Reformulating a comprehensive relationship between religion and science: an Islamic perspective

Islam & Science, June, 2003 by Osman Bakar

(4.) For formulations on the relationships between religion and science seen from the Islamic perspective but which put greater emphasis on the intellectual positions adopted by Muslim philosophers and scientists of the past, see Bakar, Osman (1999), The History and Philosophy of Science, Islamic Texts Society, Cambridge, previously published under the title Tawhid and Science: Essays on the History and Philosophy of Islamic by Nurin Enterprise and Science University of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur in 1991.

(5.) For a detailed discussion of the major issues that were set to cause a cultural and intellectual separation between Islamic science and modern science see Iqbal, Muzaffar (2000), "Islam and Modern Science: Formulating the Questions" in Islamic Studies, vol. 39 (Winter), no. 4, pp. 517-70.

(6.) This is the famous hadith which tells us of a visit by Archangel Jibra'il appearing as a man in a traditional white robe to the Prophet's study circle in the presence of his close companions, with the purpose of teaching them religion (din). Jibra'il posed questions on islam, iman and ihsan and then he himself undertook to answer them. For a penetrating exposition of this tripartite structural division of the religion of Islam, see Schuon, Frithjof (1972), Understanding Islam, Allen & Unwin, London.

(7.) See Bakar, Osman (1998), Classification of Knowledge in Islam, Islamic Texts Society, Cambridge, previously published by Institute for Policy Studies, Kuala Lumpur in 1992.

(8.) For discussions of issues of methodology in science from the Islamic perspective, see Nasr, S. H. (1980), "Reflections on Methodology in the Islamic Sciences" in Hamdard Islamicus, 3:3 pp. 3-13; Bakar, O. (1984), "The Question of Methodology in Islamic Science" in Muslim Education Quarterly, 2:1 (Autumn), pp. 16-30.

(9.) The Center for Islam and Science is to be congratulated for providing an extensive database of Islam and science discourse. The Center's website, www.cis-ca.org, has a section on "Major voices in Islam and science discourse" that serves as a major resource for those interested in this intellectual project.

(10.) On the difficulties posed by modern science and its worldview to the task of creating a contemporary Islamic science and the various steps needed to be taken in overcoming them, see Nasr, S. H. (1996), "The Islamic Worldview and Modern Science" in Islamic Thought and Scientific Creativity, vol. 7, no. 1 (March), pp. 7-22.

(11.) See, for example, our Classification of Knowledge in Islam, op. cit. (particularly chapters 2, 3 and 4).

(12.) For further discussion on this issue, see Nasr, S.H. (1993), Introduction to Islamic Cosmological Doctrines, State University Press of New York, Albany; al-Attas, Syed Muhammad Naquib (1981), The Positive Aspects of Tasawwuf: Preliminary Thoughts on an Islamic Philosophy of Science, Islamic Academy of Science, Kuala Lumpur; and Bakar, O. (1999), The History and Philosophy of Islamic Science.

(13.) On contemporary discourse on Islamization of knowledge, see al-Faruqi, Ismail R. and Abu Sulayman, Abdul Hamid (1981), Islamization of Knowledge: General Principles and Workplan, International Institute of Islamic Thought, Herndon; al-Faruqi, I. R. (1988), "Islamization of Knowledge: Problems, Principles, and Prospective" in Islam: Source and Purpose of Knowledge, International Institute of Islamic Thought, Herndon; al-Attas, Syed Muhammad Naquib (1978), Islam and Secularism, Muslim Youth Movement of Malaysia (ABIM), Kuala Lumpur, (reprn. 1993) by International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilization (ISTAC), Kuala Lumpur; and Stenberg, L. (1996), The Islamization of Science, (Lund Studies in History of Religions, No. 6), Coronet Books, New York.