Prophet Mohammad's teaching produced a society with a dynamic culture which left far-reaching marks on human history. Its effects and influences outweighed the limitations of time and space and influenced mankind in its totality, affecting all aspects of life, including social, economic, educational, political and cultural. It shook the age-long, dormant state of human society and set it on a new course of enlightenment and progress.
It opened up vast vistas of knowledge and information for man which broke into his rigid state and filled him with new zeal and enthusiasm for research and investigation. Man became more conscious and active in improving his own state.
Mohammad (SAW) also provided man with a purpose in life so that his efforts were now directed to a definite goal and object. This provided further motivation for greater effort on his part. As the goal was God Himself, and is endless, man's field of activity and progress, therefore, knew no bounds.
There was now no stationary place in his struggle where he could rest. It was a ceaseless struggle with no limits to human progress and advancement in knowledge and science. All this stemmed from the holy Quran, the Divine Book given to Mohammad (SAW) by God for human guidance. It is true that it is a Book of Guidance and not a book of science, mathematics, history or geography, but, as a Book of Guidance, it shows man the right way of life, by following which he can reach his destination with success.
And man is a social animal and as such he must live in a society with various departments and fields of activities. In the course of his life, all these fields of work are bound to be influenced by that Book of Guidance, otherwise he cannot reach his destination successfully.
For if one area of his activity goes astray, it will gradually affect others and thereby corrupt them. It is, therefore absolutely vital for his ultimate success that all areas of his activity on earth must be fully brought under the Law of that Book the Quran.
Unless the whole man, with all his activities in life, comes under the direction of the Divine Book there is every likelihood that gradually corruption in one area will spread to other areas as well and ultimately cover the entire life of mankind. This is how the Quran, a Book of Guidance, affects man and all his life in its totality.
Another point to note in this respect is that because it is a Divine Book, even a tiny or seemingly insignificant hint or reference in it to anything at all will open up vast horizons of knowledge for the benefit of mankind. A few examples will be enough to show the relevance of this point.
The following verse of the Quran reminds man of his humble beginning and creation. "It is He who has created you from dust, then from a drop of seed, then from a clot, then He brings you forth as a child, then ordains that you attain full strength and afterwards that you become old men -though some among you die before - and that you reach an appointed term, in order that you may learn wisdom." (40:67).
This reference to human beginnings led to the development of human sciences like biology, physiology, genetics etc, and stimulated research and investigation into these fields of knowledge.
Likewise the following reference to the Majesty and Grandeur of God's power and authority led to enquiry and research into cosmology and developed astronomy, astrology, geography, physics, mathematics etc, and brought forth a great wealth of knowledge for the benefit of human culture and science." It is He who made the sun a splendour and the moon a light, and measured for her stages that you might know the number of years and the count of time. God created not all that except in truth.
He explains His signs in detail for those who have knowledge. Truly, in the alternation of the night and day, and in all that God has created, in the heavens and the earth are signs for those who fear Him. (10:5-6). And we have the following in Surah Al-Fatir, "Have you not seen that God causes water to fall from the sky? With it We then produce fruits of various colours. And in the mountains are tracts of white and red, of various shades of colour, and others black, intense in hue? And of men and beasts and cattle, in like manner are they of diverse colours. Those truly fear God, among His servants, who have knowledge." (35:27-28).
These verses encourage and stimulate research in many fields of study, including geography, economics, geology, meteorology, botany, cosmology, mineralogy, agriculture, zoology, and horticulture.
These are some of the examples which show how the Quran stimulated research into various fields of knowledge which greatly benefited mankind and led to the growth and development of human culture. There is absolutely no doubt that Mohammad's (SAW) teaching had a tremendous effect and influence on human studies and culture in many ways. As explained above, it emphasises that there is really no conflict between science and religion.
The former tries to find ways to make the natural forces more beneficial and useful, while the latter desires to know from these forces the majesty and grandeur of the creator, so that it may wor-ship the Lord with greater satisfaction and peace of mind."
Thus the desire of man to know everything about the universe and utilise its infinite resources for his benefit is quite human. And man's insatiable desire for knowledge was intended to help him in the application of the earth and the heavens. To help him further in this field, God taught Adam, the first man, the nature of all things in a sound nature.
Therefore, there is no contradiction or conflict between these two innate tendencies, for the one helps man to commit himself entirely to the divine word of God and address Him in awe and wonder through the duties of worship, while the other leads man to acquire knowledge of God's names, attributes and works in this universe.
The attitude of contemporary European scientists who separate these two integral dispositions of man and force a conflict between them, is an epilogue to the bitter struggle between science and the Christian church in the Middle Ages and is no better than agnosticism. In Islam, drawing lines between science and religion is in itself a bad thing.
This attitude towards knowledge is in conflict with our principles and, therefore, diametrically opposed to our views.
This belief in God and His law, created a nation which changed the course of human history. The Quran refers to that community in these words, "You are the best community, which has been raised up for the guidance of mankind" (3:110). As a result of this teaching, people's values and ideologies were changed and given a new direction and a new purpose.
And this change was visible in every field of their study, since work for Islam does not advocate isolation of science and material progress from religion. On the contrary, it encourages scientific inventions through research and investigation and employs them for spreading good and virtue on the earth.
Thus Islam uses all knowledge and scientific inventions for the enrichment and growth of human culture and civilisation and employs all the new technology which really serves humanity. But it opposes all ways which lead to obscenity, evil, wickedness and exploitation of people in any form.
Mohammad (SAW) widened the outlook of man by advocating universal brotherhood. Physically man is one through common parentage in Adam and emotionally and psychologically man can be one through faith in One God (Tawhid).
This raised man's ideal far above national barriers or racial prejudices and provided him with a philosophy of international brotherhood. As such, the knowledge and scientific achievements of any one part became the rightful inheritance of the whole of humanity. Nothing useful or beneficial in any one part of the community could be left out.
This sense of the unity of mankind was infused into every aspect of human activity and this greatly benefited humanity like a cloud of bliss, allowing free and equal partnership (in benefit) to all nations. In consequence, all aspects of humanity immensely benefited from progress in sciences and other knowledge and thereby came a great enrichment to human culture and civilisation.
Besides this, the integration of the material and spiritual aspects of man further added greater strides to the growth of human culture, because humanity cannot progress to a higher level unless these two instincts are brought to play their proper role in life.
As pointed out before, Islam does not recognise any distinction between the material and spiritual desires of man but allows the two instincts to grow and develop freely in harmony with God's plan of creation. It was, therefore, natural for human culture and civilisation to make rapid progress with the development of knowledge and scientific inventions.
The natural instincts of man had full opportunity to develop and grow and add new lustre to human culture. There are no restrictions on the natural instincts of man in an Islamic society for it provides them full opportunity to develop and grow.
The holy Quran nicely sums up the role of human instincts in these words, Verily! We have placed all that is on the earth as an ornament thereof that we may test them as to which of them are best on conduct." (18:7). And in Surah Al-Mulk, we read, "He Who has created life and death that He may try you, which of you is best in conduct."(67:2).-Courtesy Minaret International