Redefining Harmony: A Domain-Specific Approach to Science and Religion in the Islamic Intellectual Tradition

Abstract

This study explores the domains of science and religion, focusing on their unique methodologies and approaches to understanding reality. Science operates through observation, experimentation, and logical reasoning, uncovering the mechanisms and laws that govern the universe. Religion, on the other hand, approaches reality from a purpose-oriented perspective, offering guidance, hope, and moral direction, and addressing questions of meaning and ultimate purpose that science alone cannot resolve. By examining the Quranic perspective on creation, revelation, and human existence, this study highlights how religious knowledge is based on divine guidance, ‘Ilm-ul-Wahi’ and faith, which require trust and interpretation beyond empirical evidence. The study emphasises that understanding the boundaries and strengths of each domain is essential for achieving harmony. Science reveals how the universe functions and provides tools for human well-being, while religion explains why these phenomena exist and how humans should relate to them for the betterment of humanity, drawing on a beyond-material approach. When both domains operate within their proper spheres, they complement rather than contradict each other, offering a fuller understanding of life, the universe, and human purpose.