Making Sense of the Universe

Throughout the history of the Islamic civilizations there has been always a different approach to observing the universe and searching for truth than that of what we call modern science, which is a collection of pieces of knowledge developed by gathering new pieces upon the older ones through experimenting. In this sense modern science, which is heavily influenced by 19^th century positivism, is dissimilar to the process and interpretation of knowledge in Islam, which strives to combine faith and reasoning.

The positivist observation and experimenting limits the knowledge to the realm of the five senses with a materialistic perception. Islamic civilization also contributed to this sort of knowledge in the course of the history. Well-known examples such as Al Khwarizmi, the founder of the Algebra or Avicenna, whose medicine books were taught in Europe for a long time can be found easily. The undeniable contributions of Muslims of Andalusia to renaissance and rise of modern Europe are expressed by many in the West. Quran encourages people to observe the order in earth and heavens to strengthen their faith. For example in this verse people are called to use their senses and reasoning to examine the creation of heavens and earth:

There are great examples in the creation of heavens and earth, in day and night following each other for people who use their minds[1].

The end result of the process of observing and drawing conclusions is heavily influenced by this mindset. That is to say, while modern sciences struggle to find out how things happen, Islam also gives meaning to these findings. Everything is seen as exhibition of the greatness and intelligence of the God Almighty. The attachment of this understanding to the process of obtaining knowledge is also praised in the Quran, where it says, “The person who is given wisdom is given many things”[2]. Wisdom here is meant as making sense of what is around us and understanding the meaning of life.

There are actually some benefits stemming from this philosophy. First of all, the endeavors in search of truth are considered as part of earning the approval of God. This adds a spiritual motivation in encouraging scientists to explore the universe. Shining examples, such as Al Kindi or Al Khwarizmi, from the golden ages of Islamic civilization were partly influenced by this. The second benefit, as FethullahGulen puts it, is the peace of mind and the optimism that the faith provides. As the scientist learns more about the universe, his faith will help overcome some overwhelming facts discovered such as the terrifying existence of black holes or the predicted end of life of the Sun and earth. If every thing is seen as the work of a most compassionate and wise God there will be an added optimism to learn more about His works.