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One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Assalamu Alaikum.

What are the differences between the Al-Qur`aan and Science?Jazakallah.

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Answer:

Diff between quran and science

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

The word and term ‘science’ is described by the Oxford Dictionary as: ‘branch of knowledge involving systemized observations and experiments’. The Glorious Quran is described by Allah Subhanah as:

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verse 185:

Ramadan is the month in which the Quran was sent down: this Book is a Perfect Guidance for mankind and consists of clear Teachings which show the Right Way, and are a Criterion of the Truth and falsehood.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 16 Surah Nahl verse 89:

We have sent down to you this Book, which makes everything plain, and is a guidance, blessing and good news to those who have surrendered themselves entirely.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 18 Surah Kahf verse 1-3:

All praise is for Allah Alone, Who has sent down this Book to His Servant (Mohamed (saws), and assigned nothing crooked to it. This Book says everything directly, so that he may warn the people of the severe chastisement of Allah and give good news to the believers, who do righteous deeds, that they will have an excellent reward.

In other words ‘science’ is the knowledge that man gains from his observations, experiments, and experience of the things and objects in creation….and the Glorious Quran on the other hand is the Message revealed for the guidance of all mankind from the One Who created everything in existence!

Although the Quran may contain some knowledge which man confirms through his observation and study (like the creation and formation in the wombs, or the concept of rain, or that everything was created from water, etc.), that is not the purpose of its revelation! The purpose of the revelation of the Glorious Quran is mainly to answer those questions of man which cannot be learnt by experience or experimented in the laboratory….but questions which require answers nonetheless and the guidance of which can only be from the One Who is the All-Knowing, All-Wise Creator and Sustainer of the Worlds!

Questions like: Is there a Creator? Who exactly is this Creator? What is His purpose of creation? What are His Rights towards His creation and vice versa? Is there a life after death? What will happen in the Hereafter? What is the best and purest way to live one’s life? What should the perfect relationships and rights be between a nation to another, between man and man, between adult and child, between master and slave, between husband and wife, between parent and child, between rich and poor, between the rulers and the ruled, etc.? What exactly is righteousness, morality, honesty, justice, patience, sacrifice, etc.?

These questions which can never ever be answered through man’s limited observations and experiments are the ones that are addressed in depth and in perfection by the One Who Created everything and possesses the Absolute and Perfect Knowledge of everything in existence.

Allah Subhanah did not reveal His Message and send His Messengers to teach man the things which he can learn from his experience and observations and experiments….these things were left to man to develop as and when their necessity arose!

Thus the knowledge that we recognize or call as ‘science’ is no more than the observation, experience, and experiments man has made through time of the things and products created by the Creator! And the Quran is the Knowledge and Guidance revealed by that same Creator to teach man what he neither knows, nor has the capacity to know, nor can man determine this knowledge and guidance through his observations, experiences and experiments!

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan