In the Name of Allah

How is the Illumination of Science upon the World of Islam?
 How has the relation between religion and science shown itself during history?
Some who claimed being religious, believed religion meant science. Some believed religion meant deed and had nothing to do with science. Others believed and still believe that science is the manifestation of religion and have found proof for this from the Ayah, Iqra bismi rabbik (Read in the name of your God). Meaning that the descent of the holy Ayah of Iqra or the Surah Mudassir or the Surah Al-Fatiha which is Sab Al Mathani (the seven repeatedly recited verses) are all science and perfection which came down upon the Holy Prophet’s soul and spirit at the beginning of Islam and this viewpoint has been accepted by all Muslims and the Imamiehs (those who believe in the twelve Imams).
 Or concerning the oral questions asked from the Holy Prophet and His responses, when the addressee was an ordinary person, He would give simple answers and when the addressee had scientific knowledge, the response would be given in a scientific way. This was how the Najran scientists were given scientific responses which consequently caused manifestation of the spirituality and magnificence of the Holy Prophet and caused them to dispense with their idea of cursing one another[1]. These viewpoints exist.
 Some believe, the development of the sciences of Philosophy, Gnosticism and Mysticism (the brain and centre of religion) originated from Greece.
What happened that these sciences spread from Greece to religion?
 In response it should be said that the Greeks had engaged in the science of Egyptian and Sumerian soothsayers and had complete knowledge of the same. Thereafter, these sciences were transferred from Greece to Rome. The reason for this was that the Roman personalities including the emperor were well-versed in this science and there were ample seekers for it. When the sciences of Greece filled the minds of the scholars, the discontinuance of these sciences in the following manner did not take much time; they spread from the minds to the churches of that time and instead of the nectar of the sciences of Philosophy, Gnosticism and Mysticism becoming effective in purification of man and instead of manifestation of its growth and effect in the society in a beautiful manner, it changed into scrutinizing beliefs in those days and according to narrations by Will Durant in his book, ‘The Story of Civilization’ it did not remain in its own tension but rather became a blow to man’s great thoughts and those of the scientists.
The impact was so great that it assassinated their thoughts and beliefs as much as it could and went forward; and knowledgeable scientists were falsely accused and were severely tortured merely because they disagreed with their religious viewpoints and opinions, such as Galileo and his followers which after Galileo’s letter of repentance, a few of his students who had not announced their repentance were put severely under pressure and torture.
 This event occurred at that time according to the statement by Will Durant. But in order for us to understand the greatness of the manner of emerging of science in religion and Islam, it should be said that a scientist called Carra de Vaux has said: The Abbasides found themselves Sifr-ul kaf (empty-handed) in answering the questions of scientists on religion and were not able to work with the call “Hasbuna KitabAllah” (the Holy Quran is sufficient for us).[2]
 People would, one after the other, ask scientific questions from the Abbasides and the Abbaside caliphs who considered themselves to be very great but (as mentioned above) understood they had nothing to offer in response to these questions. Inevitably, they should have sought refuge in a scientific source. But they could not make perfect use of the Holy Quran and were not in contact with the Innocents (the twelve Imams). If they had truly profited from the Innocents, they would not have caused their own disgrace due to their ignorance. On the other hand, they could not have made use of excommunication, i.e. anyone could not have said, “What is that science?”, “You are a pagan”.
 This was a very delicate issue. Inevitably, they had to resort to the important sources of science in order for them to be filled from the sciences of Mysticism and Gnosticism. What and Where were and are these sources? Wait for the next article on this subject.  
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[1] Najran scientists were a group who went to the Holy Prophet to talk about their religion and it was decided that one day each one of them would pray for themselves and against one another and curse each other. When they found the greatness of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and Imam Ali (PBUH) and Her Holiness Fatimah (PBUH) and Imam Hassan (PBUH) and Imam Hossein (PBUH) they dispensed with their idea and did not curse one another (the issue of Mubahila, Ayah 61 of the Holy Surah Al-e-Imran). Through some preliminaries, some of them continued their path in Islam; these people are called Najran scientists (Najran is the name of a place in Medina near the mountain Ohod)   
[2] It is as though the first and last sciences in the world are hidden in the Heart of the Holy Quran. But the reason why the Abbasides were empty-handed from Quran was that they, themselves wanted to engage in the fundamentals of the Holy Quran, but they did not possess the competence for this. If the Abbasides would learn the Holy Quran through the Holy Innocents (the twelve Imams), i.e. if they would ask their questions from any Innocent Imam with whom they were contemporary, they would not be empty-handed. This is because the Shiites believe that the Innocents are Ul-ul ilm (the owners and masters of science), they are the true interpreters of the Holy Quran, the Innocents are those whose beautiful words said: We have knowledge of both the exterior and the interior (heart) of the Holy Quran, we have knowledge of both the indisputable and the allegorical verses of the Holy Quran, we have knowledge of both the Quranic current sciences and the fundamental sciences and hundreds of other essentials including scientific, philosophic and mystic essentials, which are hidden within the holy Quran.
Therefore, the reason why the Abbasides pretended to have knowledge of the Holy Quran but were empty-handed was that in fact they had not achieved the knowledge of the Holy Quran from the true channel and interpreter; otherwise, they would not have been introduced as Sifr-ul kaf (empty-handed).       
15 June 2008

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Prepared under the supervision of Professor Mosavi