Finding Cross Section; Knowledge Integration Islam and Science

M. Adib Abdushomad, GJA http://adib-gja.com We are now watching and become witnesses that in a current century, the contemporary scientific and technological progress has no longer belongs to the Islamic civilisation. Most of Muslims countries actually has rich its natural resources, however since some of them do not know how to manage those resources, they become dependent to other expertise who have the ability in the application of science and technology. As the result, no Muslim state is fully self sufficient. The oil resources with which Allah swt endowed some Muslim countries have not proven to be the blessing (ni’mah) as it was supposed to be. Since, it is still being channelled for “easy and secure” investment in the financial market of non Moslem world, therefore it just helping to develop foreign economics to some extend. Unfortunately it seems to me that with this situation, the vast majority of Muslims, including intellectuals and those involved in the Islamic movements do not know exactly where to go. In contrast, they tend to have a tension among Muslim in itself that has different point of views or interpretation based on Holy al-Qur’an and Sunnah. They are more likely to defend their own identity and push others to follow their set of belief, rather than to think in a more broadly on how to return back the golden age of Islamic civilisation. It is timely important for Moslem societies to find the same area of concern as long as they have the same Iman and Tawhid we can work hand on hand to build Islamic civilization. I am afraid if this kind conflict has become a trend, it is predicted that the clash of civilisation will occurs among Muslims in itself as it can be seen in many other country. A significant effort for harmonizing the Qur’anic (Islamic revealed knowledge) with other knowledge, historically has been set up by Al-Ma’mun, the seventh  Abbasiyyah Calipth, who established research centre, called bait al-Hikam. Scholars far and near converged on this centre studying, translating works into Arabic and compiling. In line with this effort, a number of Muslim scholars made contributions to knowledge for instance; Yakub al Kindi composed 265 treatises on Music, Astronomy and Medicine, while Ibnu Sina (Avicenna) wrote a book which became a guide for medical study even in European universities until 1650. The knowledge of optics was developed by Hassan al Haitam, Al-Khawarizimi developed mathematic. We also have Ibnu Khaldun as a well known historian as well as sociologist and many other Islamic scholars at that time Unfortunately, at a later stage, Muslim became lazy and unconcerned with the pursuit of knowledge in all field of human endeavour. Muslim nation were colonised and with this an alien educational systems was imposed on them which tend to dichotomist between Islamic sources and sciences. In fact, some forms of colonialisation has succeeded to make Muslims unfamiliar with science even more, they try separate Islam and politic, science, and other dimension of knowledges. Once, they (Muslims) talked about science or politic they sentenced to jail. This strategy aims to undermine the capacity of Muslims in field of knowledge. Another strategy that has been implemented during the colonialisation era is “the politic divide at impera” which might be still relevant in today context. Some Strategies A lot of effort has been done on how to solve the above weakness, such as the first world conference on Muslim Education in Mecca 1977, following this conference some countries have gone a bit further with the implementation of the program such as IIUM established in 1983 with Prof Naquib al Attas as conceptor behind the curriculum of ISTAC (International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilisation), International Institute of Islamic Though (IIIT) in USA 1981 with Ismail Raji al-Faruqi and in Indonesian context, the non-dichotomist education has been implemented with the creation of State Islamic University (UIN) since 2002 by the Ministry of Religious Affairs with the support of Muslim intellectuals there such as Prof. Harun Nasution, Quraish Shihab, Azyumardi Azra, etc. Epistemological Explanation First of all, let me explain the basis of integration between Islamic studies or religion and science. This is due to the fact that, the concept of integration Islam and science has been understood in different ways due to different concept and practice by its proponents. Some of them have made the Islamization of knowledge as the trade mark and other argues that science is basically universal, objective and rational, therefore there is no theological barrier whatsoever to accept so-called secular science. The proponent of the Islamization of knowledge in itself has it own varieties as mentioned aboved such as; Naquib al Attas with ISTAC program, Islamail Raji al-Faruqi with IIIT, and Sayyed Hosen Nashr to mention some of them. For this reason, in this paper I would like to explore briefly on how could the two things, between Islamic studies and science could be integrated, epistemologically or philosophically? And what should we do next to create better Islamic civilisation? As you might noticed that Islamic studies or revealed knowledge is a serious and in-depth discussion  intensively and extensively based on Holy Qur’an as the main sources and al Hadith as the second sources, so called as, qauliyyah. On the other hand, the secular knowledge or modern sciences is a serious and in-depth discussion intensively and extensively based on the natural universe, the real-existential or kauniyyah. These two knowledge’s: between Islamic studies and science have got different sources; the Islamic studies is based on al-Quran and hadith and the science is based on natural (alam, or qauniyyah). The question might come up is that, what is an Islamic perspective regarding to the two sources in relation to Allah swt? The two sources in relation to Allah swt, according to Islam have the same position as the sign of God (ayat-ayat Allah swt).  In this regards, we can ask ourselves what is the aim for us to get knowledge or ilm? I believe, knowledge is an attempt to search the truth, or haqeqah and in Islam, If we are going to find out the truth, then the final destination is to seek the blessing from Allah swt. In order to know Allah swt more closely we can learn from His Asmaul Husna (both qauliyyah and qauniyyah). In the Hadith Allah swt said: Kuntu Kanzan makhfiyyan, Fa akhbabtu an Nura, Fakholaqtu kholqi  yukfarun,  which mean “ I was a hidden treasure, but I would like to be known, so I create universe, so by that people will recognize me”. In other world, this universe was created in order for human beings know who creates this world. As it cited in other verses of al-Qur’an , inna fi kholqi samawati wal alrdhi wakhtilafil laili wan nahar la’yati liulil albab” which means…and other verse in al-Qur’an sunuriihim ayatina.. hatta yatabayyana annahul haqqu min rabbihim… From the above explanation, we can see clearly that the al-Qur’an describes the natural setting of this universe. We can find many description about  this from the book that has been written by Indonesian scientist Agus Purwanto in his book the many verses of the universe (Ayat-Ayat Semesta). Following this, it is therefore we can find the integration both Islamic studies and modern science as both of them has the same  position as the verse or sign of Allah swt. Since both of them the as the verses of Allah it is almost impossible to be dichotomist. In this regards I do believe, if we are rewarded to learn Islamic studies the same also apply to learn modern science. The problem with this epistemological explanation is the fact that “we stop believing or do not consider when we are researching natural science is actually we are also still reading the verse of Allah swt”. We tend to follow western scientist who argues that it is prohibited to bring religion in the discussion of modern science. My brother, no science is created in a vacuum or in other word science is not value free activity, it is fruitful and possible for one civilisation to learn the science of another civilisation. In this regards, If we declared us as Mukmin, I think, we have to use our own systems which believe that researching the universe is part of reading the verse or the sign of Allah swt and it has equally important to for those who study or learn Islamic studies in the guidance of al-Qur’an and al hadith. So, why the dichotomy to some extent still happen? The dichotomy has developed among Muslim, perhaps, because in the reality some of them argue that only those who learn Islamic studies classified as the person who really read the verse of Allah, on the other hand some one who read or conducting research in a natural setting has been categorised as not reading the verse of Allah swt. The above explanation in itself can not answer the decline of Islamic civilisation, especially the demands to create more Muslim Scientist. The discourse need to be elaborated and translated into reality with creating the environment that enable for young generation to seek knowledge in non-dichotomize manner.  The Muslim country or government need to reflect and provide more budgets to produce Muslim scholars in this current era. According to Sayyed Hosen Nasr, at this stage, “there is no way of establishing an Islamic science without knowing western science as well”. The fact that there are two Muslim Scholars who got Noble prizes; Abdus salam (Physic)  have to grown in a western country. This situation it implies that Muslim country at the moment still unprepared and supportive to enable such research can grow. Knowledge integration as a cross section issue among Moslem Finally, the process of integration requires much more concrete effort multi discipline approaches of the most intelligent and gifted members of the Islamic community, who must know western science in depth, who must know Islamic studies in depth, the cosmological message of the Quran, and at the same time have the energy to pursue this through as “area of concern”, despite the fact that Muslim have different political or organisation affiliation. Unless some of you willing to work together share your knowledge or expertise, I think we can make a different story for our generation later on (http://adib-gja.com)