Science and Islam: how Muslim scholars have reinvented the world
In this first chronicle, Omar Merzoug, philosopher and specialist in Islamic thought, explores the relationship between science and religion in the Muslim world, highlighting the philosophical and ethical foundations of Muslim science. He explains how this science, anchored in the principles of Islam, is distinguished from modern Western science by its unified approach to knowledge and its inseparable bond with spirituality. Omar Merzoug published in 2001 “Avicenna or the Islam of the Enlightenment” At Editions Flammarion For 7 years, he taught Islamic philosophy and civilization at the Al Ghazali Institute for training imams of the Great Mosque in Paris.
Omar Merzoug chronicle report
Muslim science and the principle of unity
Omar Merzoug begins by emphasizing that Muslim science is based on the concept of unity (Tawhid), which is at the heart of the Koranic message. This divine unit is reflected in the universe, where everything is interconnected. Thus, Muslim science aims to reveal the close relations which govern the elements of the universe, by highlighting the interdependence between the unity of the cosmos and the unity of God. This vision contrasts with modern Western science, which, since the 17th century, has been built on a separation between religion and science.
The break between man and nature in Western science
Omar Merzoug explains that Western science, influenced by thinkers like Descartes, aims to dominate and master nature. This approach, which considers nature as an object to be exploited, has led to a break between man and his environment, as well as between the divine and the human. On the other hand, Muslim science does not seek to dominate nature, but to understand and reveal the harmony and the unity which underlie it. For Muslim scholars, science is a way to get closer to God by discovering the laws that govern his creation.
Science and ethics in Islam
Another key point addressed by Omar Merzoug is the importance of ethics in Muslim science. Unlike Western science, which can sometimes be detached from moral considerations, science in Islam is always linked to ethical issues. Muslim scholars distinguish between useful science (al-ilm al-nafi ‘) and useless science (al-‘ilm al-ghayr nafi’). Useful science is that which serves humanity and contributes to the well-being of individuals and society. On the other hand, the science that endangers life or the environment is considered useless, even harmful.
Omar Merzoug quotes the famous formula “Science without conscience is only ruin of the soul”, stressing that Muslim scholars fully adhere to this idea. For them, a real scientist is the one who fears God and who uses his knowledge to serve humanity. This fear of God, far from being an obstacle to research, is on the contrary a source of motivation and inspiration.
Muslim scholars: heirs of the prophets
Omar Merzoug recalls that, according to a hadith of the prophet Mohammed (صلى الله عليه وسلم), the scholars are the heirs of the prophets. This assertion underlines the central role of scholars in the transmission of knowledge and in the spiritual guidance of the community. Muslim scholars are not content to repeat or transmit the knowledge of previous civilizations; They enrich them and develop them to create new scientific disciplines. Omarmerzoug gives the example of Al-Khwarizmi, the father of algebra, who was able to draw inspiration from Greek and Indian mathematics to found a new branch of mathematics.
The contribution of Muslim scholars to global science
Omar Merzoug refutes the idea that Muslim scholars were only mediators, simply transmitting the knowledge of the ancient Greek and Persian civilizations to medieval Europe. On the contrary, they made original and significant contributions to various fields, such as astronomy, medicine, chemistry and philosophy. These contributions have not only preserved ancient knowledge, but also enriched and developed it, paving the way for new discoveries.
Conclusion: a science at the service of humanity
In conclusion, Omar Merzoug insists that Muslim science is deeply rooted in an ethical and spiritual vision of the world. She does not seek to dominate nature, but to understand and reveal the harmony that governs it. Muslim scholars, guided by their faith and fear of God, played a crucial role in the history of science, by creating new disciplines and enriching human knowledge. For Merzoug, this scientific tradition, which combines intellectual rigor and ethical concern, remains a source of inspiration to meet contemporary challenges.
