This is my final assignment which i have submitted to my beloved lecturer: Prof. Dr. Sidek Baba:
THE CONCEPT OF WESTERN SCIENCE AND ISLAMIC SCIENCE
What is science?
Before we proceed to this topic, the word of science must be cleared first. In the book entitled Islamic Science towards a definition by Alparslan (1996) wrote:
“When those kinds of human activities geared towards acquiring knowledge are examined in every civilization, we find that there are individually organized bodies of knowledge that can be characterized as disciplines. As a preliminary approach, therefore, we shall refer to any organized body of knowledge as ‘discipline’, which is systematized with a certain method, geared at the same time toward furthering that knowledge itself. Each discipline, then, is a body of knowledge which is at the same time expressed by the term science”.
So, the science can be said as a discipline of knowledge which has a systematic method to apply on the certain subject. Moreover, for the specific discipline of science, Alpraslan (1996) defined science as,
“a body of knowledge (in the sense of discipline), which arises as a result of the process of determining a subject matter that is investigated by a scholarly developed method yielding theories”.
Therefore, subject matter, method, theory and an accumulated body of knowledge are the four essential characteristics of a science, without having all these; no discipline can claim to be a science (Alparslan, 1996).
The word “science” means “knowledge.” It comes from the Latin word, “scire,” “to know.” The baseline definition of “science,” then, is human knowledge (Hooker, 1999).
Western Sciences New methods of inquiry had been invented for understanding the natural world and its processes; these include empiricism and systematic doubt. Empiricism was largely developed by English philosophers and scientist in the seventeenth century. Empirical thought is founded on the idea that all knowledge of the world comes from sensory experience; this sensory experience can be trusted to give us an accurate picture of the world. From sensory experience, we can derive the principles whereby the world works by observing phenomena repeatedly and in controlled circumstances. Empiricism, then, is knowledge that is derived through experience. During the middle Ages, human experience was not regarded as a valid way of arriving at truth; truth instead was passed on through authorities, particularly the authority of the Old and New Testaments. Sometime, we don’t know when, Europeans began to value human experience as a valid measure of the truth. This is in part signaled by Leonardo da Vinci’s claim that the human eye contains all the parts of the universe. British empiricism is not simple experience, however; it is controlled experience. Controlled experience is called an experiment (which is formed from the same word that gives us the word “experience”), and the science, or knowledge, that is derived from this controlled experience is called “experimental science.” (Hoodbhoy, Pervez. (1991). Systematic doubt was originally theorized by René Descartes in the middle of the seventeenth century. The basic foundation of Descartes systematic doubt is spelled out in The Discourse on Method , one of the most influential books in the modern period. Everything, according to Descartes, should be doubted unless it can be proven to be true under all circumstances. All subsequent knowledge should be based on this true knowledge. When systematic doubt was applied to empirical science, it completed the entire picture of Western, experimental science. Since a controlled experience can produce knowledge that means that any human being whatsoever should arrive at the same results, same experience, and same knowledge if they control the experience precisely in the same way. Controlled experience allows for that experience to be repeated; if the repetition of the experience leads to the same knowledge, then the original knowledge is confirmed. Experimental science, then, developed into a series of methods to control and limit human sensory experience so that this experience could be repeated by others who, following Cartesian logic, are bound to doubt all knowledge until they can prove it true (http://www.wsu.edu/~dee/SCIENCE/BASELINE.HTM).The method was used is primarily scientific method that mean it is empirical in nature. According Wikipedia Dictionary Scientific method is a body of techniques for investigating
phenomena acquiring new
knowledge or correcting and Western science can be defined as a body of knowledge developed from the base in the western country integrating previous knowledge. It is based on gathering
observable empirical and
measurable evidence subject to specific principles of
reasoning. The scientific method consists of the collection of data through
observation and
experimentation and the formulation and testing of
hypotheses. Although procedures vary from one
field of inquiry to another identifiable features distinguish scientific inquiry from other methodologies of knowledge. Scientific researchers propose
hypotheses as explanations of phenomena and design
experimental studies to test these hypotheses. These steps must be repeatable in order to predict dependably any future results.
Theories that encompass wider domains of inquiry may bind many hypotheses together in a coherent structure. This in turn may help form new hypotheses or place groups of hypotheses into context.
Islamic science
Muslim and sciences cannot be denied of their glory. The outburst of the science have abolished from Muslim civilization started when Islam’s power has been retreated in both its eastern part, the taking of sacking of Baghdad by the Mongol in 1258 and western part when the Cordoba in 1236, Valencia, 1238 and Seville, 1248 by conquered by the Christian armies in Spain (Salah, 2002). The precious of the science as knowledge for Muslim cannot be denial.
Muslim scientists placed far greater emphasis on
empiricism and
experimentation than any previous
ancient civilization and they introduced
quantification precise
observation controlled experiment and careful records. Their new approach to scientific
inquiry led to the development of the
scientific method in the Islamic world. In particular the empirical observations and
quantitative experiments of
Ibn al-Haytham (Alhacen) in his
Book of Optics (1021) is seen as the beginning of the modern scientific method. Other leading exponents of the experimental method included
Geber (who introduced it to
chemistry)
Avicenna (who introduced it to
medicine) and
Abū Rayhān al-Bīrūnī (who introduced it to
astronomy and
mechanics). The most important development of the scientific method the use of experimentation and quantification to distinguish between competing scientific theories set within a generally empirical orientation was introduced by Muslim scientists (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_science).
So, what is mean by Islamic science? While, Islamic science is as proposed by Professor Al-Attas as:
Islamic science is that scientific activity which takes place ultimately within the Islamic worldview (which can now be identified also as the Islamic conceptual environment): but as an extension of it directly within the Islamic scientific conceptual scheme (which can be identified also as the Islamic context of sciences).
Revealed theology simply organizes and systematically presents the subject matter of the Absolute ghayb, such as the nature of God, resurrection, paradise and hell without any speculative interpretation. Speculative theology on the other hand uses the uses the subjective mood as its method to present the knowledge of the experiential realm such as the existence of God, the intelligibility of life after death and soon. Second, the science that stands in between the transcendent and physical realm. This science was study man, society, religion and the nature of science. The method used was experimental observational method and rational procedure. The classification of sciences in the physical realm requires a more rigorous attempt, it such physics, astronomy, biology, mathematics and logic.
SCIENCE OF QUR’AN AND SCIENCE OF HADITH: REPRESENT AN ISLAMIC SCIENTIFIC APPROACH
Science of Quran
The active framework of the Islamic scientific tradition is the Islamic scientific conceptual scheme. Therefore, as its necessary ground it must have emerged first, so that a tradition is based on it. The Quran claims to originate with the one (God) who originated everything (55:2). Therefore, we have every right to logically inquire if the originator of the earth and the heavens, in the knowledge that he gives us about them knows what we have discovered about their origin through modern science. The Quran exists in the world today. Therefore, if we do not accept the Book’s claim of being a revelation from God, then we must come up with an explanation as to its origin. The existence of the Quran cannot be denied; we have a problem, which demands an explanation to justify denial, if denial were our choice.After the prophet moved to medina, prophet has setting up certain institutions that became the model of education. The school of bench known as ashab al-suffah is only one of these educational establishments which were founded by the prophet in medina. Most companions acquired the character of a real residential school where reading, writing, Muslim law, the memorizing of the chapter of the quran, tajwid and other Islamic science were taught under the direct supervision of the prophet. Prophet stressed on the education of Muslim that when some Mecca’s were taken prisoners by him after the victory of badr (Alparslan, 1996). The main purpose of establishment of the suffah was to preserve the intellectual heritage of Islam. Studying and memorizing the Quran and Hadith, spending most of their times in meditation and worship, following the prophet during the day wherever he went in order to observe what he did and said so as to record his traditions. In this sense, it performed the task of the prophet archive, and thus became the first seat of the Islamic scientific tradition (Alparslan, 1996).There are many sciences devoted to the study of the Qur’an itself. The development of such sciences dates from the first day of Qur’anic revelation; over a period of time they were unified and perfected. Today countless books are available on these sciences, fruit of the labour of different researchers over the centuries.Some of these sciences investigate the language and vocabulary of the Qur’an, and some the meanings. Those concerned with language are the sciences of correct Qur’anic pronunciation and reading (tajwid and qira’ah). They explain the simple changes which certain letters undergo when occurring in conjunction with others, the substitution of letters and the places prescribed for breath-pausing, and other similar matters. They also study the different ways the Qur’an has been written down and the several generally accepted ways of recitation, together with the three lesser known ways and the rarer modes of recitation. Other works enumerate the number of chapters and their verses, while others relate these numbers to the whole Qur’an. They discuss the tradition of Qur’anic calligraphy and how it differs from the normal Arabic script. They research, too, into the meanings of the Qur’an and the general division of subject matter, such as the place and circumstance of revelation, the interpretation of certain verses, the outward and inner meanings, the muhkam (clear) or the mutashabih (ambiguous), and the abrogating and the abrogated verses. Others study the verses containing the laws (which, in fact, are part of what is known as Islamic fiqh or jurisprudence). Others specialize in the commentary of the meanings (already seen in a previous section of the book). Specialists in each of the different sciences have published numerous works on each subject (
http://www.al-shia.com/html/eng/p.php?p=quran&url=Al-Quran)The Sciences which developed because of the Qur’an the sciences of the din of Islam came into being at the beginning of the Prophet’s mission and the revelation of the Qur’an, including laws governing the behaviour and transactions of Muslims. Study of these sciences developed in the first century after the Hijrah although initially, not in any formal way. Since the Caliphs had prohibited the writing down of the tradition, they were handed down by word of mouth by the companions and their followers.In the most archival activities the companions relied mainly upon their memory. A small number of Scholars wrote on jurisprudence and on the science of the traditions at the beginning of the second century when the prohibition was lifted, allowing Scholars to record the traditions. It was at this point that a number of disciplines came into being including the Science of Traditions and the Science of establishing the authority and sincerity of those men who transmitted it; the Science of analysis of the text of the traditions; the Science of the foundations of jurisprudence and jurisprudence itself; the Science of belief in the judgment after death and the after-life. Indeed what stimulated scholars to record and arrange coherently the laws of the Arabic language was the sense that they were serving God; love of Him drew them to a clarity and sweetness of style which in turn generated the Science of correct speech and composition. It is thus related that Ibn ‘Abbas, who was one of the commentators amongst the companions, explained the meanings of verses by taking examples of the vocabulary in question from Arabic poetry. He advised people to collect and learn Arabic poetry saying, Poetry is the court of the Arabs (meaning the place where the finest language may be heard).Access to these sciences was at first available only to the Caliph (who was at that time leader of only Arab Muslims). Gradually they were made available to all Muslims and improved upon as research methods, structuring, classification and ordering of the subjects developed. One of the main reasons the civilization of Islam, which formed after the death of the Prophet, came to include a large part of the inhabited world (and which today numbers over six hundred million inhabitants), was the Qur’an. The appearance and diffusion of the revelation caused a change in the direction of history and generated a chain of important events resulting in the progress and development of the culture of man (Sayyid Hussein).
Tafsir and Ta’wil
The word tafsir is derived from the root ‘fassara‘ – to explain, to expound. It means ‘explanation’ or ‘interpretation’. In technical language the word tafsir is used for explanation, interpretation and commentary on the Qur’an, comprising all ways of obtaining knowledge, which contributes to the proper understanding of it, explains its meanings and clarifies its legal implications. The word mufassir (pl. mufassirun) is the term used for the person doing the tafsir, i.e. the ‘exegete’ or ‘commentator’.
The word ta’wil, which is also used in this connection, is derived from the root ‘awwala‘ and also means ‘explanation, interpretation’ .
In technical language it similarly refers to explanation and interpretation of the Qur’an.
Tafsir in the language of the scholars means explanation and clarification. It aims at knowledge and understanding concerning the book of Allah, to explain its meanings, extract its legal rulings and grasp its underlying reasons. Tafsir explains the ‘outer’ (zahir) meanings of the Qur’an. Ta’wil is considered by some to mean the explanation of the inner and concealed meanings of the Qur’an, as far as a knowledgeable person can have access to them. Others are of the opinion that there is no difference between Tafsir and ta’wil. (http://www.youngmuslims.ca/online_library/books/ulum_al_Quran/Ch6S1s1.htm)
Science of Hadith
Mustalah al-Hadith (Classification of Hadith)
Mustalah books speak of a number of classes of hadith in accordance with their status. The following broad classifications can be made. According to the reference to a particular authority, example the Prophet (May Allah bless him and grant him peace), a Companion, or a Successor; such a hadith are called marfu’ (elevated), mauquf (stopped) and maqtu’ (severed) respectively. According to the links in the isnad, in example whether the chain of reporters is interrupted or uninterrupted, example musnad (supported), muttasil (continuous), munqati’ (broken), mu’allaq (hanging), mu’dal (perplexing) and mursal (hurried). According to the number of reporters involved in each stage of the isnad, example mutawatir (consecutive) and ahad (isolated), the latter being divided into gharib (scarce, strange), ‘aziz (rare, strong), and mashhur (famous).According to the manner in which the hadith has been reported, such as using the (Arabic) words ‘an (”on the authority of”), haddathana (”he narrated to us”), akhbarana (”he informed us”) or sami’tu (”I heard”). In this category falls the discussion about mudallas (concealed) and musalsal (uniformly-linked) ahadith. According to the nature of the matn and isnad, example. an addition by a reliable reporter, known as ziyadatu thiqah, or opposition by a lesser authority to a more reliable one, known as shadhdh (irregular). In some cases, a text containing a vulgar expression, unreasonable remark or obviously-erroneous statement is rejected by the traditionists outright without consideration of the isnad: such a hadith is known as munkar (denounced). If an expression or statement is proved to be an addition by a reporter to the text, it is declared as mudraj (interpolated). According to a hidden defect found in the isnad or text of a hadith. Although this could be included in some of the previous categories, a hadith mu’allal (defective hadith) is worthy to be explained separately. The defect can be caused in many ways; in example two types of hadith mu’allal are known as maqlub (overturned) and mudtarib (shaky).
According to the reliability and memory of the reporters; the final judgment on a hadith depends crucially on this factor: verdicts such as sahih (sound), hasan (good), da’if (weak) and maudu’ (fabricated, forged) rest mainly upon the nature of the reporters in the isnad. (Mohammad Hashim Kamali: 1989,
http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/hadithsunnah/scienceofhadith/asa2.htmlRijal al-Hadith (the study of the reporters of Hadith)
Mustalah al-Hadith is strongly associated with Rijal al-Hadith (the study of the reporters of hadith). In scrutinizing the reporters of a hadith, authenticating or disparaging remarks made by recognized experts, from amongst the Successors and those after them were found to be of great help. Examples of such remarks, in descending order of authentication, are: Imam (leader), Hafiz (preserver), reliable, trustworthy, makes mistakes, weak, abandoned (by the traditionists), liar, used to fabricate ahadith (http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/hadithsunnah/scienceofhadith/asa3.html. Reporters who have been unanimously described by statements such as the first two may contribute to a sahih (”sound”, see later) isnad. An isnad containing a reporter who is described by the last two statements is likely to be da’if jiddan (very weak) or maudu’ (fabricated). Reporters who are the subjects of statements such as the middle two above will cause the isnad to be da’if (weak), although several of them relating the same hadith independently will often increase the rank of the hadith to the level of hasan (good). If the remarks about a particular reporter conflict, a careful verdict has to be arrived at after in-depth analysis of e.g. the reason given for any disparagement, the weight of each type of criticism, the relative strictness or leniency of each critic, etc.
The earliest remarks cited in the books of Rijal go back to a host of Successors, followed by those after them until the period of the six canonical traditionists, a period covering the first three centuries of Islam. A number of traditionists made efforts specifically for the gathering of information about the reporters of the five famous collections of hadith, those of al-Bukhari (d. 256), Muslim (d. 261), Abu Dawud (d. 275), al- Tirmidhi (d. 279) and al-Nasa’i (d. 303), giving authenticating and disparaging remarks in detail.
THE RELEVANT OF QURAN AND HADITH WITH SCIENCE
The Quran is the fountainhead of Islamic intellectuality and sciences. It is the main source of inspiration of the Muslim vision of science. The Quran is not book of science but it does provide knowledge of the principles of science, which it always relates to knowledge of sciences. (Osman Bakar, 1991). According to the famous Muslim scientist, Ibn Sina, that science is true science which relates knowledge of the world to the knowledge of the Divine Principle (Ibn Sina, 1958). The Quran itself is so rich depository of science, prompting Bucaille (1982) to state that Quran is just like encyclopedia of science that can access such vast scientific wealth. Bucaille also stated because of Quran contain so much of the scientific, it is also impossible for the scientist to find inconsistencies in contradiction of science. In Quranic verses, many of the ayah or verses told about the creation and which has been proved used the scientific evidence. According Bucaille the Quran is invariably correct and that it correctly anticipated all major discoveries of modern science. He line ups an impressive number of Quranic references to bees, spiders, birds, plants and so forth. (Hoodbhoy, 1991) all the verses are gleaned some very useful evidence about the His creation. For example, Allah has mentioned about the water He has sent down.Water:
“Who made the earth a resting-place for you and the heaven a structure, and sends down rain from the clouds then brings forth with it fruits for your sustenance; so do not set up rivals to Allah while you know” (2:22).
Who made the earth for you an expanse and made for you therein paths and sent down water from the clouds. Then thereby We bring forth pairs of various herbs. Eat and pasture your cattle. Surely there are signs in this for men of understanding (20:53-54).
In the verses below it show the role and benefit of water as such drawn by geographical knowledge.
The origin of the universe:
1- The scientific discovery that at the time of the birth of the universe, single unified force prevailed testifies beyond doubt that the Creator of the Universe is One without any partners and that whatever the universe contains belongs to Him (Muhammad Munir, 1994). This fact as it has now been confirmed by the astro-physicists has been revealed in many verses of Holy Quran. In surah 22:64 and 112:1-4 it is thus revealed:
“Unto Him belonged all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth. Lo! He verily is the Absolute, the Owner of Praise.” “Say: He is Allah the One! Allah, the eternally besought of all! He begetteth not nor was begotten. And there is none comparable unto Him.”
2- The scientific discovery establishes that the universe originated as an act of creation. The scientific view that the universe did not exist such from eternity, it was born and has since developed has further been strengthened by the Big Bang Theory. The big bang may be a great spiritual charge of attraction which appeared in a powerful eruption and created the external world in the form of cosmic radiation that illuminated the space (Muhammad Munir, 1994). The birth of the universe with the mighty outburst in the form of illumination known as big bang is just in accord with the revelation of the Holy Quran. In Sura 51:47 it is thus revealed:
“and We built the heaven with might, and We it is Who make the vast extent (musiun).”
3-According the Cambridge Atlas of Astronomy May, 1987 (see Muhammad Munir, 1994), the different categories oh heavens and their progressive development based on definite physical characteristics of heavens and their progressive development based on the definite physical characteristics and the hierarchical construction of galaxies which live in groups along with their stars and planets seem to be the same as mentioned in the Holy Quran in the following verse:
“Allah is He who created seven Heavens and the Earth like (planet). The communication comes down among them gradually so that you may know that Allah is able to do all things, and that Allah surround all things in knowledge (65:12).
The following verses reveal that the whole creation has developed from stage to stage:
“What aileth you that ye hope not toward Allah for dignity. When He created you by stages? See ye not Allah hath created seven heavens one above another.” (71:13-14)
Modern scientific discoveries confirm that planets, stars and galaxies did not exist from eternity; these developed in succeeding stages, one above the other. The same is true of the biological stages which developed on the earth. Each creative stage receives its nourishment relevant to the development and composition of the stage (Muhammad Munir, 1994).
Past history: The Quran mentions a city by the name of Iram where a prosperous people the AAD lived. It was a city of “tall pillars” (chapter 89: verses 6-8). “Have you noted what your Lord did to `Aad? Erum; the town with tall buildings. There was nothing like it anywhere”.Till very recently no historic or non-historic record existed about Iram. However in 1973, the ancient city of Ebla was excavated in Syria. While going through the tablet library of Ebla archaeologists came across a list of cities that Ebla traded with and on that list was a city named Iram. When reporting it in the National Geographic of December 1978, the only reference to Iram they could cite other than the tablets was the Koran, chapter 89.Creation of man: The Quran says that the “ejaculated drop” determines the sex of a human baby (53:45). “He is the One who created the two kinds, male and female. from a tiny drop of semen. He will effect the recreation”.It is common knowledge that semen is the fluid that is ejaculated by males during sexual acts. Females do not possess such “ejaculated semen.”The point is that the sex of the baby, whether it is male or female, will indeed be determined by the ‘ejaculated drop’, i.e. the father’s sperm. It has been scientifically established only recently that the female ovum contains only X-chromosomes. If the ejaculated drop bears the Y chromosome, the offspring will be male; otherwise the offspring will be female. No one living at the time of Muhammed or even Darwin for that matter had any knowledge of such genetics foretold centuries before in the Koran (Asadi, 1992, 1995).
WESTERN SCIENCE AND ISLAMIC SCIENCE: SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES
Similarities
As mentioned above, western sciences just accepted and recognized science as knowledge which can be seen and touch. No one can be declared as science unless it must empirical in study and rational also logic. All these methodologies were likely same with the Islamic science. Some methods in Islamic teachings stand as the driving forces behind this development of modern scientific methods that took place in the Islamic civilization.Firstly, is respect for observation. The Qur’an orders man to observe nature and thus spurs us towards the scientific method of induction. Say: “Behold all that is In the heavens and on earth”; But neither Signs nor Warners Profit those who believe not. Qur’an (10:101) If there were, in the heavens And the earth, other gods Besides God, there would Have been confusion in both! Qur’an (21:22) The contrast between the Islamic view of a nature packed with the signs of God that we are commanded to observe with the companionable distrust of the senses is unmistakable.Muhammad Iqbal has emphasized that “the general empirical attitude of the Qur’an which engendered in its followers a feeling of reverence for the actual and ultimately made them the founders of modern science. It was a great point to awaken the empirical spirit in an age that renounced the visible as of no value in men’s search after God”(quoted by Siddiqi, 1986).The Qur’an does not see empirical observation, rational thought, and Gnostic contemplation as pulling men in different directions. It insists that all lead to God. Thus, we are repeatedly exhorted to “see,” to “think,” and to “contemplate.”
“Say: See ye? If God were to make the day perpetual over you to the Day of Judgment, what god is there other than God, who can give you a night in which ye can rest? Will ye not then see?” (28:72).
“Now let man but think from what he is created!” (Qur’an 86:5).
“… contemplate the (wonders of) creation in the heavens and the earth, (with the thought): ‘Our Lord! not for naught hast Thou created (all) this!’” (Qur’an 3:191). Scholars such as Imams Bukhari and Muslim went on long expeditions to track down traditions (called hadith) attributed to the Prophet’s companions to their sources. They determined the complete chain of transmission from the Prophet’s companion to the particular reporter whom they were able to find. They made biographies of every transmitter in the chain to determine their reliability for honesty, soundness of memory, plausibility of having met adjacent members in the chain of transmission, and other. Thus, Muslim historians became accustomed to the process of citation, something that is an indispensable part of modern science. The vagueness of ancient historians about their sources stands in stark contrast to the insistence that scholars such as Bukhari and Muslim manifested in knowing every member in a chain of transmission and examining their reliability. They published their findings, which were then subjected to additional scrutiny by future scholars for consistency with each other and the Qur’an. By the third century of Islam this methodology was well developed. Such open “historical criticism” of the Islamic traditions is a process to which Christian texts have been subjected only in recent centuries. It is a process of analysis and preservation in the form of a scientific study. Hadith science was original with Islam. It was the first uniquely Islamic science and provided a precedent for open and rigorous scholarly debate in the natural sciences that were being assimilated into the emerging Islamic culture (Imad-ad-Dean Ahmad from
http://www.minaret.org/ifrane.pdf).
Differences
The differences between the two sciences actually based on their application within the conceptual environment. The conceptual environment means the worldview of individuals who are engaged in a certain scientific activity. Moreover, through the scientific conceptual scheme or context, a science is bound to be local or cultural, and again it is the environment together with the context arising out of it that renders science to be western or Islamic (Salah, 2002).
Western science developed outside the religious frame, Islam, as expressed in numerous Quranic and verses and Prophet’s saying. The abolition of the priesthood and prohibitions of secrecy prevented scientific knowledge from becoming the property of elite. Knowledge was available to everyone. In the Christian world, people went to the church for religious instruction only. Even that instruction was a “lay” instruction, fit for the layman. Reading of the Bible itself was discouraged for those not initiated into the priesthood. The subtle doctrines of Christian theology might confuse the layman and weaken his faith. It was better to provide him with pre-digested teaching. By contrast every Muslim was expected to read and preferably memorize the Qur’an. (The very first word of the Qur’an revealed to Muhammad was the commandment “Read!”) All knowledge was considered sacred and people came to the mosque to study not only the Qur’an and the traditions, but mathematics, history, natural science, etc. As the numbers of teachers and classes exceeded the space in the mosque, additional buildings would be added around it. Thus, the world came to know its first modern universities. Terms coined in that era are still in use today. The teachers would sit in low chairs with the students gathered on the carpeted floor around them. A new student interested in learning, say mathematics, could walk into the mosque and ask, “Where is the chair of
mathematics?” or “Where is the chair of astronomy?” (Imad-ad-Dean Ahmad: http://www.minaret.org/ifrane.pdf )
Western sciences are differed from Islamic because the ultimate sources use in Islam is Quran and hadith. While its not been used by the western science as their references rather they are base on the empirical and rational.
The Quran as a whole manifest two worlds which are subject to human knowledge: the first world it refers to unseen world (alam al-ghayb) and visible world (alam al-shahadah). This evidence have clearly stated (al-Zumar: 46, al-mu’minun: 92, al-An’am:63, al-Hashr: 22 and at-Tawbah: 105). Although it is clear that the ghayb cannot be known by man, it is never implied in the Quran that man cannot know the shahadah, on the contrary, man is encouraged to inquire into and reflect upon it:
In the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the alternation of night and day there are indeed signs for men of understanding. (3:190).
Prof. Syed Naquib Al-Attas stressed there are two kinds of knowledge necessarily emerged. One id visible world and the other is the absolute realm, represented by the Quran as alam al-ghayb.
The Western world has since concentrated its intellectual energies upon the study of the quantitative aspects of things, thus developing a science of Nature, whose all too obvious fruits in the physical domain have won for it the greatest esteem among people everywhere, for most of whom “science” is identified with technology and its applications. Islamic science, by contrast, seeks ultimately to attain such knowledge as will contribute toward the spiritual perfection and deliverance of anyone capable of studying it; thus its fruits are inward and hidden, its values more difficult to discern. To understand it requires placing oneself within its perspective and accepting as legitimate a science of Nature which has a different end, and uses different means, from those of modern science (Syed Hossien Nasr, 1968).
If it is unjust to identify Western science solely with its material results, it is even more unjust to judge medieval science by its outward “usefulness” alone. However important its uses may have been in calendarial work, in irrigation, in architecture, its ultimate aim has always been to relate the corporeal world to its basic spiritual principle, through the knowledge of those symbols which unite the various orders of reality. It can only be understood, and should only be judged, in terms of its own aims and its own perspectives.
Islam is a religion that urges the people to seek for knowledge. It has categorized science as one of knowledge under fard kifayah (obligatory to some). So, it is important for Muslim to learn it through the manifestation of the ultimate principles.
CONCLUSION
Science is a process. It is also can be said as the intellectual property of all humankind, and part of the universal cultural heritage. Islam is universal religion that not separate apart knowledge and ritual aspects. As relying to the ultimate sources for mankind, man will not astray and always be guided by God. In fact, the western science is imbalance the knowledge when they only take the material things and left immaterial behind. Islamic science which rely on the Quran and Hadith as their source of knowledge accept subjects which is more practicable and beauty in nature. Allahu a`lam (God knows best).
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