The relationship between science and religion is a subject on which numerous viewpoints exist, and many fallacies have arisen in its discussion. For instance, some regard science and religion as oppositional and mutually contradictory. Others consider them entirely separate, in the sense that science and religion each answer distinct types of questions. A further group maintains that science and religion can interact with one another.
My own view regarding science and religion is the same understanding that prevailed among the great scholars of science in Islamic civilization—figures such as Avicenna (Ibn Sina), al-Biruni (Abu Rayhan), Nasir al-Din al-Tusi (Khwaja Nasir), and Ibn al-Haytham—and that likewise informed modern scientists such as Newton, Leibniz, Kepler, and others of their kind. In our own time, physicists and theistic scientists such as Charles Townes, who received the Nobel Prize in Physics for the invention of the laser, as well as George Ellis, one of the leading contemporary cosmologists, hold the view that scientific work is itself part of religion—that is, a form of religious worship. We have various kinds of worship, such as prayer, fasting, and pilgrimage, each performed in its own distinct manner. Scientific work is also a form of worship, but with its own particular method. This is because Islam explicitly emphasizes the study of divine craftsmanship (ṣunʿ al-ilāhī) so that the grandeur of God’s creation may become manifest. From this perspective, Imam ʿAli (peace be upon him) regarded the study of divine craftsmanship as a great act of worship.
Accordingly, I consider scientific activity to be part of religion, though carried out through its own instruments. Prayer and fasting have their own specific modes; scientific work, likewise, proceeds through scientific investigation, experimentation, theorization, and the like. However, just as when you walk along a street you are permitted to move within marked lines and must not violate regulations, but are required to observe certain rules, so too science is governed by a set of principles. These principles are not themselves derived from science. For example, the assumption that we are capable of understanding the universe, or that we can explain the universe in the language of mathematics, cannot be proven through empirical experimentation. Religion, too, has articulated a set of principles that exert an influence on science. One such principle is precisely the belief that the universe is intelligible. Indeed, Einstein famously remarked that the fact that we can understand the universe is something derived from religion.
Religion, through its own tools, encompasses science and requires that scientific findings be respected. A religious society must both honor the findings of science and regard the very general epistemological principles found in the Qurʾan and in reliable traditions as governing its scientific endeavors. There is no inherent limitation on scientific activity, except that its underlying assumptions must not contradict the definitive tenets of religion, and that it must not become a means for producing evil. For this reason, we observe today that some of the greatest scholars of our time are religious individuals. With respect to the principles governing science as articulated by religions, there is no essential difference among the monotheistic traditions—Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. Therefore, if science is employed rationally, it will be a source of assistance and benefit.
I have discussed this matter in detail in my book The Qurʾan and the Natural Sciences. Islam places strong emphasis on the study of the empirical sciences. Both Shiʿi and Sunni sources narrate from the Prophet (peace be upon him) the saying, “Seek knowledge, even if it be in China (the farthest land known to people of the time),” and also, “The pursuit of knowledge is an obligation upon every Muslim.” The declaration that seeking knowledge is obligatory has three dimensions. First, it is so that we may understand the manifestations of divine craftsmanship and become acquainted with the grandeur of creation. Second, it enables us to meet our legitimate needs. Third, it allows us to strive, through knowledge, for the advancement of Islamic society. The failure of Islamic societies to pursue knowledge seriously and to take the lead in it runs contrary to the explicit directive of Islam. The Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) stated: “Islam is superior and nothing shall ever be superior to it.” Thus, if our society does not rank among leading societies, this indicates that we have not acted in accordance with the teachings of Islam.
The logic of the matter is that Islam has not handed us a medical encyclopedia. The task of Islam is guidance. Indeed, it has asked us to go forth ourselves and discover what actions can be performed and by what means. It is related that an Arab man, in the presence of the Prophet (peace be upon him), released his camel and said, “I place my trust in God.” The Prophet replied, “Tie it first, and then place your trust in God.” Thus, reliance upon God (tawakkul), supplication to the Divine, and the like are essential, but other tools such as rationality, diligence, and prudent planning must also be present. Consequently, the duty of a Muslim is to seek medical treatment alongside prayer when faced with illness. This understanding prevailed precisely during the period of Islamic civilization. Therefore, scientific directives and practices have their own proper place and must be followed, while prayer must also be offered, since both are effective. What is not correct, however, is to pray while simultaneously exposing oneself to disease and then relying solely on prayer.
The world that God has created operates according to laws. If a Muslim observes these laws, he will succeed; if a Christian observes them, he will succeed; and if an atheist observes them, he will succeed. Therefore, the guidance offered by our scholars regarding support for medical decisions is fully consistent with Islamic teachings.
Excerpt from an interview, published in Mobahesat.
