Muslims and Science

THEME OF adjudicate Please read the short give Moslems and eruditionby Pervaiz Hoodhbhoy. Provide your debates on the profound argument of this book. Building on your familiarity from Bronowski and Sagan, what were the life-sustaining characteristics that al low ge atomic number 18d westsideern civilization to exceed Moslem civilization in the suppuration of acquirement in the modern conclusion? Moslems and cognizance By Zara Abbas(11020043) Perspective always since the advent of Islam in 7th Century, the Islamic civilization rapidly rose to the headspring of human achievement.Remarkable progress was do non simply in the sacrificele of intelligences and physiciantrine i. e. mathematics, astrology, astronomy, favourics, cartography, medicinal drug, anthropology, logic and lit geological erature except they too became the dominant military and economic index finger of the universe of discourse by the 13th Century. These accomplishments were do p ossible by a subprogram of underlying situationors prevailing at that magazine in Moslem history.The significant ones organism the territorial and commercial expansion of Muslim influence to a colossal domain of a function where a treasure trove of Greek, Persian and Roman works in science, medicine and philosophy was made available to their gifteds to shape up upon Patronage and encouragement was given to Muslim scholars by the ruling elect(ip) of that time, s incessantlyal(prenominal) universities were built in the Muslim lands and a tint of freedom for questioning seek across the spectral divide was created and encouraged.But then, owe to a raging and endless troth amid the forces of logic and reason and those of hard religious fundamentalism, Muslim light bewildered its appeal and eventually disappeargond into near oblivion. Resultantly, the close of patronage of those seeking companionship and the hobby of virtue in the fields of sciences and the arts ex cessively died. The Muslim reality today, comprising 57 countries and 1. 57 billion peck which is well-nigh one fifth of the solid ground universe of discourse has made no significant begetteration to science or offered anything substantial towards technology1 during the nett 500 years.It establishment in a state of rational stagnation age its inept and corrupt leaders pattern without any vision or foresight. budgetary equatingcelings for sciences and common didactics in some Islamic countries are low resultant roleing in their dependence on the due west for excerption in vital areas of human activity. Their collective wealth of human capital and vast preserve of natural resources are be wasted on non- didactics expenditures. The continuing unit of ammunition of regressive policy formulation has perpetuated p overty, battle and inst top executive in most Muslim countries.This deliberate neglect has non only created frustration and despondency amongst the Muslim callownessfulness plainly has as well as provided s footfall to the Jewish-Orthodox religious forces to breed a chummy rooted hatred for the Christian West being a convenient scapegoat. In the context of Pakistan and its functional geo-political surround we ferret out ourselves trapped in a weighty internal conflict, socio-economic insecurity, political instability and institutional collapse which pass retarded the pace of complaisant progress. This bleak scenario provides enough motive to dejected members of the companionship to join immoderate elements for their egotism actualization.When the sad rule out of Muslims began afterward some 5 centimeuries of creative activity domination, the West started overtaking them in every field of human enterprise ranging from gist of warfare, industry, economics, teaching method, cheek and culture. This ascendency of European nations is attributed to the collapse of feudal economy, delegation of the church serv ice from socio-political dominance to specified religious preaching, emergence of capitalistic economy, development of a layman and keen-sighted plan of attack towards scientific and social education2 and lastly the cultivatable cum commercial usefulness of science and technology for the human race.Unfortunately, the gap betwixt both civilizations in the domain of scientific research and techno tenacious advancement has steadily widened during the last 400 years. It is in that locationfore domineering upon the Islamic origination to issuance forceful but pragmatic measures to stem the feed some early(a)wise we are headed towards an impending disaster. This is on the nose the Central Argument of Dr. Parvez Hoodbhoys make Muslims and cognizance unearthly Orthodoxy and the press for reason.Although a nuclear physicist by profession, Dr Hoodbhoy has shown rum insight into a subject of schoolman specialization and contemporaneous importance and has produced a tim ely and dispassionate analysis of the causes of pin of the Muslim introduction in the fields of sciences after remaining in the principal for centuries. His persuasive and lucid style of argument, which at times seems rather offensive for classifiable Pakistani (i. e.Muslim) sensibilities, takes the reader finished the stainless spectrum of factors affecting the Muslim loss of world leadership and retreat from modernity. Simultaneously, he overly high fairylikes the special characteristics of the westbound nations that propel lead them towards human excellence and accomplishment non only in sciences but also in societal activity. Finally, he also suggests some structural and sensible measures to progressively take the Muslims onto the travel guidebook of modernity and scientific enterprise in harmony with our Islamic ethos. AimThe aim of this render is to enunciate my own reflections on the decline of Muslim society after spark advance the world for centuries as against the ascendency of Western powers through their superior human actualization with a view to proposing a realistic way forward for the Muslims in firing of the nonions expressed by Hoodbhoy, Bronowski and Sagan. What Ails The Muslim globe Over the past five centuries people in Islamic societies hand tried to come to terms with the reality of their relegation to being the worlds pursual after remaining its leading light for an equally long period in the medieval ages.The crucial but applicable principal of, What went wrong? agitates the minds of Muslim intellectuals and youth alike. But beyond seeking scapegoats the question cadaver unanswered. There seems to be no common agreement and honest recognition of our own failings that conduct to our sad but truehearted decay, particularly so in the arena of scientific development. However, armed with my field of operations of the subject Science and Civilization I shall briefly put forward an intent view of the malaise affl icting the Muslims. 1. Historical Causes of Muslim Decline a.Orthodoxy versus moderateness. The long drawn opposition (801 1406 AD) surrounded by the supporters of Pre destination/Revelation and other Orthodox/Conservative scholars of Sharia, Theology and Islamic juris oversight (represented by Al Ghazali, Ahmad stack away Hanbal, Al Ashari, Ibn e Taymia, Al Maalik) and the Qadarites/Mutazlites (i. e. the proponents of forgive Will, Ethics and Reason represented by Al Kindi, Al Razi, Ibn e Sina, Ibn e Rushd and Ibn e Khaldun)3 eventually lead to the success of the forces of ossified religiosity and swept rational mind away from Islamic intellectualism.Thus the nonwithstanding patronage, prize and support extended to the scholars by the nobility of the times were also move under pressure from the conservatives. Sadly, the separation between the fundamentalists and secular/rational Muslims became complete and exists gutter the present times. Thereafter, no one could tak e for granted combine reason with revelation in Islam. The edifice of Islamic science and intellectual glory was reduced to ruin and could not be rebuilt. b. Non scientific Attitude.As a logical corollary of the aforementioned rigidity of thought amongst the Muslim Orthodoxy, the attitudinal notions required for the nurture and development of sciences did not evolve in the Muslim world after the defeat of rationality. The arrival of dogma and rigidity in Muslim intellectual thought led them to the rejection of prediction, liking, curiosity or the spirit of interrogation and the ordain or urge to escort ones physical environment to human advantage- essential ingredients of scientific knowledge resulting in the death of fictive activity.Likewise, Muslims of the post golden age contagious a widely distributed pretermit of spirit and interest in theoretical instruction of non-homogeneous sciences owing to their insignificant stuff and nonsense reward or utility. They would rather opt for eruditeness of practical knowledge for functional ends instead of maturation a ecumenic atmosphere of discipline where abstract thought and spiritual harbors could be nurtured. 4 This general impassiveness towards academic learning steadily became a societal attitude amongst the Muslim generations which exists even today. c. Muslim educational System.The traditionalistic concept and orientation of education in Muslim societies aims at harmonizing all knowledge with Islamic thought whereby the student remains wedded to his/her Islamic ethos. This develops an attitude of acquiring revealed knowledge being a bode command rather than discovering it through inquisitive and participative mover. The traditional mode of education followed over centuries in the Muslim world led them to nurture the values of rote learning, historical and conceptual continuity,5 self righteousness and rigidity in their psyche.Their subsequent inability to respond and ad practiced to a constantly changing world denied them the pass off to progress and achieve scientific excellence. d. capitalist economy versus Islamic Law. The scientific and industrial variation in Europe transformed a hitherto feudal society into a modern capitalistic culture. This was achieved through the macrocosm of a bourgeois class candid of investments, innovations and structural changes to coordinate the rising means of production and technical progress with the new complex economic challenges.This automatically led to the development of a comprehensive judicial constitution for regulation and dispute closure of the new socio economic realities. 6 As against this the Islamic jurisprudence, being derived from Quranic injunctions and Prophetic traditions, has a repair set of rules and defining principles within which legal expert is to be provided and these laws cannot not be change or modified to suit changing situations. Therefore, capitalist economy could not take root and de velop in its guileless sense in Muslim societies. . sparing Causes. When the colonization of Muslim lands in began in the eighteenth Century, Muslim civilization was urban ground with the city dwellers depending on the regular and assured supply of means of subsistence from the unpolished peasantry. Such supplies would continue even during conditions of shortage or strife with state assistance. Therefore, Muslim economies of that time remained immune from Europes revolutionary advancement.Likewise, Muslim urban centers never developed municipal or embodied institutions meant for stimulation of economic growth through industry and trade. 7 As a result the Muslim economic order of that era could not fence with Europes phenomenal economic growth. f. Means of Warfare. The steady European advancement in the means of warfare (concepts and weaponry) along with the progress made in industry and technology after the 15th Century was also an master(prenominal) factor in causing Europea n victories on the battlefield.By coincidence the Muslims could not soften comparable military muscle/prowess. This inconsistency increased substantially by the 18th Century resulting in the occupation of Muslim territories in North Africa, Spain, Balkans, Russia, India and Iran culminating into the colonization of almost the entire Muslim world by the 19th Century. 8 g. Non Existence of a queen Structure. The power structure of a society determines its dominant attitudes towards scientific enquiry and acquisition of knowledge.In the absence of a central post wielding politico-religious and military power as against the Church in medieval Europe, the Islamic world did not possess the means of practice session control over its territories/subjects and resolving disputes. This entire weakness laid bare the mishap of insurrection by powerful religious factions/sects, seizing control of distant lands by usurpers or mobilization of the majority sect against minority viewpoint on unaffixed religious groups. 9 This was a serious organizational weakness that eventually proved deleterious to the political, economic and intellectual ascendency of the Islamic society. 2. Present State of Muslim Science/ fostering a. Scientific Progress. A young study of the World Bank prognosticates that the note of scientific as well as general education in the Muslim World is rapidly falling stub the rest of the World and shoots imperative attention if it is to cope with the demands of the prox.While some Islamic countries like Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Malaysia, Iran and Nigeria have drastically increased their respective resource allocations to climb general education and the Sciences, their traditional attitudes towards the education of women, non separation of religious thought from the secular genius of scientific education and reject a scientific culture based upon innovation, quantification and experimental verification remain sturdy to this da te. b. Science in the Productive Sector.Despite a universal recognition of the importance of industrial sector for a nations economic growth, value added production of contemporary Muslim economies is woefully low. Barring Malaysia, the nature of economy of key Muslim countries remains basically agro and mineral extraction. 10 Therefore their hive away economic strength/capacity is relatively lower than other developing economies. This indicates that the science to production ratio is negligible with circumstantial indications of improvement. c. Scientific Output.The overall scientific make of Muslim countries, as indicated by the list of science research papers make together with the citations to them, indicates that we stand alarmingly low in equation with others like India, Brazil, chinaware and USA. Likewise, we find that 46 Muslim countries contributed 1. 17 % of the worlds science literary works as against 1. 66% and 1. 48% individually from India and Spain alone. In terestingly, 20 Arab countries contributed 0. 55% in comparison to 0. 89 % by Israel. Moreover, the scientific price or quality of a fair large issuing of these papers was not only on a lower floor par but some were even plagiarized.A study by academics at the International Islamic University Malaysia showed that OIC countries have 8. 5 scientists, engineers, and technicians per 1000 population, compared with a world average of 40. 7, and 139. 3 for countries of the Organization for economical Co-operation and Development. 11 It is also a known fact that the consequence of Muslim Nobel Laureates is still in single digit in comparison to hundreds from Israel alone. This state of affairs does not figure well for the future of Muslim science. d. Scientific Enterprises.Over the last decade or so Muslim disposals have been steadily increase their S & T budgets with a view to inducing greater scientific activity. The actual average spending of 57 Islamic countries on R & D is 0. 3% of their GNP which remains far below the orbicular average of 2. 4%. 12 Nonetheless, the thither is a perceptible trend of high spending in major Muslim countries. But bigger budgets alone would not arrest the deteriorating standards unless the capacity to spend these monies is also built simultaneously on developing a critical mass of scientists, engineers and technicians in like manner improving their quality and professionalism.Recent surveys also indicate that spending on higher education has increased significantly resulting in a sharp rise in the number of institutions, students and infrastructural improvements. But these centers of learning still lack the qualitative edge that could make them locate amongst the foremost 500 in the world which is not the case at the moment. e. Educational Paradox Pakistans Context. Ever since Pakistans independence no establishment has ever given education any locating in the list of its national priorities.The worldly concern sector e xpenditure on this vital sector has remained abysmally low (i. e. ranging between 2. 16% to 2. 42 % of GDP from 2003-08 but was reduced to a paltry 2% in 2010 budget)13 which compares unfortunately with other southernmost Asian countries. This has left Pakistans literacy range as the lowest in the region (i. e. 57% which is 69% males and 45% females). 14 The poor quality of the learning environment is lucid from the fact that a large number of schools lack basic infrastructure 37. per cent of the schools up to the elementary level dont have boundary walls, 33. 9 per cent lack drinking urine facility, 37 per cent dont have latrines and 60 per cent are without electricity. 15 Owing to the criminal neglect of various successive governments in formulating coherent and sustainable education policies for the people by investment in this vital sector, we have not only ended up losing infrequent generations to the vicissitudes of time but have also denied them the opportunity to im prove their lot through acquisition and development of clevernesss.Apart from this, the general apathy and indifference shown towards education by our rulers has led to the creation of a stratified system of educational prejudice. In that the rich and the elite go to the private English forte schools while the commoner class attends the government run Urdu medium schools. This puts the common citizen at an unfair disadvantage against the well to do child when both aspire and compete for admission into professional institutions. Recommendations In the dustup from Dr. Hoodbhoy borrowed from one of his recent papers, Progress will require behavioral changes.If Muslim societies are to develop technology instead of just using it, the ruthlessly competitive global marketplace will insist on not only high cleverness levels but also intense social work habits. Science can expand among Muslims once again, but only with a willingness to accept certain basic philosophic and attitudinal c hangesi. e. shrug off the dead hand of tradition, reject fatalism and absolute belief in authority, accept the legitimacy of temporal laws, value intellectual rigor and scientific honesty, and respect cultural and personal freedoms.The struggle to conduct in science will have to go side-by-side with a much wider bleed to elbow out rigid orthodoxy and act as in modern thought, arts, philosophy, democracy, and pluralism. Within this plainspoken observation lies an abstract framework of our future plan of action based on common sense and principles of logic and reason. However, we would need to tread this path with farsighted prudence and devise our strategic thinking in harmony with the obtaining socio political realities of the Islamic world.Such an glide slope warrants a judicious and systematic motion but profound application so that the reform process permeates into the Muslim spirit without agitating its impassioned sensibilities. The new poseur of our education philosoph y should recognize and endure that science and religion are antonymous and not contradictory to each other. Therefore, the rewrite concept of scientific education should all the way state that both disciplines are severalize domains which do not overlap and that there can never be a conflict between the two as long as their protagonists do not stoke public passions for self aggrandizement.The other areas where reform is proposed are listed below rebuild the entire concept/ philosophy of general education at the primary / secondhand levels with a view to developing the traits of inquisitiveness, empirical and deductive thought process and the ability to challenge/question precepts and assumptions. Basic education up to Matriculation (or equivalent standard) should be made compulsory for all citizens (both genders) in all Muslim countries. Budgetary allocation for education be brought at par with laid down UNESCO standards. Revitalize the 3rd and post graduate education syst em by improving the infrastructure and facilities, furnish of high quality teaching module and improving the quality/worth of scientific research. Current standards of vocational training for skill development of technicians should be refined, upgraded and rejuvenated to match the current technological advancement. The syllabi of Deeni Madaris (religious schools) should be suitably revamped and harmonize with the current trends in modern education. The existing disparity between the standards of education/syllabi of man and private schools be minimized at priority.BIBLIOGRAPHY Pervez Amirali Hoodbhoy, Muslims & Science spectral Orthodoxy and the Struggle for reasonableness (Vanguard Books , 1991) Bernard Lewis , What Went Wrong? (Perennial harpist Collins 2002) Jacob Bronowski, The rising of Man (1973) Carl Sagan, Cosmos (1980) Pervez Amirali Hoodbhoy, Science and the Islamic World The Quest for balancing , physical science Today deluxe 2007 pg 49 < http//p tonline. aip. org/journals/ doctor/PHTOAD-ft/vol_60/iss_8/49_1. shtml? bypassSSO=1 > Muslim World Education move Behind, Khilafah. Com , 24 Feb 2008 < http//www. khilafah. com/index. hp/the-khilafah/education/2019-muslim-world-education-falling-behind > Dr. Ahmad shafaat, a review of Pervez Hoodbhoy, Islam and Science sacred Orthodoxy and Battle for Rationality November 2002 < http//www. islamicperspectives. com/ReviewPervezHoodbhoy. htm > Khawar Ghumman, lonesome(prenominal) two percent of GDP played out on Education, Dawn. Com, (5 Jun 2010) , < http//www. morn. com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/front-page/21-only-2pc-of-gdp-spent-on-education-560-sk-09 > 1 Muslim World Education Falling Behind, Khilafah. Com , 24 Feb 2008 < http//www. khilafah. om/index. php/the-khilafah/education/2019-muslim-world-education-falling-behind > 2 Pervez Amirali Hoodbhoy, Muslims & Science sacred Orthodoxy and the Struggle for Rationality (Vangua rd Books ,1991) pg 2 &161. 3Pervez Amirali Hoodbhoy, Muslims & Science unearthly Orthodoxy and the Struggle for Rationality (Vanguard Books ,1991),pg 115 141. 4Pervez Amirali Hoodbhoy, Muslims & Science Religious Orthodoxy and the Struggle for Rationality (Vanguard Books ,1991) pg 145 149. 5 Pervez Amirali Hoodbhoy, Muslims & Science Religious Orthodoxy and the Struggle for Rationality (Vanguard Books ,1991), pg 149 154. 6 Pervez Amirali Hoodbhoy, Muslims & Science Religious Orthodoxy and the Struggle for Rationality (Vanguard Books ,1991), pg 154 156. 7 Pervez Amirali Hoodbhoy, Muslims & Science Religious Orthodoxy and the Struggle for Rationality (Vanguard Books ,1991), pg 157 160. 8 Bernard Lewis , What Went Wrong? (Perennial Harper Collins 2002), pg 18 34. 9Pervez Amirali Hoodbhoy, Muslims & Science Religious Orthodoxy and the Struggle for Rationality (Vanguard Books , 1991), pg 161. 10Pervez Amirali Hoodbhoy, Muslims & Science Religious Orthodoxy and the Struggle for Rationality (Vanguard Books , 1991), pg 34 37. 11 Pervez Amirali Hoodbhoy(2007), Science and the Islamic World The Quest for Rapprochement ,Physics today August 2007 pg 49 < http//ptonline. aip. org/journals/doc/PHTOAD-ft/vol_60/iss_8/49_1. shtml? bypassSSO=1 > 12 Pervez Amirali Hoodbhoy, Science and the Islamic World The Quest for Rapprochement ,Physics Today August 2007 pg 49 < http//ptonline. aip. org/journals/doc/PHTOAD-ft/vol_60/iss_8/49_1. shtml? bypassSSO=1 > 13 Government of Pakistan Ministries of Finance and Education