ISLAM, SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

CONTEMPORARY CHALLENGES & PRESENT PREDICAMENTS

Muslims & Muslim world today

Represent one fifth's of world's population Economic potentials are enormous But, live in very difficult and challenging times

Yet, we are told:

"You are the best nation (ummah) produced for mankind, enjoining what is right, forbidding what is wrong, and believing in Allah ."

Islamic Knowledge & Science

ISLAM, SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

CONTEMPORARY CHALLENGES & PRESENT PREDICAMENTS To rebuild Islamic civilization, Muslims must undertake a critical evaluation of past failures and successes in both the Muslim world and the West besides taking account of contemporary situations. Islam does not neglect the role of science in helping to deliver material goods to man:
Muslims must acquire scientific knowledge and technological know-how to the point of being selfreliant and competitive, and even assuming world leadership! Islamic Knowledge & Science

ISLAM, SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

BUT..
Muslims must realize that the current and prevalent secular view of science and technology is alien to the Islamic worldview and the Quranic teachings on human civilization, progress and development. Science and technology should be the instruments to serve the spiritual and moral goals of man Science and technology can't solve the problem of unequitable distribution of wealth among nations and their misuse by man. Intervention of spirituality, and values and morality is needed. Islamic Knowledge & Science

Factors Which Influenced The Rise of Science & Technology in The Muslim World
Religion and the Cultural Unity of Islam The State and Its Science Policy Other Important Factors
Religious consciousness Philosophy and intellectual climate International trade
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Religion and the Cultural Unity of Islam

Without Islam, probably no renaissance in Arab civilization would have taken place. Islam achieved a unique historical feat in the history of mankind
Islam abolished the barriers which had isolated many regions and countries from each other. Under this system of government, they now had one religion and one literary and scientific language: Arabic Cultural unity provides free passage and trade with China in the East to Spain in the west. Islamic Knowledge & Science

The State and Its Science Policy

With a stable government and a wise science policy, the interest and pursuant of science and scientific knowledge expand tremendously. Academies, schools, observatories and libraries were established to implement the science policy.
Bayt al-Hikmah (House of Wisdom) Khinazat al-Hikmah (Library of Wisdom) Dar al-Hikmah (House of Wisdom/Science) Islamic Knowledge & Science

Arabicising and the Role of Arabic

Arabic is the language of the Quran Islamic religion and the Arabic language are two unifying forces of the Islamic state The caliph's vision: the sciences of other civilizations were translated into Arabic Flexibility of the Arabic language
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Other Important Factors

Religious consciousness & faithfulness to the shari'ah
Motivating factor for the quest of science Understanding the spirit of Tauhid

A healthy philosophy and intellectual climate

The flowering of philosophy that is dedicated to scientific learning, progress and advancement intellectual debates in frank and rational manner

International trade

Islamic Knowledge & Science

FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE DECLINE OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY IN MUSLIM WORLD

INTERNAL and EXTERNAL forces cause gradual disappearance of the positive factors mentioned above EXTERNAL - Destruction and devastation caused by the Mongols. INTERNAL forces - include political corruption, internal strife, rise of religious legalism and sectarianism, neglect of the inner dimension of knowledge in the religion. More devastating effect than, probably, the external force
Islamic Knowledge & Science