Sains Islam

A run through the keywords "Sains Islam" would bring you to websites on how the Quran has undiscovered miracles back in the 6th century already imbedded into its holy verses, and known only recently by latest 21st century technology. This only seeks to verify the authenticity of the Quran, but it doesn't commesurate a distinctive view on the approach to scientific endeavour, the islamic way.

The websites doesn't actually cover the theoretical aspect of what Sains Islam actually is, what it means to be a practiscing Muslim scientist.

Islamic Science goes beyond explaining these two concepts separately, there's science, which generally means a methodological approach based on repeat experimentation to verify the presence of data/facts on natural phenomena. Essentially, it's about discovering the natural world through experimentation to verify existing natural processes/relations/things. Science in Islamic terms can also include the social sciences or generally understood as "ilmu duniawi" or aquired knowledge, as compared to "ilmu ukhrawi" or revelaed knowledge.

From a western worldview, scientific methodology and commitment to the scientific endeavour basically means having a perception that what cannot be measured does not exist.

And this is probably where a secular understanding of the world ends, and where revelation comes in. For Divine Revelation tells us things that are unable to be thought of by the human mind, and if we do try to conjure up mental images, we'd need divine guidance so as to not be off track.

So if we spin the secular mentality and see it from a guided perspective, this means that science is a tool used for mankind to explore God's creations (His signs of revelation, in His creations: nature, man, living beings, insects, etc) and acknowledge His presence in the way we continue on with our lives.

Upon that, it's used also as a means to rightly enforce what mankind has inherited from Him as Khalifah on this earth. For example, if you're able to understand the complex web of biodiversity present in a particular terrain, you'd be able to manage human activities that balance off well with the preservation of that biodiversity.

Similarly, you'd be able to understand mental diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, to view how the molecules interact with each other to form the mental processes required in everyday thought. As such, you'd be able to derive the best learning processes for kids, or find out what are the possible mental strengths or shortages that one might have when predisposed genetically to a particular wiring of the brain.


But all these wouldn't come about if you woudn't have the right mental framework to hold you through. The understanding that all this secular knowledge is just a means that comes with a greater responsibility to find an end which is brings us closer to Him, and making a better life for all others around us to do the same.

I've always wondered like what's the point of saving (and this is a completely hypothetical case) an old dying tycoon with 5 billion in his bank and 5 squabbling children only for him to give his cash to his mistress, whom he will die in the arms of. Like...is his life more worthy than a child, who, battered by his dad and conceived by his mom out of wedlock has no fair chance in life to begin with? Then is it more worthy just to save wholesome people from wholesome families cause simply, they'd have a fair chance of being good citizens and contribute well to society?




My point being? I need direction. heh.