Summary of the Friday Khutba today, June 21, 2024. It was entitled: “Scientific research and its role in the progress of nations”
Our religion urges us to seek knowledge and thought and to open up horizons of research and knowledge. Anyone who meditates on the Holy Qur’an will find it full of calls to research, contemplation and contemplation, as:
– Allah Almighty says: {Behold all that is in the heavens and the earth}.
– Allah Almighty says: {And also in yourselves. Will you not then see}.
– Allah Almighty says: {Travel in the land and see how He originated the creation, and then Allah will bring forth the creation of the Hereafter. Verily, Allah is able to do all things}.
● The importance of science and scientific research in Islam:
A- The first word of the Holy Qur’an that was revealed to the Prophet ﷺ, is the word “Read,” where Allah Almighty says: {Read! In the Name of your Lord Who created. – He has created man from a clot.. Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous., Who has taught by the pen.. He has taught man that which he knew not..}
B- An entire surah in the Holy Qur’an is named “The Pen,” as Allah Almighty says: {Nun. By the pen and by what they yastur}; Emphasizing the importance of science tools and methods.
C – Glory be to Allah begins Surah Ar-Rahman by saying: {Ar-Rahman!* He has taught the Qur’an.* He created man.* He taught him Al-Bayan}, and in this is a warning to all people to explain the virtue of knowledge and the importance of learning.
D- The Messenger of Allah ﷺ urged the pursuit of knowledge and scientific research, as he ﷺ said: “He who follows a path in quest of knowledge, Allah will make the path of Jannah easy to him. The angels lower their wings over the seeker of knowledge, being pleased with what he does. The inhabitants of the heavens and the earth and even the fish in the depth of the oceans seek forgiveness for him. The superiority of the learned man over the devout worshipper is like that of the full moon to the rest of the stars (i.e., in brightness). The learned are the heirs of the Prophets who bequeath neither dinar nor dirham but only that of knowledge; and he who acquires it, has in fact acquired an abundant portion.” Indeed, the angels lower their wings to the seeker of knowledge, content with what he does. And whoever in the heavens and on earth seeks forgiveness from him in the world. Even the whales in the water, and the superiority of the scholar over the worshiper is like the superiority of the moon over all the other stars, and that the scholars are the heirs of the prophets and that the prophets did not leave behind a dinar or a dirham, but rather they inherited knowledge, so whoever takes it will receive an abundant share.). What is noticeable in the hadith is that the word (knowledge) is in the indefinite form, to mean generality and inclusion, that is, all useful sciences, not just legitimate science.
The poet says:
Knowledge builds houses that have no pillars… and ignorance destroys houses of pride and generosity
● Yes, the scientific research desired by Islam is not limited to research in the field of religious science only, but rather includes research into every knowledge that benefits people in the affairs of their religion and the affairs of their world. Therefore, the words of Allah Almighty: {It is only those among His servants who have knowledge that fear Allah} in the context of talking about the cosmic sciences, as in the following verse, which includes the sciences of climate, agriculture, geology, biology, and others, where:
– The Almighty says: {See you not that Allah sends down water from the sky, and We produce therewith fruits of various colors, and among the mountains are Judad, white and red, of varying colors and (others) Gharabib black. * And likewise, men and moving creature and cattle are of various colors. It is only those among His servants who have knowledge that fear Allah. Verily, Allah is Almighty, Oft-Forgiving}.
A very important note is that the condition for beneficial knowledge is that it leads its possessor to fear.
● Examples of Muslim scholars throughout the nation’s history who enriched human civilization and were a pioneer in various fields of science. They wrote in algebra, geometry, astronomy, medicine, and other sections of science. Our Muslims history has known many scholars in various fields, such as: Jabir ibn Hayyan, Al-Khwarizmi, Al-Farabi, Ibn Sina, and Abu Al-Qasim. Al-Zahrawi, Al-Hasan bin Al-Haytham, Ibn Al-Nafis and other creative scholars in various paths of science and knowledge.
● The role of scientific research in the progress of nations:
Scientific research is the basis of the progress of nations. It is the path to the development of industries and the growth of trade. A great nation is the one that is built with science, and dazzles the world with what it produces in various fields, and with the doctors, engineers, programmers, chemists, physicists, and geologists it produces.
As the poet said:
With knowledge and money, people build their kingdom..
No kingdom was built on ignorance and neglect.
– People will not respect our religion unless we excel in worldly matters. If we excel in worldly matters, people will respect our religion and our world in a world that only knows strength in various fields, which is what our true religion has commanded us to do. Allah Almighty said: {And make ready against them all you can of power}, and the word “power” is general and includes scientific power, military power, economic power, and faith power.
Allah Almighty bless all of you and all your families.
Imam Dr. Khaleal
