http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/quran/2008/06/answers_to_questions11.html
Saya garis bawahi: "I think Bucaillism, as I call it, or ijaz (miracle) obsession as it is known in the Arab world, serves as psychotherapy. It confirms the faith of those in desperate need of reassurance, who refuse to accept that faith, by its very nature, requires a leap. It also serves as a substitute for real science. Science is conspicuous in the Muslim world largely by its absence. Bucaillism fills this empty space as emotional fulfilment. It is also a product of the recent emergence of creationism in certain Muslim circles." -- June 05, 2008 It just so happens I returned this week from a conference in Doha on science, cultures and the future of humanity where the issue of "scientific miracles" in the Qur'an was raised. It was attacked vehemently, Steven. The mania goes back to the 1930s and 1940s, I am told. But in its current incarnation, it began with the publication, in 1976, of Maurice Bucaille's book The Bible, The Qur'an and Science. Bucaille was a French surgeon who apparently worked in Saudi Arabia for a time. The tendency was given a boost by Keith Moore, who worked at King Abdul Aziz University, where I too worked during the 1970s. Moore wrote a number of articles on embryology in the Qur'an. There have been numerous conferences on the subject. Nowadays, the main star of the field is Harun Yahya, a Turkish creationist, who has produced numerous books on the subject, including Miracles of the Qur'an. It is a huge industry; and Muslims everywhere are taken in by this pestiferous fad. I will deal with science and evolution in future blogs. But it will suffice to say here, Steven, that the term "scientific miracles" is an oxymoron. Science has nothing to do with miracles; and miracles are not amenable to scientific investigation. The purpose of science is to solve problems and puzzles and increase our understanding of the universe. In science, authority comes - largely - from evidence that has to be socially objective, and its results have to be repeatable and apply to all cultures. Measurement, quantification and experimentation are essential in science. Miracles, by their very nature, cannot be measured or quantified and thus studied objectively. Science does not do ontology; it cannot prove or disprove the existence of God. And the only miracle in the Qur'an is its heightened language and its style. Indeed, in the Qur'an we find that God refuses to do miracles even when the unbelievers demand it as a proof (17:90-96). The Qur'an, as I have repeatedly said, emphasises belief in reason rather than miracles. However, the Qur'an does contain some verses that describe nature and the physical world. But to say these are scientific statements is quite absurd. The function of these verses is to inspire people to do science, to study nature and the material world. Which is precisely what they did in the classical period when science and learning in Muslim civilisation reached its zenith. It is worth noting that Muslim scientists in history have never invoked ontology or teleology for their science - they simply saw it as a reliable method for studying nature. I think Bucaillism, as I call it, or ijaz (miracle) obsession as it is known in the Arab world, serves as psychotherapy. It confirms the faith of those in desperate need of reassurance, who refuse to accept that faith, by its very nature, requires a leap. It also serves as a substitute for real science. Science is conspicuous in the Muslim world largely by its absence. Bucaillism fills this empty space as emotional fulfilment. It is also a product of the recent emergence of creationism in certain Muslim circles. As such, I think it is a dangerous exercise. Way back in 1985, when I used to edit the Muslim magazine Inquiry, I wrote a much quoted article, Science and the Qur'an, warning of these dangers. In it I argue that Bucaillism is not just bad science and bad religion, in fact, it demeans the Qur'an and misrepresents science. To answer your question specifically, Steven. No, the "scientific miracles" are not part of mainstream Islamic scholarship. No Muslim scholar or scientist, worth his or her intellectual salt, will touch it with the proverbial bargepole. But, unfortunately, the proponents of scientific miracles are not a fringe group - it has a tremendous appeal amongst the populace. In certain parts of the Muslim world, such as Saudi Arabia, and in certain fundamentalist circles, even to criticise this tendency can be seriously hazardous to your health. But in intellectual circles, the alleged scientific miracles of the Qur'an are not only rejected but seen as a dangerously misguided and obsolete discourse. Zia adds ... I think it is important for me to make it clear that I was in no way referring to any individuals when talking about Bucaillism. My comments were not directed at you, IsraaM or indeed at others on this blog but at those who promote this outlook. Perhaps it is also worth stating here that this blog is about ideas rather than personalities. I believe that everyone should be respected; and endeavour to do so. So, as a general principle, my comments should be taken as critiques of ideas and not as criticisms of individuals. Friday June 6, 3.00pm Thoughts on Blogging the Qur'an? Email us at [email protected] or post a comment below. All comments are moderated in advance but we will try to publish as many as possible. ------------------------------------ Post message: [email protected] Subscribe : [email protected] Unsubscribe : [email protected] List owner : [email protected] Homepage : http://proletar.8m.com/Yahoo! 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