Religion and Science...

What is your opinion regarding the roles of Religion and Science in mans life? Do you believe that they are two separate entities, which should never interfere with each other? Or do you think the sciences should have an "Islamicized" goal (without necessarily hindering the findings of scientific endeavor).
Further, what is your opinion regarding certain issues, such as "beginningless universes"? I do understand you are not a cosmologist, but certainly if an adequate theory is proposed that the universe never had a beginning, this differs radically from the Qur'anic outlook, where the Universe was created. In your opinion, what ought to be the Muslim response?
I apologize if I have asked too many questions, but they essentially revolve around one issue.
salaam `alaykum
Razwan
United Kingdom

Although, apparently, the very scope of the two referred fields - religion and science - are different and apart from each other: Religion deals with either the metaphysical or the moral aspects of this life, whereas science is concerned with the physical and the amoral aspects of life. Yet, a more careful view of the two fields, from the perspective of a believing person, leads me to the view that the two fields are strongly related with each other: Each of the two undertaking to study a different aspect of the creation of the One God. From this perspective we see that religion deals primarily with the study of the moral aspect of God's creation, while science deals with the study of the physical aspect of the creation of the same God. Thus, seen from this perspective, each of the two can complement the other, leading us to a more thorough view of God's creation.

Thus, although the apparent scope of the two fields may be independent of the other, yet as in all other spheres of human life, religion affects our scientific endeavours insofar as it binds us to use all our scientific advancements for the welfare and benefit of the human race and disapproves all such usage that may prove to be detrimental to this end.

As for the concept of 'beginningless universes', being a believing Muslim, I consider the very concept to be contrary to my well considered approach towards life and, therefore, unacceptable.

I hope this helps.
Moiz Amjad

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