This presentation explains how issues related to science and spirituality are viewed from the Western and Islamic perspectives. Besides, explaining the advantage and disadvantage of modern science, the presentation also entertains some discussion on the diversity of the human intelligence. In realizing the downside of modern science and how it has been used for destructive purposes, the researchers recommend on how science can be employed in a positive manner that can yield good results for the benefit of mankind. Moreover, they highlighted the fact that large parts of modern science go in harmony with the Islamic principles. The parts rejected by Islam are those ideas of modern science that go against the fundamental and ethical teachings of the religion, like designer babies, sperm bank, human cloning, the creation of nuclear bombs, chemical weapons, biological warfare, etc.

1. Presented to: JANNAHEDU INTERNATIONAL SDN.BHD.
Venue: Chinese Muslim Malaysia Service Center
Setapak 5300, Kuala Lumpur
Date: 4th,Nov. 2018
© Department of FIDS,KIRKHS, IIUM, 2018
Science & Spirituality: An Islamic Perspective
Presented By:
RESEARCH TEAM
Dr. Mohd Abbas Abdul Razak (Principal Researcher)
Dr. Abdul Latif Abdul Razak (Co-Researcher)
Dr. Abdulhamid Mohamed Ali Zaroum(Co-Researcher)
KIRKHS,
International Islamic University Malaysia

2. Abstract
This presentation explains on how issues related to science and
spirituality are viewed from the Western and Islamic perspectives.
Besides, explaining the advantage and disadvantage of modern
science, the presentation also entertains some discussion on the
diversity of the human intelligence. In realizing the downside of
modern science and how it has been used for destructive purposes,
the researchers recommend on how science can be employed in a
positive manner that can yield good results for the benefit of
mankind. Moreover, they highlighted the fact that large parts of
modern science go in harmony with the Islamic principles. The parts
rejected by Islam are those ideas of modern science that go against
the fundamental and ethical teachings of the religion, like designer
babies, sperm bank, human cloning, creation of nuclear bombs,
chemical weapons, biological warfare, etc.

3. What is Modern Science
• The intellectual and practical activity
encompassing the systematic study of the
structure and behaviour of the physical and
natural world through observation and
experiment
• https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/science

4. Data in Modern Science
• Data collected in Modern science are based
on:
• Tangible and observable data
• Meter Reading of all kinds
• pH value, Litmus Test, Osmosis, Reverse
Osmosis, etc.

5. Scientific Maxim
If a thing cannot be
measured that thing does
not exist

6. Sir Francis Bacon(1561-1626)
• Sir Francis Bacon (1561-1626), who was known as the
‘Father of Modern Science’ in England, heralded in his book
‘The New Atlantis’ (1623), that the era of science would
overtake the era of religion. In his over veneration towards
science and scientific research, Bacon prophesized that
science would give man an upper hand in controlling
nature and would bestow the heavenly abode on earth by
providing peace and prosperity to mankind. Moreover,
Bacon went to such an extreme level in his writings to
promise humanity that the glory of science would one day
be able to abolish war, poverty to its roots, diseases of all
kind and even death
(Mohd Abbas Abdul Razak, 2013, p.24)

7. Modern Science
• Mainly coming from the West after the Medieval
Period of Europe
• Ever since Renaissance till today it has been expanding
and expanding
• It rejects the authority of religion, God, prophethood
and scriptures
• It is value free
• Science and scientists become the new found gods of
the West
• The are many parts of science we can agree and there
are parts we have to reject

8. The Problem with Modern Science &
Technology
• Though on the positive side, MST has created
ease and comfort for man, but failed man to
experience the real taste of happiness
• On the negative side, MST has taken the
humanness out of man and has turned him into
a mechanical being
• His mind has been hijacked and he is trapped in
the cyber world, leaving little time for him to
understand the true meaning of life

9. Human Intelligence is Diverse
Intelligence
PQ
IQ
EQ
SQ
Physical Intelligence
Cognitive
Intelligence
Emotional Intelligence
Spiritual
Intelligence

10. The Shifting of Paradigms
• PQ is something all human beings start with
• In the beginning people thought that the
world can be developed with just having IQ
• Later, witnessing wars, destruction to nature
and human lives called for EQ to be
introduced
• Due to unsatisfactory result in the
psychological wellbeing of people, calls for the
introduction of SQ (this is the latest)

11. Modern Spirituality in the West
• Since science failed to provide people the
true meaning of life & happiness, people are
moving towards a new concept of spirituality
• In this new concept, they are searching for
happiness in the absence of God, Heavenly
Books, Prophets and Religion

12. New Definition of Spirituality in the
West
• Spirituality means experiencing or feeling
closer to nature and fellow human beings
• This experience also include the “Self-
Actualization”, the concept of “Fully-
Functioning Individual” and “Peak Experience”
explained in Humanistic Psychology

13. Islamic concept of Spirituality
• Spirituality relates to God and a strong believe
in the things explained in the metaphysical
framework (aqa’id) of the Islamic faith
• Faith in the Oneness of God needs to be
translated into actions of good deeds
• One can be spiritually strong when one does
all the rituals prescribed in Islam; like prayers,
fasting, Zikr, Haj, reading of the Qur’an, etc.

14. The Divine Spark of God
• In the Islamic context, the human soul
originates from God the Almighty
• It is also believed to be the Divine spark of
God in man
• Within man there are godly and angelic
attributes. When they are actualized, an
individual becomes a godly and angelic
person. At the same time, man has to control
the animal attributes in him.

15. The Search for God
• In many communities of the world, religious
people isolate themselves in caves and in
snow capped mountains in search of God and
to get the right frequency to communicate
with Him
• This is not the case in Islam. People do not
need to isolate themselves as God will find
them wherever they are in this world.

16. God & Man in Islam
• ُ‫ن‬ْ‫َح‬‫ن‬ َ‫و‬ ۖ ُ‫ه‬ُ‫س‬ْ‫ف‬َ‫ن‬ ِ‫ه‬ِ‫ب‬ ُ‫س‬ِ‫و‬ْ‫س‬ َ‫و‬ُ‫ت‬ ‫ا‬َ‫م‬ ُ‫م‬َ‫ل‬ْ‫ع‬َ‫ن‬ َ‫و‬ َ‫ان‬َ‫س‬‫ن‬ِ ْ‫اْل‬ ‫َا‬‫ن‬ْ‫ق‬َ‫ل‬َ‫خ‬ ْ‫د‬َ‫ق‬َ‫ل‬ َ‫و‬ُ‫ب‬َ‫ر‬ْ‫ق‬َ‫أ‬
ِ‫ه‬ْ‫ي‬َ‫ل‬ِ‫إ‬ِ‫ل‬ْ‫ب‬َ‫ح‬ ْ‫ن‬ِ‫م‬ِ‫د‬‫ي‬ ِ‫ر‬ َ‫و‬ْ‫ال‬
“And We have already created man and know
what his soul whispers to him, and We are closer
to him than [his] jugular vein”
(Surah Qaf 50:16)

17. Cont.
• ِ‫اع‬َّ‫د‬‫ال‬ َ‫ة‬ َ‫و‬ْ‫ع‬َ‫د‬ ُ‫يب‬ ِ‫ج‬ُ‫أ‬ ۖ ٌ‫يب‬ ِ‫ر‬َ‫ق‬ ‫ي‬ِ‫ن‬ِ‫إ‬َ‫ف‬ ‫ي‬ِ‫ن‬َ‫ع‬ ‫ي‬ِ‫د‬‫ا‬َ‫ب‬ِ‫ع‬ َ‫ك‬َ‫ل‬َ‫أ‬َ‫س‬ ‫ا‬َ‫ذ‬ِ‫إ‬ َ‫و‬‫ا‬َ‫ذ‬ِ‫إ‬
ۖ ِ‫ان‬َ‫ع‬َ‫د‬ْ‫م‬َُُّ‫ل‬َ‫ع‬َ‫ل‬ ‫ي‬ِ‫ب‬ ‫وا‬ُ‫ن‬ِ‫م‬ُْْ‫ي‬ْ‫ل‬ َ‫و‬ ‫ي‬ِ‫ل‬ ‫وا‬ُ‫ب‬‫ي‬ ِ‫ج‬َ‫ت‬ْ‫س‬َ‫ي‬ْ‫ل‬َ‫ف‬َ‫ُون‬‫د‬ُ‫ش‬ ْ‫ر‬َ‫ي‬
“And when My servants ask you, [O
Muhammad], concerning Me - indeed I am near.
I respond to the invocation of the supplicant
when he calls upon Me. So let them respond to
Me [by obedience] and believe in Me that they
may be [rightly] guided.”
(Al-Baqarah 2:186)

18. Remembrance of Allah
• ُّ‫ن‬ِ‫ئ‬َ‫م‬ْ‫ط‬َ‫ت‬ ِ َّ‫َّللا‬ ِ‫ر‬ْ‫ك‬ِ‫ذ‬ِ‫ب‬ َ‫َل‬َ‫أ‬ ۗ ِ َّ‫َّللا‬ ِ‫ر‬ْ‫ك‬ِ‫ذ‬ِ‫ب‬ ‫م‬ُُُ‫ب‬‫و‬ُ‫ل‬ُ‫ق‬ ُّ‫ن‬ِ‫ئ‬َ‫م‬ْ‫ط‬َ‫ت‬ َ‫و‬ ‫وا‬ُ‫ن‬َ‫م‬‫آ‬ َ‫ين‬ِ‫ذ‬َّ‫ال‬
ُ‫وب‬ُ‫ل‬ُ‫ق‬ْ‫ال‬
"Those who believe, and whose hearts find
satisfaction in the remembrance of Allah: for
without doubt in the remembrance of Allah do
hearts find satisfaction”
(Al-Ra’d 13:28)

19. Witness the Signs of God
ۗ ُّ‫ق‬َ‫ح‬ْ‫ال‬ ُ‫ه‬َّ‫ن‬َ‫أ‬ ْ‫م‬َُُ‫ل‬ َ‫َّن‬‫ي‬َ‫ب‬َ‫ت‬َ‫ي‬ ٰ‫ى‬َّ‫ت‬َ‫ح‬ ْ‫م‬ُِِ‫س‬ُ‫ف‬‫ن‬َ‫أ‬ ‫ي‬ِ‫ف‬ َ‫و‬ ِ‫ق‬‫ا‬َ‫ف‬ ْ‫اْل‬ ‫ي‬ِ‫ف‬ ‫َا‬‫ن‬ِ‫ت‬‫ا‬َ‫ي‬‫آ‬ ْ‫م‬ُِ‫ي‬ ِ‫ر‬ُ‫ن‬َ‫س‬
ٍ‫ء‬ْ‫َي‬‫ش‬ ِ‫ل‬ُ‫ك‬ ٰ‫ى‬َ‫ل‬َ‫ع‬ ُ‫ه‬َّ‫ن‬َ‫أ‬ َ‫ك‬ِ‫ب‬َ‫ر‬ِ‫ب‬ ِ‫ف‬ْ‫ك‬َ‫ي‬ ْ‫م‬َ‫ل‬ َ‫و‬َ‫أ‬ٌ‫د‬‫ي‬َُِ‫ش‬
“We will show them Our Signs in the universe,
and in their own selves, until it becomes
manifest to them that this (the Quran) is the
truth”?
(Fussilat 41:53)

20. Science & Spirituality in Islam
• Mainly cordial relationship between the two
• The Qur’an has a lot of scientific data in it
• Muslims should only welcome the positive
contributions that come from the world of
science, leaving behind all the atheistic,
agnostic and secular concepts brought to us
by modern science.

21. 21
“ O you assembly of Jinns and men! If it be you
can pass beyond the zones of the heavens and
earth, pass you! Not without authority shall you
be able to past!” (Surah Ar-Rahman55:33)

22. 22
“Behold in the creation of
the heavens and earth, and
the alternation of night and
day,- there are indeed Signs
for men of understanding”
(Surah 3:190).

23. The Dynamic Ummah
• A dynamic Ummah can be created when the
Muslims are able to make a marriage between
the positive aspects of science with spirituality
• Since modern science is not able to provide
answers to all our problems, we have to rely
on the Qur’an to get a holistic perspective on
life

24. What should be Rejected from
Modern Science
• The Darwinian theory that states the origin of
man goes back to the ape family
• Designer babies
• Sperm Bank
• Human cloning
• The creation of Nuclear Bombs, Chemical
Weapons, Biological Warfare, etc.

25. Science without religion is lame,
Religion without science is blind
Albert Einstein
25

27. Science is a beautiful gift to humanity;
We should no distort it
A.P.J Abdul Kalam
27

28. God
God is like the central piece of the jigsaw-puzzle of
life. Without Him life becomes less romantic and
meaningless
(Mohd Abbas Abdul Razak)
IIUM

29. A day without God in my life will be a
total chaos
(Mohd Abbas Abdul Razak)
IIUM
God

30. The ongoing tussle between good and
evil within me says that God exists
(Mohd Abbas Abdul Razak)
IIUM
God

31. Syukran
Terima Kasih