Science Conceptualization

& Principles of
Scientific Investigation
Md. Mokhter Ahmad
Associate Professor
International Islamic University
Chittagong
Dhaka Campus

Science Defined:

According to New Websters Dictionary: Science means- (1)

knowledge especially of facts or principles, gained by systematic
study, (2) a particular branch of knowledge especially one dealing with
a body of facts or truths systematically arranged and showing the
operation of general laws; (3) systematized knowledge, especially of
the laws and facts of the physical or material world, (4) skill resulting
from training.
Science as defined by the scientists: It is the systematic knowledge of
natural phenomena and the mutual relations among them, it is the
investigation or endeavor to find the inherent cause of any event and
the knowledge obtained from such endeavor.
The subject-matter of science is: to study/investigate the nature created by
Allah, to understand as how things have been created, and to know what
laws they are following; and then to apply that for the benefit of mankind.

Science Defined:

Thus many branches of science have emerged out of this investigation:

Physics: the study of matter, different types of energy, natural objects and
physical laws etc
Astrophysics: the study of planets, stars, galaxies, cosmology etc.
Geology: the study of the earth and its interior like mountains, rivers
Geography: the study of the earth and its surface
Meteorology: the study of the atmosphere that envelops the earth etc
Oceanography: the study of the ocean and the ocean resources

The Quran laid down the foundation of physical science:

Before Islam, the cultivation of science was condemned as heresy
People looked upon the elements of Nature, the subject-matter of science, as
sacred objects possessing supernatural powers and thus were worshipped like
gods/goddesses for protection from their evils and attainment of certain good.
The Quran said for the first time, these are not mens deities, rather servants

Principles of Science in the Quran

The Quran laid down the principles of science in vividly clear terms:
Subservience of Natural Elements:
And He has made subservient to you the night and the day and the sun and
the moon and the stars are made subservient by His commandment; most
surely there are signs for people to ponder.. (Al-Quran)
Thus the Quran led to the conquest of Nature and the utilization of its forces for
the good of the humanity

Investigation of the Nature:

The Quran ordered the mankind to contemplate over the Nature. For this,
four terminologies have been used:
Tafaqquh, Tadakkur, Tafakkur, and Taaqqul (The 1 st term refers to the collection
of ideas of things and their different features, the 2 nd term refers to knowledge of
how to utilize them properly, the 3rd teaches the ways by which things came into
existence, and the 4th gives the knowledge enabling the mankind of using those
things rightly in their daily lives

Principles of Science in the Quran

Natures Exploration, Gods Glorification:

The Prophet (saas) equated the exploration of the Nature to the glorification of Allah.
Man can glorify Allah by discovering and utilizing the properties and the potentialities of
the Nature. The Quran stated, spiritualizing the material surroundings by seeing and
feeling the evidences of Allahs power is real worship:
Truly, in the creation of the heavens and earth, and the alternation of night and day, there are
signs for men of understanding, who remember Allah standing, sitting and while lying on their
sides, and ponder over the creation of the heavens and earth 9and say) our Lord, You have not
created (all) this in vain, Glory be to Allah. (Al-Quran)

Reason: the Test of Faith:

Reason and reasoning is the basis of science and scientific study.

Islam is the only religion obliging its votaries to reason and investigate the great work of
their faith. There is no room for blind faith, doctrinism and dogmatism, everything is to
be challenged.
The first thing created, says the Prophet, by Allah was the reason. He has not created
anything better than reason.
Education has been made compulsory: Education was earlier a privilege for a certain
few, Islam made it obligatory upon all, thus leading to unprecedented scientific explosion

Principles of Science in the Quran

The principles are mentioned in the suggestive form hinting
at the slightest organizing principles. For example, O Lord,
Not for naught You created all this. This verse speaks about
ecological balance. Or It is He Who created all things and
ordered them in due proportions. This verse speaks about
symmetry properties of Nature.
These are mentioned in the eye opening manner: The verse
of the creation of mankind.
These facts and principles are mentioned in the most lucid
and easily understandable manner. For example, the verses
relating to science of accounting and the law of inheritance.

Scientific Investigation/Research
A process of rigorous reasoning based on interactions among
theories methods, and findings;
Builds on understanding derived from the objective testing
of models or theories;
Accumulation of scientific knowledge is laborious, plodding,
circuitous, and indirect;
Scientific knowledge is developed and honed through
critique contested findings, replication, and convergence;
Scientific knowledge is developed through sustained efforts;
Scientific inquiry must be guided by fundamental principles.

Fundamental Principles (NRC, 2002)

I. Ask significant questions that can be answered
empirically.
The formulation of a problem is often more
essential than its solution, which may be merely a
matter of mathematical or experimental skill. To
raise new questions, new possibilities, to regard old
questions from a new angle, requires creative
imagination and marks real advance in science
(Einstein & Infeld, 1938);
The research questions must be asked in a way that
allows for empirical investigation.

Fundamental Principles (contd)

II. Link research to relevant theory.

Scientific research can be guided by a

conceptual framework model, or theory that
generates questions to be asked or answers to
the questions posed;
Theory drives the research question, the use
of methods, and the interpretation of results.

Fundamental Principles (contd)

III. Select and apply research designs and methods that

permit direct investigation of the question.
The trustworthiness of any research study is predicated initially
on several major elements:
o The suitability of the proposed research design or methodology to
address the specific questions posed by the study;
o The scientific rigor by which the methodology is applied;
The trustworthiness of any research study is predicated initially
on several major elements (contd):
o The link between question and methodology must be clear and
justified;
o Detailed description of the method, measures, data collection
procedures, data analyses, and subjects must be available to

Fundamental Principles (contd)

IV. Provide a coherent and explicit chain of
reasoning that can be replicated.
What assumptions underlying the inferences
were made? Were they clearly stated and
justified?
How was evidence judged to be relevant?
How were alternative, competing hypotheses,
and explanations identified, considered, and
accounted for (accepted or discarded)?

Fundamental Principles (contd)

IV. Provide a coherent and explicit chain of reasoning that
can be replicated (contd).
How were the links between data and the conceptual or
theoretical framework made?
The chain of reasoning depends upon the design which
depends on the type of question:
oDescription what is happening?
oCause is there a systematic effect?
oProcess/mechanism- why or how does the effect
occur?

Fundamental Principles (contd)

V. Replicate and generalize across studies.

Internal Validity: The observations made are consistent

an generalize from one observer to another, from one
task to a parallel task from one measurement occasion to
anther occasion.
o
o

Statistical methods e.g. correlation;

Non-statistical methods e.g. triangulation,
comparative analysis.

External Validity: The extent to which the treatment

conditions and participant population reflect the world
to which generalization is desired.

Fundamental Principles (contd)

VI. Report research publicly to encourage professional
scrutiny, critique and replication.
Criticism is essential to scientific progress;
The extent to which new findings can be reviewed
contested, and accepted or rejected by scientific
peers depends upon accurate, comprehensive, and
accessible records of:
oData
oMethods
oInferential reasoning

Branches of Science in the Quran

There is no doubt that the Holy Quran is not a book about natural
sciences, medicine, psychology or mathematical studies.
The Holy Quran is a book of guidance and one which builds a
human being. It mentions whatever is necessary for one to know.
We should not expect that the Holy Quran be an encyclopedia
about the various sciences. We should seek the light of faith and
guidance, piety and purity, humanness and ethics, order and law
from the Holy Quran and it contains all of these.
But sometimes in order to reach this goal, the Holy Quran
indicates some of the natural sciences and the secrets of creation,
in particular, in its lessons on unity; it removes the veil over the
secrets of the world of creation and it discloses facts which were
unknown to the scholars of that era.

Branches of Science in the Quran

The Quran mentioned the Science, Elements of Science and Scientific
issues in many of its verses:
About one third verses of the Quran (out of 6236) are directly relating to
science, scientific elements and scientific issues
About 750 verses of the Quran have put stress and made open invitation to
scientific exploration of the Nature using words like tafaqqur (research in
natural things and natural laws), taskheer (make efforts to get benefit from
the natural bounties through technology)
Ethical use of the Nature is stressed in the Quran, rather than raping the
Nature for unethical and lustful exploitation
All modern branches of science have been mentioned in the Quran: likeAstrophysics, Space Physics, Aerodynamics, Oceanography, Meteorology,
Hydrology, Geology, Zoology, Botany, Agriculture and Climate, Medical
Science, Physics, Technical Science, Chemical Science and Engineering etc.

Examples of Science in the Quran

The Holy Quran and the Law of Attraction
Before Newton, none had discovered the law of gravity in a complete way.
Newton While sitting under a tree, Newton saw an apple fell from the tree, he
began to think about the reason, What energy is this which attracts the apple to
itself? Why did it not go up to heaven? After many years of study, he
discovered the law of gravity.
In the discovery of this law, it was proven where the order of the stars comes
from, why this earth moves around the sun and why they do not fall into each
other. What power is this which keeps them in their own orbit, and they do not
move this way or that.
Yes. Newton discovered that the orbiting of a body causes it to flee from the
center and the law of gravity causes it to return to the center and as long as these
two are in balance, that is, the distance between these two bodies brings about a
gravity to create a fleeing from the center and a gravity to pull it back to the
center, this attraction and repulsion permits it to remain continuously in its orbit.

Examples of Science in the Quran

The Holy Quran and the Law of Attraction
But the Holy Quran, 1000 years before this event, says:
God is He Who raised the heaven without any pillars that you can see; is firmly
established on the throne. He has subjected the sun and the moon (to His Law)!
Each one runs (its course) for a term appointed. He regulates all affairs,
explaining the sign in detail that you may believe with certainty in the meeting
with your Lord. (13:2)
In a Tradition from Imam Ali ibn Musa al-Rida about this verse, he says, Does
God not say a pillar without a pillar being seen?
The narrator says that in response to the Imam, I said, Yes. He said, Thus a
pillar exists but you do not see it.
Can an analogy simpler than this be found to express this to simple Arab people?
In a tradition of Hadrat Ali we read: These stars which are in the heavens are
cities like cities on earth and every city is connected to another city by a ray of

Examples of Science in the Quran

The Discovery of the Orbit of the Earth around the Sun

Galileo discovered for the first time that the earth moves around the sun before approximately four
centuries. Before that the Egyptian scholar Ptolemy said, The earth is the center of the universe and
everything revolves around it.
Galileo was reprimanded by the Catholic Church for his discovery. His denial of this discovery saved his
life. Other scholars followed up. Today it is a certain scientific fact proved by space flights.
The opinion of Ptolemy lasted for 1500 years. It influenced the thoughts of the scholars during those
years. At the time of the descent of the Holy Quran, no one had the courage to speak against this view.
But when we turn to the Holy Quran, we see:

It is not permitted to the Sun to catch up the Moon, nor can the Night outstrip the Day:
Each (just) swims along in (its own) orbit (according to Law).
You see the mountains and think them firmly fixed, but they shall pass away as the
clouds pass away... (27:88)
The Quran speaks very clearly about the movement of all heavenly bodies in their own orbits. In the
second verse, it mentions the movements of mountains whereas we see them as immovable. It means
earth moves and thus the mountains.
Now think that at a time when all of the scholars of the world and the masses of the people thought that
the earth was motionless, and believed that all of the stars and planets moved around it, the direct
confrontation of this idea and the mention of the movement of the earth is a scientific miracle!