RELIGION AND SCIENCE: FROM CONFLICT TO CONVERSATION

Ahsan-ur-Rahim*

It is crystal clear that change is an unchangeable phenomenon. The Holy Quran tells us that change is one of the signs of God. Iqbal also says:

I do agree with the Holy Quran. Changes in the whole universe are occurring so rapidly that one has to ponder over what is happening around him. There was a time when men of exceptional and extraordinary qualities discovered extraordinary discoveries and proved that man is a thinking animal as Descartes once said “I think therefore I am”.

Dear comrades as God has blessed us with thinking faculty, therefore great scientists and philosophers resorted to thinking, observation and empirical methods and after pondering on different phenomena drew different conclusions. Though due to misunderstanding and ignorance it was said that religion and science were incompatible but even in primitive times there was a segment of society that had gone beyond those traditional limits and proved such attitude false.

As far as my topic is concerned its main focus is the conflict between religion and science and then a travel from conflict to conversation. Before going in detail on the said topic it would be better for us to understand what meaning lies in the words of religion and science. God sent prophets in different times with His message that provided them guidelines for passing lives. The message not only contained spiritual guidelines but also temporal. In the words of Prof. Whitehead “religion is a system of general truth which has the effect of transforming character when they are sincerely held and vividly apprehended.”(1)Religion is a set of doctrines, sentiments, intuitions and other similar elements are interconnected. (2)

The word science is derived from Latin word “Scientia” means to know, search, knowledge etc. The task of science is to convey the truth through observation and experiment.

While commenting on the different fields of science and religion Prof. John Haught said “The “game” science plays is one examining the natural world empirically while religion is that expressing the ultimate meaning that transcends (lies beyond) the empirically known world. Science is concerned with how things happened in nature, religion with why there is any thing at all rather than nothing. Science is about causes, religion about meaning. Science deals with solvable problems, religion with unsolvable mystery. Science answers specific questions about working at nature, whereas religion expresses concern about the ultimate ground of nature. Science is concerned with particular truth; religion is interested in explaining why we should seek truth at all. (3).

Now we see that what were the causes of conflict between science and religion and who created misunderstanding between the both interrelated subjects, and then who abridged the gulf between them.

Firstly we deal with western attitude towards relationship between science and religion. In order to understand western attitude we should study the mentality of the ignorant clergy who were maintaining supremacy over all institutions created gulf between science and religion and the said ages were known as the Dark Ages of the western world. During the dark ages what clergy did with the genius and talented men of the times was horrible episode of dark ages.

An article in the daily Dawn entitled “the great illusion” by Dr Zaman provides us an interesting story of what Church did with Galileo.Over the centuries human have regarded the earth as the centre of the solar system around which the sun revolves. How else could one interpret the daily rising and setting of the sun? To deny this was to deny our senses. However great thinkers like Ptolemy and Aristotle also believed in it. It had to be very brave man to go against such an established tradition and idea and Copernicus (1473-1543) a Polish scientist was one of them. In his book on the “Revolution of Heavenly Bodies” Copernicus proposed that the sun and not the earth was the center of the solar system and the earth which seemed static was actually moving very fast. This becomes known as the heliocentric concept, in contrast to the previously held geocentric one. Almost hundred years after the Copernicus Kepler (1571-1630) a German Physicist was able to provide mathematical evidence of the heliocentric solar system.

The final act of this great drama of human history was played by an Italian Galileo Galili (1564-1642). He laid down the foundation of theory of falling bodies. By refuting Aristotle he antagonized his followers and they apparently pressed him to vacate the position of lecturer in the University of Pisa. But even then he rendered valuable services for the flourishment of science through different experiments. But his main concern however was the opposition of Catholic Church, to the idea that the earth is not the centre of the solar system. Church maintained that the centrality of earth is implicit in Holy Scriptures and to deny it would be heresy, which is punishable by death.

Galileo decided to personally see the Pope Urban VIII to convince him but failed and was warned not to propagate this idea in any form. This Galileo defied and published a book on the subject so Pope ordered his trial by inquisition, which was conducted by 10 cardinals on 12^th April 1633 .After a great deal of questioning the cardinal pronounced their judgment as follows:

1) The proposition that Earth is neither the centre of the world, nor immovable but that it moves and also with a diurnal action is also absurd.

2) The proposition that sun is the centre of the world and immovable from his place is absurd, and formally heretical; because it is expressly contrary to the Holy Book.

Therefore we pronounce this our final sentence; we pronounce, judge and declare that you, the said Galileo---- have rendered yourself vehemently suspected by this holy office of heresy, that is of having believed and held the doctrine that it does not move from east to west, and that earth does move, and is not the centre of the world.”

However instead of pronouncing death sentence for heresy the cardinals were lenient because of his old age and absolved him, provided that with a sincere heart and unfeigned faith in our presence you abjure, curse and detest. The said error and heresy contrary to the Catholic and Apostolic Church of Rome.”

Galileo realizing the gravity of the situation and that on refusal could be burnt on the stake as Bruno before him recanted by kneeling before them. It is rumoured that as Galileo got up from his kneeling position after signing the document he murmured “Epur si mouvi” (earth does move).

After the trial he was briefly imprisoned and then allowed to move to his home near Florence. He was not permitted to go outside his ground, but was free to receive visitors, which included Milton and Hume. His nun daughter came to live with him and took over the duty of reciting Psalm daily for three years, which was part of his punishment pronounced by the Cardinals.

In spite of all the suffering and humiliation that Galileo under went, he continued to write and produced another book “Dialogue concerning two new sciences”. His life and work marked, the birth of new epoch, which saw the triumph of science over religions bigotry and birth of modern astronomy” (4).

Under aforesaid hostile attitude of Pope Science had badly suffered. However due to reformation movement attempts were made in different times to abridge the wide gulf between science and religion. Martin Luther can be rightly consider the man chiefly responsible for the commencement of reformation. The reformation played a subtle but an important role in the intellectual development of Western Europe. Before 1517 the Roman Catholic Church branded all dissenters heretics. Such an atmosphere was not conducive for the independent thinking. After reformation the principle of freedom of religious thought was accepted. It became softer to speculate on other subjects as well.

The second Vatican Council (1960-65) made it clear in its message to thinkers and scientists stating “Since after a long conflict between science and faith”, the highest authorities of Catholic Church has proclaimed. “Today as never before perhaps, thanks to God, there is a clear possibility of profound agreement between true science and true faith both of which are servants of one and only one truth”.(5)

In 1984 a commission was appointed by Pope John Paul II to reexamine the events which led to the conflict of science and religion acknowledged that church officials had erred in condemning Galileo.(6)

In 1992 Pope reviewed commission’s finding. He said that there are realms of knowledge and that by failing to distinguish them, theologians had been led to transpose into realm of the doctrine of faith, a question that is in fact pertained to scientific investigation.(7)

Instead of making severe criticism on science, Islamic injunctions provide us with guidelines for utilizing the gifts of God that he has blessed us with. Islam supports exploration of universe. The Holy Quran is full of exhortations like the following: “Do you not reflect?” “Do you not understand?” “Have you no sense?” “There are sign in this for the people who understand;” and so on. There are 756 verses in the Holy Quran that deals with the study of universe. Thus 1/8 of the Holy Quran speaks of Tafaqar and Tadabur. The following verses of the Holy Quran are reference to the fact that Islam encourages exploration of the universe.

“And He has subjected; to you as from Him, all that is in the Heaven and on the earth; behold, in that are signs indeed for those who reflect.”(12: Jathiya).

See ye not how Allah hath made subservient unto you whatsoever is in the heaven and whatsoever is in the earth and showered on you His blessings both manifest and hidden.(8)

The Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H) explicitly encouraged scientific knowledge in these words, “Listen to the words of the learned and instill into others the lessons of science, for it is better than religious exercises”. In another tradition the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H) stressed the search for knowledge. He says, “Don’t simply be narrator of knowledge, examine, verify and put to test all that you are told, that will help you to find the ultimate truth.” In order to avoid conflict between science and religion the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H) provided the best guideline in this tradition, “Reflect on the creation of Allah and do not reflect in Allah.”

While commenting on the work of God and word of the God Sir Syed says, “I am fully convinced that the work of God and the word of God can never be antagonistic to each other.”(9).

Islam gave impetus to learning in a country which had never been a seat of learning and was sunk into the depths of superstitions. It is no exaggeration to say that it was through Islam that the Renaissance came about in Europe.

Keeping in view the Islamic injunctions, Prophet (P.B.U.H)’s traditions, comments of the learned scholars, philosophers and extraordinary works done by the great Muslim scientists it can be said that there is a close relationship between Religion and Science. But unfortunately due to misunderstandings of Islamic injunctions and many other reasons decline of scientific development started in Muslim world.

While commenting on this decline Adil-Zareef in an article in the daily Dawn says “In Islamic world science has relegated to the back seat when Europe was on the threshold of Renaissance at the beginning of the 14^th Century. The Mongols had already decimated the seat of Muslim learning in Baghdad. Spain and Baghdad, the two priceless jewels of Muslim History, would soon be lost to technologically superior adversaries. The decline of Muslims had begun. Discoveries, innovations, empirical experimentation and deduction were sweeping across Europe. The period of Renaissance and Reformation leading to the industrial revolution transformed society. His inventions revolutionized dogmatic thinking. Men of letters and science led Europe to its ultimate glory, wherein it dominated the entire world through its power and knowledge.

Muslims were humbled for their want of knowledge and excess of superstitions and dogma leading to persecution and eventual enslavement by the west. Their shrinking world could not face a superior adversary, so they resorted to self-destructive intolerance and bigotry. Their world view became as myopic as their traditional life styles. Development of science was discouraged and never allowed to prosper, since it threatened the status quo of the elites.

Scientists were employed by monarchs, and after the death of their patron they suffered persecution and death. Al Ashari, Inbe Habal, Al Ghazali and Ibn-e- Taymiyya were reputed Islamic Thinkers who considered scientific method against Islam. Imam Ghazali became the great opponent of logic and mathematics. There are two other examples of intolerance. Al-Kindi was lashed fifty times as an illiterate crowd jeered. Al- Razi lost his sight as he was hit with his book on rationalism. For the better half of his life Ibne Sina was running away from one prince to another for refuge from charges of heresy, Ibne Khaldun the great social scientist was also condemned as non believer.

What happened to scientists like Al-Kindi, Razi, Haitham, and Ibn Sina still haunts social thinkers and scientist today? The cause lies in Islamic world’s practice of allowing its ill-educated and prejudiced clergy to issue Fatwa of excommunication and discoverers of new scientific facts.

The writer further says that the absence of science and technology has played pivotal role in the decline of Muslim civilization while dominance of the same has been instrumental in the ascent of western power. This factor has shaped their past and charting the future. (10)

From the aforesaid information it can be said that in the early western world it was the church who for its supremacy created misunderstanding in people’s mind regarding the relationship between science and technology and kept Holy Book out of reach of common man and in the Muslim world it was due to lack of true Islamic knowledge provided by the Holy Quran and sayings of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H).

Both religion and science are inevitable for each other. In the daily Frontier Post while writing on the Quranic elements of human psyche Dr Muhammad Saleem says that “even Einstein one of the most distinguished scientist of the modern world has observed that science without religion is a lame.” (11)

Though scientism tried to advocate the supremacy of science over religion but a small segment of scientists advocated it and majority rejected it.

To conclude I would like to say that due to misunderstanding or for maintaining status quo and supremacy religious elites created gulf between religion and science and some times small segment of scientists advocated and supported supremacy of science over religion like the advocates of scientism that led to create a conflict between religion and science. Actually both are complementary and supplementary for each other, Whitehead says, “when we consider what religion is for (Humanity) and what science is, it is no exaggeration to say that the future course of history depends upon the decision of this generation as to the relations between them. (13)