Islam and Science: Is There Room For Contradiction?
DUNIA COLUMN: Express it by Imane | Twitter: @Imane2express
Photo: Peter Hagyo-Kovacs
We all have this ever-present awe for science and scientists. We believe they have spent a considerable amount of their time and existence searching for the good for humanity’s sake. Kids are sent to school to memorise names of people who made up theories. Albeit the failures and uncertainties of many of them, we still honour those names who worked hard to come up with conclusions we cling unto. We don’t even try to think for ourselves even when their theories contradict strong innate beliefs that we hold dear. Let’s speak of Darwin’s theory about the evolution of man and how ‘we’ are the descendants of apes. We – human beings – whom Allah has gratified over all the other creatures (“Indeed We have honoured the children of Adam” Al-Isra’a) were originally apes, or probably monkeys. And, ironically, we still teach Darwin’s Theory in our schools and force our kids to learn about nonsense. No wonder Darwin’s Evolution Theory encountered quite a few bumps when it was first published. And, I wonder whether people still believe in it because I have never did; although I too, had had to memorise what Darwin miraculously found out and established.
Darwin’s Theory is just one example of the many theories that we stuff our kids’ books and minds with, while allowing little space for religion in science land. Whereby, if we were to provide a general description for all man’s theories, we would have to use words like ‘complicated’, ’uncertain’ and ‘liable to change’. All theories are alike in this. Think about NASA and their big discoveries that come banging at our doors every now and then; discoveries that have never fed the hungry or stopped war. Science books start early cultivating facts about the Earth, Sun, Planets and Moon. In general, much focus and importance are given to science; diminishing and marginalising the space we allocate for religion.
The misrules have long been set. It makes no sense to try to juxtapose the two – science is science and religion is religion. This realization is heightened when you spot a Quran verse that contradicts long hours you spent studying theories. However, it should – or definitely must – be different to a mind that is aware because we see the hand of Allah in creation around us that we have attributed to ‘science’.
“Do you not see how God sends down water from the sky and in the morning the earth turns green? Truly God is benign and well-informed.”
“Do you not see God has harnessed all that is in the earth, to your service? And the boats ply in the ocean by His command. He holds the sky in position lest it should fall upon the earth save by His dispensation. Verily God is compassionate and kind to men.”
“Have you not seen that God drives the clouds, then joins them together and puts them fold on fold. Then you see the rain fall through them; and He sends down hail from the sky”
These are only a few verses that describe the power of Allah to the beholder, to raise his faith, whereas science attributes those phenomena to some scientific explanations. The danger is in our hearts that have become resistant to anything but the rigid facts written in books. Whenever we see a strange phenomenon, we run to the science books which themselves need further clarification.
A few days ago, I came across Quran facts that negate many of the strong ‘well-evidenced’ theories I have long clung to. In Quran, I found simple explanations about the world/universe that lift the burden of studying long, boring human-made hypothesis. The first chain of verses speak about a ‘flat’ Earth not a round globe.
“Who made the earth a bed for you, the sky a canopy, and sends forth rain from the skies that fruits may grow”
“It is He who stretched the earth and placed upon it stabilisers and rivers; and made two of a pair of every fruit”
The words ‘bed’ and ‘stretch’ were the main adjectives used to describe the creation of Earth. However, science, for some reason, says the Earth is round, revolving around itself and around the Sun. One second here, please. Some verses again lay strong facts about the centrality of Earth, where the Sun and Moon move around it.
“It is God who raised the skies without support, as you can see, then assumed His throne, and enthralled the sun and the moon (so that) each runs to a predetermined course.”
“You may well have seen when the sun came up it moved away to the right of the cave, and when it went down it turned away to the left, and they stayed in its open space. This was among the signs of God. Whoever is guided by God follows the right path; and whosoever goes astray will not find a guide to show him the way”
Oh yea, can it be that simple? Can we simply throw away years of research and effort? Or, is it we who were oblivious to what came in the Book and went running to some human victories and discoveries? Whether those Quran verses destroy scientific theories completely or give way for more explanation is something that is completely unimportant if we take creation as a demonstration of Allah’s power over us. The certainty and faith that stem from the Quran’s simple teachings lift off burdens and envelop our hearts with ease and comfort; giving us the opportunity to fully realise His existence, and to worship Him the way we should. Those verses draw us back to where learning lies and should be drawn from.
Imane Fawzy Nofal is a translator, News Reporter, Copywriter, Editor, Proofreader (Arabic<>English) and mother of twin boys. She is an Egyptian living in Bahrain and blogs at Express It 2 Live It. Imane regularly shares her thoughts on human interactions and real life experiences through her DUNIA Mag column Express it by Imane. Imane’s first language is Arabic.
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