This book presents 25 selected papers from the International Conference on “Developing Synergies between Islam & Science and Technology for Mankind’s Benefit” held at the International Institute for Advanced Islamic Studies Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, in October 2014. The papers cover a broad range of issues reflecting the main conference themes: Cosmology and the Universe, Philosophy of Science and the Emergence of Biological Systems, Principles and Applications of Tawhidic Science, Medical Applications of Tawhidic Science and Bioethics, and the History and Teaching of Science from an Islamic Perspective. Highlighting the relationships between the Islamic religious worldview and the physical sciences, the book challenges secularist paradigms on the study of Science and Technology. Integrating metaphysical perspectives of Science, topics include Islamic approaches to S&T such as an Islamic epistemology of the philosophy of science, a new quantum theory, environmental care, avoiding wasteful consumption using Islamic teachings, and emotional-blasting psychological therapy. Eminent contributing scholars include Osman Bakar, Mohammad Hashim Kamali, Mehdi Golshani, Mohd. Kamal Hassan, Adi Setia and Malik Badri. The book is essential reading for a broad group of academics and practitioners, from Islamic scholars and social scientists to (physical) scientists and engineers.
Table of Content
Preface.- Part I: Opening Section.- Chapter 1: Introduction.- Chapter 2: Opening Address by Former Prime Minister of Malaysia and Chairman, IAIS.- Chapter 3: Science and Technology for Mankind’s Benefit: Islamic Theories and Practices – Past, Present and Future.- Chapter 4: The Necessity of Studying the Natural Sciences from the Qur’anic Worldview.- Part II: Philosophy of Science, Cosmology and Emergence of Biological Systems.- Chapter 5: Philosophy of Science in Epistemological Perspective.- Chapter 6: Rūmī On the Living Earth: A Sufi Perspective.- Chapter 7: Sayyid Qutb’s Understanding of the Universe as a Living and Meaningful World.- Chapter 8: The New Approach in Western Science towards Understanding the Nature of Life and Mind, in Terrence Deacon’s ‘Incomplete Nature’: An Analysis from Islamic Perspectives.- Part III: Tawhidic Science – Principles.- Chapter 9: Islam Can Give a Proper Orientation to Science and Technology Development.- Chapter 10: Vision in Action: Operationalising the Islamisation of Science and Technology.- Chapter 11: Maqāsid al-Shari‘ah: A Traditional Source for Ensuring Design and Development of Modern Technology for Humanity’s Benefit.- Part IV: Tawhidic Science – General Applications.- Chapter 12: Islam and the Environment: An Examination of the Source Evidence.- Chapter 13: Reducing Wasteful Consumption Towards Sustainability by Waste Avoidance Using Self-Improvement (Tazkiyah) and Contentment (Qana‘ah) Approaches.- Chapter 14: Integrating Spirituality Into Efforts for Improving Value Chains of Farm Products.- Chapter 15: Neurotechnological Advances in Exploring Melodic Recitation of the Noble Qur’an: Uncovering the Neural Circuitry in the Human Brain.- Chapter 16: A New Quantum Theory in Accordance with Islamic Science.- Part V: Tawhidic Science – Bioethics.- Chapter 17: Breakthroughs in Biosciences and the Question of Morality: Interactions Between Ethics and Bioscience Practices.- Chapter 18: Implementation of an Islamic Approach to Harm Reduction Among Illicit Drug-Users in Malaysia.- Chapter 19: Genetically Modified Food and Humanity’s Well-Being: An Islamic Perspective Elmira Akhmetova.- Chapter 20: Advances in Tri-Parent Baby Technology: The Bio-ethical Challenge for Muslims.- Part VI: Islamic Teaching of Science.- Chapter 21: Integrating the Qur’anic Worldview with the Natural Sciences: Answering the Call for Islamic Secondary Schools.- Chapter 22: Teaching of Values in Science: Defining its Universal Values.- Chapter 23: Positing a Spiritual Dimension for Science Education: Brunei Darussalam’s Experience.- Chapter 24: Displayed Features of a Student with High Functioning Autism During Quranic Learning.- Part VII: History of Science & Technology in Islamic Civilisation.- Chapter 25: Emotional Blasting Therapy: A Psychotherapeutic Technique Invented by Early Muslim Physicians.- Chapter 26: Tracing the History of Astrolabe Inventions Across Civilisations.
About the author
Professor Dr. Mohammad Hashim Kamali is Founding CEO of the International Institute of Advanced Islamic Studies (IAIS) Malaysia. He was Professor of Islamic Law and Jurisprudence at the International Islamic University Malaysia (1985-2004), and also Dean of the International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilization (ISTAC) from 2004 to 2006. Professor Kamali serves on the advisory boards of 13 local and international academic journals; addressed over 200 national and international conferences, and has published 28 books and over 170 academic articles. He is Senior Fellow of the following: Royal Academy of Jordan; Institute of Advanced Study Berlin and Afghanistan Academy of Sciences. Kamali’s works are translated into numerous languages including Arabic, German, Italian, Turkish and Japanese. He features in the book The 500 Most Influential Muslims in the World (2009, 2010). He is recipient of King Abdullah II International Award 2010 in recognition of his intellectual contributions towards serving Islam and Muslims.
Emeritus Professor Datuk Dr. Osman Bakar, who holds a doctorate in Islamic philosophy from Temple University, Philadelphia (USA) is currently Chair Professor and Director of Sultan Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Centre for Islamic Studies (SOASCIS), Universiti Brunei Darussalam. Formerly Malaysia Chair of Islam in Southeast Asia at the Prince Talal al-Waleed Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding, Georgetown University, Washington DC he is also Emeritus Professor of Philosophy of Science at the University of Malaya. Dr Bakar is an author of 18 books and more than 300 articles on various aspects of Islamic thought and civilization, particularly Islamic science and philosophy in which he is a leading authority. His most well-known books are
Classification of Knowledge in Islam (1992) and
Tawhid and Science (1992). His latest book is titled
Islamic Civilization and the Modern World: Thematic Essays (2014). He has been named several times among the 500 most influential Muslims in the world.
Dr Daud Abdul-Fattah Batchelor leads the Science, Technology, Environment and Ethics unit of IAIS Malaysia where he is Associate Fellow. Daud has broad experience in industry and academia. He served as head of the PETRONAS Waste Management Unit, Malaysia and as Senior Environmental Advisor to Peabody Energy Australia. He is a Fellow and Chartered Environmental Professional with the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy and Member, Environment Institute of Australia and New Zealand. With an MA in Islam and Other Civilisations and Diploma of Islamic Studies from the International Islamic University of Malaysia, he obtained his Ph D from Universiti Malaya winning the Longmans Award for outstanding research. He holds an MSc with Distinction from Imperial College of Science & Technology, London, and Master of Engineering Science in Environmental Management. Daud taught as Assistant Professor at Sultan Qaboos University, Oman, and at University Malaya and Universiti Sains Malaysia. He co-founded the Islamic College of Brisbane.
Associate Professor Dr. Rugayah Hashim is an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Administrative Science and Policy Studies, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia. One of her research interests includes Islamic and spiritual perspectives in humanoid-assisted social skill development of brain-impaired children. She has been appointed as the visiting research fellow by the University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia from 2009-2015.