MUHAMMADIYAH.OR.ID, PEKALONGAN — Syamsul Anwar, Chairman of Muhammadiyah, expressed concern about a recent survey suggesting that nearly all scientists in the Western world don’t believe in God.
During a speech at the 32nd National Conference of the Muhammadiyah Council for Fatwa and Renewal at the Universitas Muhammadiyah Pekajangan Pekalongan (UMPP) on Saturday, February 24, Syamsul cited a 1916 survey by Francis S. Collins that polled biologists, physicists, and mathematicians about their belief in a God who interacts with humans and answers prayers. The study revealed that only 40% of respondents identified as believers. A similar survey conducted in 1997 yielded nearly identical results, indicating a consistent trend of low religious belief among Western scientists.
Syamsul then delved into the historical relationship between science and faith within Islam. He acknowledged past instances of tension, albeit less severe than those witnessed in the West. He cited the example of Tahāfut al-Falāsifah (The Incoherence of the Philosophers), written by the 11th-century scholar al-Ghazali (d. 505/1111). In this work, al-Ghazali labeled Muslim philosophers, who represented scientists at the time, as “infidels” due to their specific beliefs: the eternal nature of the universe, Allah’s limited knowledge to broad concepts, and their rejection of physical resurrection in the afterlife.
However, Syamsul noted that Ibn Rushd, a 12th-century scholar, challenged al-Ghazali’s views in his book Tahāfut at-Tahāfut (The Incoherence of the Incoherence of the Philosophers). He further emphasized the connection between science and religion in his work Faṣl al-Maqāl wa Taqrīr Mā Baina al-asy-Syarī‘ah wa al-Ḥikmah min al-Ittiṣāl (“A Decisive Statement Concerning the Connection between Religious Law and Philosophy”).
Ibn Rushd argued that there was no inherent conflict between religion and science. He viewed science as a rational exploration of the universe that can ultimately deepen one’s understanding of the Creator. Conversely, he stressed that religion encourages the use of reason (burhani) to study the universe, as reflected in the concept of “kauniah verses” (verses of creation).
Syamsul emphasized the unique position of Ibn Rushd, who embodied both religious and scientific expertise. He was not only a scientist but also a prominent jurist, authoring the renowned fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence) book Bidāyat al-Mujtahid wa Nihayat al-Muqtaṣid and the usul fiqh (principles of Islamic jurisprudence) book aḍ-Ḍarūrī fī Uṣul al-Fiqh.
Syamsul concluded by highlighting the historical tension between religion and science as a reason to advocate for a “philosophy of scientific development.” This philosophy, he argued, should be grounded in the integration of Islamic and Muhammadiyah principles with science and technology. By fostering compatibility between faith and scientific inquiry, this approach aims to bridge the gap observed in the West and promote a harmonious coexistence of these two domains.
