The Relationship between Religion and Science

08/01/2017| IslamWeb

Areas of knowledge are represented in the two worlds of the seen and the unseen, or the physical world and the metaphysical world. Man uses all the available tools and methods in his search for knowledge, including innovations and devices which expand the scope of his senses' perception. It is unquestionably known that senses have limited capabilities. Man has been working to promote these capacities by the aid of scientific devices which helped to expand the scope of his senses' perception. Nevertheless, his knowledge remains limited to the capabilities of these devices, which are also necessarily limited. Consequently, human knowledge – which is obtained through senses and devices – remains limited with regard to the seen world and constitutes a small portion of overall knowledge. That is because the area where man lives as well as the areas he has managed to discover in our solar galaxy represent only a drop in a huge sea. 

The knowledge man obtains in the physical world depends on the methodology of knowledge through the senses, which is governed by time and place within the framework of what is possible.

As for the world of the unseen, man's knowledge in this regard depends on authentic reports which come from a source that has absolute knowledge, and which exceeds the limitedness of the senses and goes beyond the limits of time and place. This source is Allah Almighty.

Man's knowledge in the physical world is his seeking to discover the norms of Allah in His creation. Consequently, a certain scientific fact can never contradict a certain religious fact for both of them come from Allah Almighty. These are His signs in the horizons, and those are His signs in the revelation. Allah Almighty says (what means):

• {We will show them Our signs in the horizons and within themselves until it becomes clear to them that it is the truth. But is it not sufficient concerning your Lord that He is, over all things, a Witness?} [Quran 41: 53]

• {And those who have been given knowledge see that what is revealed to you from your Lord is the truth, and it guides to the path of the Exalted in Might, the Praiseworthy.} [Quran 34: 6]