Science vs Religion

							5 Minute Presentation
    Tafseer Class
   29th June 2007
        MODERN SCIENCE
 Definition of Science – Knowledge that
  has been established through
  observations & experiments
 Science is constantly evolving as new
  theories and ideas are introduced
 Hence, science is never really stable or
  grounded, as one may say!
       Progress of Science
 The 20th century has seen many scientific
  discoveries and inventions
 Man constantly strives to achieve greater
  feats e.g. Travel to the Moon, Cloning of
  Dolly the sheep, the Human Genome
  Project etc.
 Inevitably, people are slowly starting to
  see science as the answer to their
  questions!
       Progress of Science
 Science is a powerful tool that urges
  mankind to understand himself and his
  environment better
 Ideally, it should lead mankind to reflect
  deeper onto his existence & the
  appreciation of his surroundings
         Western Science
 ‘Western’ science, however,
  subconsciously strives one away from the
  path of religion
 ‘Western’ science here refers to ideas and
  thoughts influenced by the West, which
  has permeated most walls of academia
  today!
         ‘Western’ Science
 Mostly deals with the ‘what,’ ‘how’ but
  conveniently omits the bigger question of
  ‘WHY?’

 E.g. Force of Gravitation :
    ‘ As physics students, we are thought
  what this force is, complete with its
  definition, formulae and effects. But try
  asking the teacher the nature of the force
  and where it comes from? ’
         ‘Western’ Science
 Modern science, thus, is never really
  successful is explaining the ‘reality
  aspects’ of situations
 Somehow seems to avoid the
  supernatural/ spiritual dimension
 Hence, we come to understand that
  science can never explain religion but
  rather its the inverse!
  Quran and Modern Science
 Islam encourages insan to do ta’akal and
  ta’ffakur (contemplation)

                              ِ َ ِ ْ َ ِ َ َ ِ َ َ َّ ِ َ
‫إِنَّ فِي خ ْلق السماوات واألرْ ض واختالف ال َّل ْيل وال َّنهار آل َيات‬
ٍ       ِ َ َ ِ
                                                             ‫األ ْل َباب‬
                                                             ِ
 ‘Behold! In the creation of the heavens and
  the earth, there are indeed Signs for men
  of understanding.’ (3:190)
  Quran & the Big Bang Theory
 Theory holds that the universe began with an
  explosive expansion of a single extremely
  condensed state of matter (singularity)
 Only confirmed by modern science in the 20th
  Century, with the help of modern instruments!

  ‫أَولم َير الَّذين كفرُوا أَنَّ السماوات واألَرْ ض كا َن َتا ر ْتقا فف َتق َناهما‬
   َ ُ ْ ََ ً َ                َ َ     ْ َ ِ َ َ َّ           ََ َ ِ َ َْ َ
  ‘Do not the Unbelievers see that the heavens
 and the earth were joined together (rataq)
 before We clove them asunder (fataqa)?’
 (21:30)
And the expanding Universe..
  ‘And it is We who have constructed the
  heaven with might, and verily , it is We
  who are steadily expanding it’ (51:47)
 Confirmed by American astronomer,
  Edwin Hubble, in 1923 with his discovery
  of the red shift of the galaxies.
 Red shift phenomenon occurs when the
  light source moves away from the
  observer
 Modern telescopes have proven that
  distant galaxies & stars emit red light
All life originates from water..
           ‫وجع ْل َنا من الماء كل شيْ ء حيٍّ أَفال يُؤمنون‬
            َ ُ ِ ْ َ َ َ ٍ َ َّ ُ َ ْ َ ِ َ َ َ
‘ We made from water every living thing. Will
  they not then believe?’ (21:30)
 Confirmed only in the 20th Century that
  water is the precursor to all life
 A biological discovery only made possible
  with the invention of modern instruments
 Till today, modern science proves that
  water remains a pivotal medium for all
  chemical reactions in living beings!
All life originates from water..
 Probes that go out into space are specially
  design to search for water for where water
  can be found, there is a possibility of the
  existence of life
 Subhanallah, the Quran speaks of this
  vosiphorously, in direct terms, 1400 years
  ago when no modern apparatus existed!
                      Conclusion
 Use science to expand yourself and do not be
  constrained by it!
 Science allows us to appreciate our existence
  better and not take things for granted

  ‫هذا خ ْلق َّللا فأَرُوني ماذا خلق الَّذين من دونه َبل الظالِمُون‬
   َ     َّ ِ ِ ِ ُ ِ َ ِ َ َ َ َ َ ِ َ ِ َّ ُ َ َ َ
                                                ٍ ِ ٍ ََ
                                                ‫فِي ضالل مُّبين‬
 ‘Such is the Creation of Allah; now show Me
  what is there that others besides Him have
  created; nay, but the Transgressors are in
  manifest error.’ (31:11)