to the colonization of the Muslim world.[3]
According to theoretical physicist Jim Al-Khalili, the modern scientific method was pioneered by Islamic scientist Ibn Al-Haytham (known to the west as “Alhazen”) whose contributions are likened to those of Isaac Newton.[4] Alhazen helped shift the emphasis on abstract theorizing onto systematic and repeatable experimentation, followed by careful criticism of premises and inferences.[5] Robert Briffault, in The Making of Humanity, asserts that the very existence of science, as it is understood in the modern sense, is rooted in the scientific thought and knowledge that emerged in Islamic civilizations during this time.[6]
Muslim scientists and scholars have subsequently developed a spectrum of viewpoints on the place of scientific learning within the context of Islam, none of which are universally accepted.[7] However, most maintain the view that the acquisition of knowledge and scientific pursuit in general is not in dis accord with Islamic thought and religious belief.[1][7] Physicist Taner Edis argues this is because some Muslims are reading into the metaphorical language of the Holy books what is not there, including recent scientific discoveries.[8]

[Badlun]

Islam has nothing to do with science because Islam being a religion is out of the sphere of influence of science. Religion has to do with beliefs, worship and morality while science is bases on senses and experiment. Both are mutually exclusive. How God, angles, heavens, hell, prayers, hajj can be connected to science.

By the way except few philosophers and pseudo scientists Muslims dont have any important scientist at their credit in the last 15 centuries.

[Toramana]

Out of 1.2 billions Muslims only 6 have so far won noble prize...Out of 13 millions Jews, 165 have won noble prize...

[emkhan]

Toramana, whats your number in those 165 ?

[sanman]

emkhan, if you cannot count anyway, then why ask?

Are you aware that there is a Pakistani scientist who won the Nobel Prize in Physics?

His name is Abdus Salam, but since he is Ahmadiya Muslim, you will not bother to recognize his contribution to Pakistan and to science.

Abdus Salam - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia




He is the founder of Pakistan's space program, in case you didn't know. He was a man ahead of his time - absolutely brilliant, and respected around the world.

Why don't you consider that this is a man who was a devout Muslim, and who also made important key contributions to understanding the universe, as well as to advancing science and technology in Pakistan. It shows that Islam and science don't have to be in opposition to each other. Look at his good example.

[Admin Khan]

emkhan, if you cannot count anyway, then why ask?

Are you aware that there is a Pakistani scientist who won the Nobel Prize in Physics?

His name is Abdus Salam, but since he is Ahmadiya Muslim, you will not bother to recognize his contribution to Pakistan and to science.

Abdus Salam - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia




He is the founder of Pakistan's space program, in case you didn't know. He was a man ahead of his time - absolutely brilliant, and respected around the world.

Why don't you consider that this is a man who was a devout Muslim, and who also made important key contributions to understanding the universe, as well as to advancing science and technology in Pakistan. It shows that Islam and science don't have to be in opposition to each other. Look at his good example.

Wasn't not recognizing him more of a political move? I remember politics played a crucial role. Sanman Khan, you should know by now that Pakistan is a pro when it comes to using Islam as a tool for it's foreign policy. Such propaganda begins at a very early stage in life, I'm sure EmKhan can vouch for this. At the age of 6, they are forced to yell every day, for 5 days a week, at 7am that "Pakistan ka matlab kya, La illaha illala". So generally, when they hit 18, it's sort of hard to question this Islamic state, hence the blind-followers, and chest-thumping supporters.

[sanman]

Yes, I agree - the Pakistani politicians were afraid of being called heretics if they dared to recognize Dr Abdus Salam, because of the fact that he is Ahmadiya. It was wrong of them, but politicians are cowards.


From the above Wikipedia article:

Salam was a devout Muslim and a member of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community[91] who saw his religion as integral part of his scientific work. He once wrote:

"The Holy Quran enjoins us to reflect on the verities of Allah's created laws of nature; however, that our generation has been privileged to glimpse a part of His design is a bounty and a grace for which I render thanks with a humble heart."[25]

During his acceptance speech for the Nobel Prize in Physics, Salam quoted the following verses from the Quran:

Thou seest not, in the creation of the All-merciful any imperfection, Return thy gaze, seest thou any fissure. Then Return thy gaze, again and again. Thy gaze, Comes back to thee dazzled, aweary.

He then said:

This, in effect, is the faith of all physicists; the deeper we seek, the more is our wonder excited, the more is the dazzlement for our gaze.[92]

So he allowed his faith to give him the passion for scientific research. This is in contrast to the Taliban nutcases who want to ban all books, paper, TV, internet, radio, etc. And then some people want to defend such insanity by saying "it's complex", etc.

[Afghanistan2010]

Out of 1.2 billions Muslims only 6 have so far won noble prize...Out of 13 millions Jews, 165 have won noble prize...

Every of your post is fully of crap,just a feedback.

Nobel prize is the prize that is directed to jews by jews.
Its so pathetic.

I have come around alot of great scientists and knowledgable people who are muslim.

A muslim who has much knowledge and is well educated is for them worser than one that cleans the toilette they will never recognize us as being the educated ones they are enemies of Allah and his Messenger and the believers.

They will never let us win anything , they will never help us gain anything if there is nothing for them.

American Atheist Scientist Converts Islam - YouTube

[AFG21]

Nobelprize is given by scandinavian comittee, what have jews to do whit it. There is a lot of iliteracy in muslim world, how do you espect to win a nobelprize whit such bad educational conditions. Most Jews leave in Western countrys were they can studie and have more oportunities to devolope them selfs.

[Admin Khan]

Yes, I agree - the Pakistani politicians were afraid of being called heretics if they dared to recognize Dr Abdus Salam, because of the fact that he is Ahmadiya. It was wrong of them, but politicians are cowards.


From the above Wikipedia article:



So he allowed his faith to give him the passion for scientific research. This is in contrast to the Taliban nutcases who want to ban all books, paper, TV, internet, radio, etc. And then some people want to defend such insanity by saying "it's complex", etc.

Greetings Sanman,

Do you have any evidence that the Taliban wanted to ban all books?

[Afghanistan2010]

He is an open liar , may Allah guide him for sure he is one of the jahiluun.

[sanman]

They were banning paper, weren't they? Even paper bags. Obviously, they didn't ban the Koran. But they were banning everything else. So yes, they were banning books. What proof do you need? Do you need proof they were also banning kites or white socks?

As for the Nobel Prize - the Peace Prize and even the Economic Prize may be very politicized in the selection process. But when it comes to pure sciences like physics, chemistry, biology, etc, then that doesn't really leave any room for politics.

[Afghanistan2010]

They were banning paper, weren't they? Even paper bags. Obviously, they didn't ban the Koran. But they were banning everything else. So yes, they were banning books. What proof do you need? Do you need proof they were also banning kites or white socks?

To my mind came very bad thing when i read this post of you for sure you are jahil.

We have proven last time why kites were forbidden or declared as something bad or dangerous.

but you have no proofs that books were forbidden or education but you can only fabricate claims after claims with no evidence.

<<<< this is what you do.

[sanman]

Heh, you love to use religious words for all your political arguments, don't you? You love to use God as your tool for your political agenda. How old are you? You obviously aren't old enough to remember Taliban's original invasion and sweep across southern Afghanistan.

You know they banned all paper - including paper bags, on the grounds that any paper could be used to draw the face of Prophet Muhammad. That's the reason they gave. So obviously books are made of paper too.

But of course the real reason that Taliban banned such things is because ISI told them to. ISI didn't want any form of communication that could undermine their operation. Communication like paper, radio, etc. They also forced windows to be painted black in the name of Islam. Obviously ISI doesn't want any witnesses to their actions, so blackening the windows helps prevent that too.

Remember, when Pol Pot blocked all communication between his country and the outside world, he was able to get away with all kinds of crimes. Outside world only found out after it was too late.

[Admin Khan]

They were banning paper, weren't they? Even paper bags. Obviously, they didn't ban the Koran. But they were banning everything else. So yes, they were banning books. What proof do you need? Do you need proof they were also banning kites or white socks?

Kite-flying is banned in many cities, and the white socks mantra I have never heard of. However, to claim they were banning books is not true. I can tell you that there were English courses, in which books were used, in the de-facto capital of Afghanistan - Kandahar City. To claim books were banned, is simply not true. Don't take this the other way. I, in no form/way, want/miss their regime, but I wouldn't associate nonsense for whatever reason with them either. The Taliban had some terrible policies, and they certainly had some elements of the ISI infiltrating the group, but to associate every nonsense with them is being intellectually dishonest. The Taliban, in all honesty, did have some leaders that were strategic assets for the 'Muslim' Pakistani regime. One of the few reasons why the Taliban were quickly embraced by some of the locals is because they looked benign when compared with the other crooks.

I personally do not want to live in such ridiculous conditions myself, hence I wouldn't wish it for others - but we must however take the context of Afghanistan into consideration when judging them. After all, they were once considered to be the moral equivalent of the American founding fathers by a former American president, and they took over Afghanistan in a very rough time.