I would like to offer an overly simplistic view of the ‘conflict’ between Islam and science.

What is Science?
It is the study of the Universe, so that we can figure out how it is made and how it functions.

Why does a human study Science?
He is merely responding to the call of his primal nature. He is programmed to be curious, to explore and learn – to push his boundaries. Learning is his greatest joy. To see primal nature in action, we only need to observe a human when he is under three years of age – before his parents and his society have had time to crush his nature and distort his personality.

Why is a human so programmed?
He is designed to be the manager and caretaker of his world. A manager, worth his salt, must, of necessity, be knowledgeable about his territory, if he is to manage well.

History is witness to the fact that every community that acquired super-power status did so because of its insistence on basic research. Respond to the Divine Imperative of basic research and reap the benefits of the spin-offs. Then, use the technology according to the ground rules of individual empowerment, individual responsibility and individual accountability- otherwise known as the first pillar of Islam.

Muslims, too, were a super-power once upon a time, when they took the Book seriously. That was the time when Christian Europe was mired in the Dark Ages under the stranglehold of the ‘scholars’ of the Bible. The Christians had to break away from the Church and their ‘scripture’ before any kind of individual, independent, original thinking was possible – and see where it has brought them. The Muslims, on the other hand, gradually moved away from their Scripture and came under the stranglehold of their scholars. And see where this has brought them.

Weep. Weep tears of blood for what could have been…if only.