Scientific Inquiry in the Quran Friday, November 9, 2018

It is was the Quran that encouraged scientific inquiry which inspired medieval era Muslims to become pioneers in several fields of knowledge. It was verses such as these that inspired them to explore and benefit from Allah's creation: "Verily in the creation of the heavens and of the earth, and in the succession of the night and of the day, are signs for men of understanding, who standing sitting and reclining, bear God in mind and reflect on the creation of heaven and earth; and say ‘O Our Lord! You have not created this in vain." (Al Quran 3:190-191) In Islam religion & science complement each other and this was one of the primary factors that Muslims were at the forefront of almost all sciences, making new discoveries and building on earlier ones. Names like Ibn Sina, Ibn al-Haytham, Ibn Khaldun, and al-Farabi come to mind when people think of the giants of Islamic science. Quran is a book of guidance and it mentions several prophetic miracles like those of Prophets Isa curing illnesses like modern medical professionals (Al Quran 3:49), Prophet Musa's like a mechanical engineer transforms his stick into a large snake like a robot (Al Quran 36:45), Prophet Suleiman like a pilot traveling at the speed of a modern aircraft and covering a months journey within few hours (Al Quran 34:12). However, the primary reason why those miracles are all included in the Quran, the final revelation, implies a breakthrough in science that humanity will achieve in the future and only the Quran will explain their possibility. Simultaneously, their mention also serves the purpose of morally guiding us towards making the right use of those scientific achievements.

For instance the miracle of healing that Prophet Isa (alaihi salaam) displayed: "I heal him who was born blind, and the leper, and I raise the dead by God’s leave" (Al Quran 3:49) - The Quran is particularly advising humans, especially doctors and medical professionals, to follow Isa (alaihis alaam) morality and through his life incidents also implies possibility of current breakthrough in medical sciences that gave humanity the hope of possibility to be healed from severe illnesses. By advising professionals on the possibility of finding cures for illnesses it advises them never to forget that their achievements were as a result of Allah’s help. Always be grateful and not be ungrateful by assigning their accomplishments, solely to their own efforts, or worst exploiting this knowledge for personal benefits such as hoarding wealth, quite commonly done by the pharmaceutical industry or as the rich governments are busy hoarding COVID-19 vaccines while developing world struggles to gain them with their limited resources.

While encouraging scientific inquiry and hinting towards a technological future, Allah ﷻ continues to remind us throughout the Quran that this could not have been possible had He not gifted us with a creative mind, as opposed to all other living beings, and it is this mind that we use for inquiry in to nature which helps us benefit ourselves and everyone else: "And He has made subservient to you, [as a gift] from Himself, all that is in the heavens and on earth: in this, behold, there are messages indeed for people who think!​….Whoever does what is just and right, does so for his own good; and whoever does evil, does so to his own hurt; and in the end to your Sustainer you all will be brought back." (Al Quran 45:13-15)

[Courtesy of  Zaid Shah | Rizqan Kareem | Most Excellent Sustenance]