We need to view reality holistically because many problems today require solutions that are not only multidisciplinary in nature but also these solutions fundamentally require ethics and values which often lie outside of the scope of the field being looked at. We have a situation where the continuing demise of the once ‘dependable’ stands of positivism and materialism are making us ask the very raison d’etre of just about everything that we do and what we stand for. Such a statement may be dismissed as mere rhetoric in the past, but with the conditions prevailing today where complete annihilation is not only possible but is a constant real threat, perhaps the meaning of the statement can be taken quite literally.
Having a holistic view of reality means that we have a framework of thinking or a philosophy or worldview which is coherent, one that will enable us to accept if not properly love (care about) ourselves, nature and be at peace with the Transcendent Being. Ask any motivator or performance-improvement guru and they will agree that this is the basis of any major success.
One way towards achieving this coherence is by harmonizing religious and scientific knowledge so that we might understand the ultimate source and meaning of life itself. The role of such a worldview would simply and urgently then be the basis for thinking and acting in solving of problems currently (environmental, social and economic) encountered.
An active ingredient in such a worldview is the dialogue between two of the greatest cultural forces of mankind i.e. science and religion. To conventional thinking such as reiterated by Alfred North Whitehead (1861-1947, a renowned English philosopher, mathematician) when he said that the future of mankind depends on what we make of the relationship between these two disciplines.
In Islamic history such a statement was not verbalized because it was already the norm to harmonise the two. As soon as the Quran commanded man to “Read” [Read in the Name of your Lord, who has created all that exists, He has created man from a clot … who has taught man by the pen … (Quran: al-Alq)], science became a systematic search for truth to understand nature which contains signs from God and as a means by which to prosper in this life. Balance and homeostasis was part and parcel of that science as the Quran sets out the limits and guidance in the acquisition and use of this scientific knowledge as manifested socially, economically and other fields of knowledge and life.
However in the modern Era, due to a separatist outlook between science and religion since the Enlightenment period, modern society is under the impression that it is basically faced with two types of belief systems or cultures which are seen to be in conflict with one another as a result of the different features attributed to each of them respectively.
Religious culture is said to be based on revelation which is at best inspirational while the scientific is reasonable and empirical. It can be argued that it is the confrontation or troubled relations between adherents of the two cultures that underlie many of the crises that we face today.
What is needed is dialogue between science and religion as each can provide rich insights into reality which is integrated in nature. This dialogue can operate via reason and logic and its end is to enable us to reevaluate our established conventional interpretations of our beliefs and ideologies, which translates into our policies and actions. As Malaysia gears up its efforts to enhance its science and technology capacities, it is imperative that science receives support from the social and human sciences and the religious dimension is especially, of relevance.
Dialogue is critical because the prevailing view is that science and religion have nothing to do with each other. There is however overwhelming evidence today which shows that this mis perception is due to a misunderstanding on the part of theologians of what science is and misapplications of scientific ideas by well-meaning scientists in religious discourse. A classic example is when Galileo was attacked by the religious community for putting forth his theory of the solar system which contravened the theological view of the geocentric universe.
Some theologians also argue that religious questions arise in the realm of selfhood and not in the impersonal objectivity of scientific studies. Religious issues are of ultimate concern and value and require a type of personal involvement very different from the detached objective attitude of the scientist.
Separation has also been argued on the grounds that science provides technical knowledge of a specialized kind, whereas religion gives a total philosophy of life.
Based on such a separatist attitude we are then supposed to be content with a plurality of unrelated cultures/languages of science and religion. There cannot be a dialogue nor complementariness except when we are talking about the personal problems of the scientist as human beings.
For Muslims who have seen the decline of science in the past 800 years, the reliving the unity of science and religion, of facts and values of knowledge and technology with ethics is part of the quest for the tajdid (renewal) of the ummah today. Several decades ago the goal of Muslim scholars was to emulate the Golden Age especially in Andalusia when science in Islamic Civilisation was at the forefront of human knowledge in all areas of science. Today however this task is even more critical in a global context in the light of the moral crises faced in critical facets of modern life. Much as technology is giving us more and more potential to improve our lives, it too bears the potential of aiding moral distruction and that harmonising science and religion in the Islamic context can be of benefit to everyone, not just Muslims. Therefore the realization that a reinstatement of a humanized and ethical science must begin with setting our worldview clearly. This means putting into gear our niyyat (intention) and destination. As with any organizational effort, once the vision is clearly stated, the mission and milestones can easily be put in place. Bringing science and religion together is a first requirement because we need to overcome a major intellectual problem of our age i.e. the problem of the compartmentalization of knowledge which is mirrored in our weakness in practicing team-building or enacting the team spirit when problems require the efforts of more than one ministry/agency/department for example.
The fact of the matter is that scientists, and theologians ultimately use metaphysics in their thinking and each can make valuable contributions for an integrated worldview. There are also parallels in the methods of religion and science, for example both use analogies (kias) and refer to experience/observation to clarify their concepts.
Science can help in the perfectification of the understanding of scripture which although touted as the source of moral/ethical guidance seems to lack real impact when it comes to implementation or making an impact. Some of the latest findings of science are today reinforcing the view of the absolute dependence of the universe upon something that is beyond itself for example. From the religious perspective such a notion may be implicit in one’s faith but the ability to ‘witness’ through the mind’s eye what the religion says leaves no more space for doubts to say the least. Socrates use to say “to know is the greatest pleasure”. In the Surah al-‘Araf the Prophet Musa A.S. desired to ‘see’ God but was ‘shown’ why and how he could not do so after the mountain of Thursina broke to pieces when God revealed His Glory to it. For the believer/mukmin, to know what he is, where he is from, where or what his destination is, and how is he to live in this world are questions that certainly require him to know science and religion. Could it be that such a person will then be prepared to be, by conventional standards at least, a “good citizen” of the nation or the planet whilst in the context of his belief system he would be covering the needs of this and the next world at the same time?