Islam's Approach to Science

"Behold! In the creation of the heavens and the Earth, In the disparity of night and day, In the ship which runs upon the sea for the profit of mankind, In the water which God sent down from the sky thereby reviving the Earth after its death, In the beasts of all kinds He scatters therein, In the change of the winds and the subjected clouds between the sky and Earth, Here are Signs for people who are wise." (Quran 2:164)

The Latin word "scientia", meaning "to know" or "to be skilful", is the origin of the English word science. The disciplines we now call science were once part of philosophy, an umbrella term for the pursuit of knowledge. In the early 19th century, physicists and chemists were still called philosophers. The word "scientist" was coined in 1840 by an English writer, William Whewell. It gradually came to designate the practitioners of a specialized field of knowledge.

On the other hand, science in Islam is fundamentally rooted in the Holy Quran and the prophetic tradition (Sunnah) which have been in existence for over fourteen centuries. Indeed, the scientific, economic, and cultural developments that flourished during the Golden Age of the Islamic civilization (from the 8th Century to the 13th Century) could be easily explained by the fact that for Muslim scholars of the past it was obligatory to ponder over the Holy Quran.

"Those are Allah's Signs which We recite to you for the Truth, so in what report will you believe if not in Allah and His Signs?" (Quran 45:6)

Even though it was revealed in the year of 610 in the desert of Saudi Arabia, the Holy Quran also contains several scientific facts that were discovered only during the last century. These facts were of course not known to the people of Prophet Muhammad (SAW)'s era. Even the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) was illiterate when he received his revelation. One of the most important facts of convergence between the Quran and science is the description and the creation of the universe in the Holy Quran:

"Among His signs are the day and the night, the sun and the moon. Do not prostrate to the sun or the moon, but prostrate to Allah, Who created them ˹all˺, if you ˹truly˺ worship Him ˹alone˺" (Quran 41:37)

The greatest and most manifest of the signs (Ayat) of Allah (SWT) in the universe are the sun, the moon and the alternation of the night and day, for these are ever present before each human being. Those who understand and live with the idea of Tawhidic Paradigm have strong faith that there are no coincidences or accidents in the universe. Indeed, Allah (SWT), who created the universe, controls everything by imposing His Divine Forces and Laws.

Moreover, the interconnection between the universe and the Holy Quran could also be understood by the fact that some Ayat of Allah (SWT) in nature are names of some Surahs in the Holy Quran such as: Al-An'ām [The cattle], An-Nahl [The bee], An-Naml [The ants], Al-Fajr [The dawn], Ash-Shams [The sun], Al-Layl [The night], Al-Insane [The Man] and Az-Zalzala [The Shaking].

"(God) is the One who spread out the Earth and set therein mountains standing firm and rivers. For every fruit He placed two of a pair. He covers the day with the night. Verily in this there are Signs for people who reflect." (Quran 13:3)

Modern scientific discoveries, such as those in genetics, cell life, and quantum physics, were hardly imaginable in the era of the Prophet (SAW). Yet, the Holy Quran amazingly refers to these discoveries. For example, the Holy Quran contains information on the Theory of Relativity, Big Bang Theory, Genetics, Black Holes, and more. Evidently, the Words (Quran) of The Creator (SWT) and science are not isolated from each other. Indeed, the so-called "universal" or "natural" laws are in fact The Divine Laws that Allah (SWT) imposed on the whole universe.

"This is because Allah is the Truth, and that which they call upon besides Him is the falsehood, and that Allah is the High, the Great." (Quran 31:30)

In this regard, many Quranic verses refer to creations as divine signs, such as:

"Do they not look at the Camels, how they are made? And in the Sky, how is it raised high? And at Mountains, how are they fixed? And on the Earth, how is it spread out?" (Quran 88:17-20)

"The Sun and the Moon follow courses (exactly) computed." (Quran 55:5)

"He it is Who gave the sun radiance and the moon light and determined the stages that you may learn the calculation of years and the reckoning of time. Allah has created all this with a rightful purpose. He explains His signs for the people who know." (Quran 10:5)

According to these Quranic verses, Muslim scientists are expected to observe natural phenomena and study their Divine Laws and organizations within the framework of The Holy Quran and The Prophet (SAW)'s sayings. This spiritual part of the quest for knowledge is what makes science Islamic. In addition, the moral context of Islam guides the type of research as a distinctive Islamic element in the study of nature and life. Indeed, the search for knowledge in Islam is not an end but a means to finding the truth that draws us closer to Allah (SWT).

In fact, just as Muslim scientists read the Holy Quran as the "revealed book" of signs (Ayat) from Allah (SWT), they are also supposed to consider the universe as a "divine open book" containing His signs (Ayat). Therefore, scientific discoveries in nature complement Quranic teachings and enhance faith.

Consequently, the scientific observer of nature is a kind of wise seeker of truth in the act of worship, as Allah (SWT) says "Those who remember Allah while standing, sitting or (reclining) on their backs, and reflect in the creation of the heavens and the Earth, (saying) 'Our Lord! You have not created this in vain. Glory to You! Save us, then, from the chastisement of the Fire.'' (Quran 3:191).

Ibn Al-Haytham

Indeed, considered the "father of modern optics", he made significant contributions to the principles of optics and visual perception in particular. His most influential work is the "Book of Optics", written between 1011 and 1021, of which the Latin edition has survived. Al-Haytham's work was frequently cited during the scientific revolution by Isaac Newton, Johannes Kepler, Christiaan Huygens and Galileo Galilei.

Ibn Al-Haytham was also the first to explain the theory of vision correctly and to argue that vision occurs in the brain, highlighting observations that it is subjective and affected by personal experience. He also demonstrated through experiments that light travels in a straight line, and carried out various experiments with lenses, mirrors, refraction and reflection.

His analyses of reflection and refraction take separate account of the vertical and horizontal components of light rays. He was the first physicist to give a complete statement of the law of reflection . He was also the first to assert that the incident ray, the reflected ray and the surface normal all lie in the same plane perpendicular to the plane of reflection.

Occasional references to theology or religious sentiment can also be found in his technical works, for example in Doubts Concerning Ptolemy: Truth is sought for its own sake. Truth is hard to find, and the road to it is full of pitfalls. Allah (SWT), however, has not preserved the scientist from error and has not preserved science from defects and faults. Had this been the case, scientists would not have disagreed on any point of science.

According to medieval biographers, Al-Haytham wrote over 200 works on a wide range of subjects, of which at least 96 of his scientific works are known. Most of his works are now lost, but more than 50 have survived to some extent. Nearly half of the surviving works are on mathematics, 23 on astronomy, 14 on optics and a few on other subjects.

In 2014, the episode "Hiding in the Light" of Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey, presented by Neil deGrasse Tyson, focused on the achievements of Ibn Al-Haytham. UNESCO declared 2015 the International Year of Light, and its Director-General Irina Bokova called Ibn Al-Haytham the "father of optics"[15]. The aim was to celebrate Ibn Al-Haytham's achievements in optics, mathematics and astronomy.

An international campaign, created by the 1001 Inventions organization, entitled 1001 Inventions and the World of Ibn Al-Haytham, featured a series of interactive exhibitions, workshops and live performances about his work, in partnership with science centres, science festivals, museums and educational institutions, as well as digital and social media platforms. The campaign also produced and broadcast the short educational film 1001 inventions and the world of Ibn Al-Haytham.