Islamic Scientists:

Prospects and Challenges

by:

Professor Dr. Anuar Hj Ahmad

Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs)
University Industry Selangor
dranuar@unisel.edu.my

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 Islamic Scientists: Prospects and Challenges

Professor Dr. Anuar Hj Ahmad

dranuar@unisel.edu.my

1 Introduction

The Islamic civilization has been plagued by a series of successive wave devastation by
uncivilized, heathen invaders, resulting in the disruption of the Muslim unity, the debilitation
of their cultural superiority, the destruction of their economy prosperity, the shattering of both
their social and political structures and finally culminating in the collapse of their political
leadership, the Islamic vicegerency (the Khilafah), in 1924 AC. This sad loss of the political
head of the Muslim Ummah was taken by most historians to represent the end of Islamic
civilization. Islamic World has been fragmented into more than 60 separate entities (nations)
with artificial boundaries and different system of governments.

Such challenges represent only a few of the many that are currently facing the Muslim
Ummah, but the most serious challenge lies in the area of science and technology. A steadily
widening gap is currently separating us from scientifically and technically developed
countries. However, if we all realize this challenge, the Islamic civilization will continue and
never end. This is simply because of the fact that the main sources of drive and illumination
for Islamic civilization have always been the Glorious Qur’an and the traditions (Sunnah) of
the seal of prophethood, Muhammad SAW. These two sources of divine guidance have been
kept intact for over 14 centuries and shall be kept forever by a divine promise; and will guide
the mankind as they did in the past. The failure of communism and the severe socio-economic
problems facing by the secularism and capitalism will give a prospect to Islam.

Islam has its own worldview “tassaur” including beliefs about "ultimate reality, epistemology,
ontology, ethics, purpose, etc.” based on the Qur’an and Sunnah. Qur'an is the literal word
and the final revelation of God; Sunnah is the traditions, or the implementation of the
guidance, rules and law by His prophet SAW.

Most of the Islamic nations still adopt western secularism and capitalism philosophy. The
achievement in modern science in the west has some how slowed down the process of
considering Islamic worldview to be implemented. This paper will limit to Islamic scientists
and its prospects and challenges, and its relation to “Modern Science”. Eventhough this is a
very touchy and extremely difficult subject to deal with, it still must be done by the Islamic
scientists. It is not a subject with any kind of, we might say, dangerous pitfalls or subterfuges
under way because it is not a political subject. But nevertheless, it is of very great
consequence because it will affect one way or the other, the future of the Islamic world as a
whole. This statement is extracted from a lecture by Prof Seyyid Hossein Nasr entitled,
``Islam and Modern Science'' at MIT about 45 years ago, and the reality of what he said can
really be seen today.

2. Who is an Islamic scientist?

This question would raise more questions, is there Islamic and non-Islamic scientist? If it is,
what is the different between Islamic and non-Islamic scientists? How about Muslim
scientists who were brought up in the non-Islamic countries? Are they Islamic scientists? Are

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there prospects for Islamic scientists? What are the challenges they may face? Can Islamic
scientists work along side with the non Islamic scientist? Then, what is the similarity?

To answer these questions, some analysis needs to be carried out. Definitely, it could not
answer all, but hopefully it could give some insight towards the understanding of Islamic
scientists. However, this paper will try to frame the questions, and try to chart the way
forward.

2.1 Definition of Science and scientists from western point of view.

The word science comes from the Latin "scientia," meaning knowledge. How do we define
science? According to Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary, the definition of science is
"knowledge attained through study or practice," or "knowledge covering general truths of the
operation of general laws, especially as obtained and tested through scientific method and
concerned with the physical world." [http://www.sciencemadesimple.com/science-
definition.html]

A Scientist is a person who has expert knowledge of one or more of the natural or physical
sciences. [Scientist: (http://www.askoxford.com/concise_oed/scientist?view=uk)]

A scientist, in the broadest sense, is any person who engages in a systematic activity to
acquire knowledge or an individual that engages in such practices and traditions that are
linked to schools of thought or philosophy. In a more restricted sense, a scientist is an
individual who uses the scientific method. The person may be an expert in one or more areas
of science. [ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientist]

The western point of view on scientist can be analyzed from the keywords in italic, Natural or
physical sciences, scientific method, general laws and physical world. The scientific
knowledge is only accepted through investigation using the scientific method; and to be
termed scientific, a method of inquiry must be based on gathering observable, empirical and
measurable evidence subject to specific principles of reasoning. A scientific method consists
of the collection of data through observation and experimentation, and the formulation and
testing of hypotheses; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_method. This shows that
observation through the five senses, scientific equipments and the human cognitive are the
only way to be accepted by the scientific information. Any phenomena that could not be
proved by the scientific methods would be considered as natural law, or would not be
accepted at all.

After 1000 AC, or 400 H, before the “Modern sciences,” Al Ghazali a great Muslim schlor
had profoundly changed the intellectual atmosphere, with notable contributions like “Ihyaul
Uloom al-din” and “Al Munqidh minal Dalal”. In the latter book, he has also debated on the
interconnection between religious belief and scientific laws of motion of celestial bodies. He
says, “Another difficulty is created by a bigoted follower of religion who thinks that, in order
to save religion, it is essential to deny all science. …As a matter of fact, there is nothing in
religion which is against the sciences, nor is there anything in the sciences which is against
religion”.

2.2 Some ambiguity in the modern sciences

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Modern science is successful in telling you the weight and chemical structure of grey hairs,
but it is totally irrelevant to what is the meaning of the turning of this black or blond hair to
grey. The ``how'' has been explained in modern science, the ``why'' is not its concern. If you
are a physics student and you ask the question, `what is the force of gravitation?' the teacher
will tell you the formula, but as to what the nature of this force is, he will tell you it is not a
subject for physics. So science is very successful in certain fields, but leaves other aspects of
reality aside.

The creation of man on earth is an example of phenomena that science still could not explain.
Charles Darwin 1808 – 1882 a biologist tried to introduce theory of evolution to explain the
phenomena. Man was originated from Amoeba, a single cell organism that slowly evolved to
become more complex organism. Finally, it becomes apes, or probably, Oran Utan before
further evolve to become a human. The differences from Islamic knowledge will be discussed
in the next section. Many western scientists themselves do not accept the evolution theory,
because it claimed that the evolution process occurred over millions of years and can not be
scientifically proved. However, this is the only scientific theory available and extensively
thought in the biology classes, either in the western or eastern schools and universities.

Another example unexplained phenomena is, how big this universe is, still could not be
proved using scientific method. Even though, NASA tried to build the biggest telescope, the
solution is still not available. Figure 1, shows the limit of human capability. Even though the
solar system is just a single dot compare to the entire Milky Way Galaxy, the size of universe
is still beyond human imagination.

Figure 1: An Artist's illustration of the Milky Way Galaxy Image credit: NASA / CXC
/ M. Weiss

Other then evolution theory, explaining the size of universe, and a few others, scientific rules
and laws are very similar to the rules and laws which were already reported by the Islamic
scientists from 7th to 17th centuries AC, especially in the area of chemistry, physics, algebra,
medicine, astronomy, architecture, engineering, etc. It was under their successors (successors
to Muslim of Spain) at Oxford School that Roger Bacon learned Arabic and Arabic Sciences.
Neither Roger Bacon nor his later namesake has any title to be credited with having
introduced the experimental method. Roger Bacon was no more one of the apostles of the

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Muslim Science and Method to Christian Europe; the experimental method of Muslims was
by Bacon’s time widespread and eagerly cultivated thorough out Europe by neglecting the
holistic part of it. It will never bring man closer to his creator. Scientific knowledge can reveal
certain aspects of the physical world, but it should not be identified with the alpha and omega
of knowledge. Rather, it has to be integrated into a metaphysical framework—consistent with
the Muslim worldview—in which higher levels of knowledge are recognized and the role of
science in bringing us closer to God is fulfilled.

Most of the modern scientists reject the Devine Knowledge and Rules, because the knowledge
and rules can not be proved by scientific method. This is actually the major challenge faced
by the Muslim scientists working in the western or non-Islamic nations.

However, due to strong believe in the scientific methods, the west has developed remarkable
research facilities and infrastructure, and also give hefty rewards to the successful scientists.
Thus, many scientists, Muslims and non-Muslims attracted and migrated to the west. The lack
of focus on science, research and development by Islamic countries has caused the research
facilities and infrastructures in their countries are very far behind. This will further speedup
what we call the “brain drain” from the Islamic world to the west.

3. Islamic scientists

There were thousands of Islamic scientists in their golden eras from 7th to 17th centuries AC
whose names had been Latinized. A dozen of outstanding Islamic scientists whose works
were exceptional outstanding and widely read are Ibn Sina (or Avicenna), Ibn Al Hytham (or
Al Hazen), Jabir Ibn Hayyan (or Gaber), Al Khawarizmi (or Algorizm), Al Kindi (or Kindus),
Al Zahrawi (or Abulcasis), Ibn Rushd (or Averroes) and many more not to be mentioned in
this paper. It was Islamic scientists that preserved and developed Greek Sciences during this
millennium, while the west was sinking into what historians commonly call the Dark Ages.
Perhaps the most significant innovation that the eager, inquisitive Muslim scholars
contributed to the knowledge was their system of writing numbers. They displaced the Roman
numerals of the previous empire with the much more utilitarian Arabic numerals of today.

The reason to mention this golden age of Islamic scientists is to study their overall profile and
how they related their acquired knowledge to the mankind and to the world at large. Most of
the Muslim Scientists in the golden era started their education and venture into knowledge by
understanding Qur’an, and most of them became Hafiz (memorize Qur’an by heart) at a very
young age. They did not confuse with the creation of mankind as the modern scientists are.

The very first Surat (Al-‘Alaq): (1400 years ago!)

1. Read! In the name of your Lord, Who has created (all that exist).
2. He has created man from a clot (a piece of thick coagulated blood).
3. Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous.
4. Who has taught (the writing) by pen.
5. He has taught man that which he knew not.

Surat (36: 77-79)

77. Does not man see that We have created him from Nutfah (mixed drops of male and female
sexual discharge).

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78. And he puts forth for Us a parable, and forget his own creation. He says: “Who will give
life to these bones after they are rotten and have become dust?

79. Say (O Muhammad SAW): “He will give life to them Who created them for the first time!
And He is All-Knower of every creation!”

Qur’an has clearly explained the creation of man, in other Surat, Qur’an also explained that
the first man, Adam, was created from earth. Scientific research also shows that 106 elements
of human body are available in earth. We were allowed to bring the study of human
development form Nutfah to fetus and finally to baby in the laboratory, however, there is
humanity limits for it. Qur’an does not allow us to ask about soul “Roh” because this is His
business.

Ar Rum (30:54)

54. Allah is He Who created you in (a state of ) weakness, then give you strength after
weakness, then after strength give you weakness and gray hair. He creates what He wills. And
it is He Who is All-Knowing, the All-Powerful (i.e. Able to do all things).

This ayat may explain the state of human strength by which start from weakness and come
back to weakness. He also associated grey hair to old or weakness, thus, explains the function
of grey hair.

Similarly, to the creation of universe,

Ya-Sin (36:37-40)

37. And a sign of them is the night. We withdraw there from the day, and be hold, they are in
darkness.

38. And the sun runs on its fixed course for a term (appointed). That is the Decree of the All-
Mighty, the All-Knowing.

39. And the moon, We have measured for it mansions (to Traverse) till it returns like the old
dried curved date stalk.

40. It is not the sun to overtake the moon, nor does the night outstrip the day. They all float,
each in its own orbit.

Amazingly, Qur’an had explained clearly about the orbits and the changing of day and night
1400 years ago, while the Christens still believe that earth is the centre of universe. In Islamic
scientists tradition, they first learnt the knowledge of Tanzil (Devine knowledge) before they
ventured into natural god created phenomena. They knew the limits and stick fast to the
purposes and morale values.

Due to the political problems and lack of interest in research and development by both the
government and the Muslim scientists, from 15th to 17th centuries AC, Muslim began to lag
behind in the area of science and technology like in many other areas, at a time when then
Latin West and the Yellow East started to compete for scientific and technology superiority

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and material prosperity, hand in hand with a steady rate of decay in moral values, social
bindings and religious commitments.

4. The current scenario and the way forward

The current scenario represents one of the most depressing realities of our present day world.
Member state of Islamic World, with the last divine guidance still intact within their own
hands, but due to their division amidst themselves, regression in the area of science and
technology, debilitation in their military might, dissipation of their wealth and submission to
the world powers, cannot possibly live their Islam, let alone give it to others. It becomes
apparent that the more we leave the gap between the Muslim and the developed nations in the
areas of sciences and technology to widen day after day, the more we shall find ourselves
disintegrating in the current materialistic culture, which is completely alien to our civilization
with all its divine, religious guidance, high moral values and interwoven family and social
structures.

To address this challenges threat for the future of the Muslim Ummah, for immediate
possession of the recent advances in every field of useful knowledge particularly in science
and technology, plan have to be carried out carefully. Muslims have to understand the inner
reasons behind their gradual decline; it is essential to look into this before suggesting any
solution.

At the forefront of the reasons of declining of the Muslim society was the revival of the un-
Islamic call for “assabiyyah” or small group feeling, tribal consciousness or narrow
nationalistic solidarity. This has resulted in the gradual fragmentation of the unified Islamic
World into a large number of autonomous or semi-autonomous, regional sovereignties on the
basis of nationalistic, tribal or sectarian affiliation. Such fragmentation of the Muslim did not
only dissipate their wealth, but also led to the loss of their linguistic and cultural unity, which
may take time to be patched up again. Muslim brotherhood must go beyond nationals and
borders for our Iman to be completed.

Other internal causes for the decline of Muslims are the sudden loss of the balanced vision
between worldly needs and those for the Hereafter as detail in Islam. This has led to the
indulgence into both leisure and the excessiveness of the pleasures of life, the disposition
towards exorbitant luxuries, waste and squandering, the decay of the cultural and educational
superiority followed by the collapse in economic prosperity, the waning of interest in
scientific research, the absence of freedom of thought and of expression under oppressive
regimes, the loss of true Islamic polity by the spread of injustices and economic inequalities
between the different classes of people, the lacking of unity of both thought and action, the
dwindling of curiosity, critical thinking and analysis, the fading out the sprit of leadership,
guidance and co-operation and the loss of morale, vigor, virility and stamina.

The shattering to pieces of both the socio-economic and the political structures of the Islamic
State, the dwindling of the national systems of education and the spread of illiteracy, the
gradual disintegration of the noble Islamic characters of integrity, sense of responsibility and
of accountability, love for the pursuit of useful knowledge and struggling for the
establishment of divine justice on earth. This disintegration of the Muslim World was taking
place at a time when Westerners were gradually catching up with the Islamic heritage, after a
terrible struggle with the church. During this confrontation European scientists, were burned
alive, hanged to death or imprisoned and tortured for speaking differently form the “Book of

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Genesis.” Finally, European scientists won the battle, but the memories of the grave
sufferings under the domination of the church Western science to divorce religion, overlook
its dogmas and alienate itself completely from the world of unseen, which in reality is the
domain of its major activities and discoveries.

“Modern Science” gave the West immense powers, and neglecting it in most of the
contemporary Muslim countries has led to the further debilitation of Ummah in every field.
Instead of taking this negative stand, Muslim should have tried to Islamize modern science by
putting it in the right Islamic context as a further development of Islamic science, wrongly
placed in a secular framework by the agnostic atheistic Europeans.

Four Muslim countries, Pakistan, Iran, Malaysia and Turkey, the progresses of scientific
research and technology have shown some positive results. The countries are capable of
producing nuclear defense system (Pakistan), satellite and advance military defense system
(Iran), cars, power generation plants and oil and gas refinery (Malaysia), high technology
products such as optical fiber and manufactured goods (Turkey). However, the Islamic
countries must also move to the scientific frontiers, such as nano-technology, atomic and
molecular research, material science, aeronautics, astronomy and space, biotechnology,
computers, telecommunication, etc. to enable them to become knowledge contributor again.
The curriculum from pre-school to university levels have to be revived, renewed and restored
and to be present in more holistic approach.

The innovations are originated from the basic research. Gone are the days when a lone
scientist in a small laboratory used to do wonders. Today’s research is teamwork using ultra
modern equipment, experimental facilities, helpful infrastructure, acceptable socio-economic
conditions, and above all generous patronage of the government (as it used to be in the golden
eras of the Islamic scientist). The top cream younger generations must be selected to work
with the universities or research centers for the revival of Muslim dignity. The prospect is
enormous, with the availability of computers and Internet, it can further speedup the
networking and collaboration work between countries.

5 References

1. S H Nasr ``Islam and Modern Science'', http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hossein_Nasr

2. http://www.sciencemadesimple.com/science-definition.html
3. Scientist: http://www.askoxford.com/concise_oed/scientist?view=uk
4. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientist
5. M Ergin, M Doruk and M R Al-Zou’bi Science and technology education for
development in the Islamic World. Pub IAS, ISBN 9957-412-00-7, 1999.
6. A B Abdullah, Bidang Kejuruteraan Persepsi dan sumbang Islam, Pub PTS, ISBN
983-192-554-8, 2004
7. M Saleem, The Muslims and the new World Order, Pub. ISDS, ISBN 1898584 00
1, 1993.