In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.

Imaam As-Sadi [may Allaah have mercy upon him] said:

Just as Allāh notified us about the resurrection by way of the first creation, and the creation of the heavens and the earth, which is greater than the creation of humankind, and the revival of the earth after its death; and proved the truthfulness of the Messenger and the Qur’aan by challenging humankind and Jinn to bring something similar, or ten chapters like thereof or one chapter, He also established the proofs against the creation through the perfection of what the Messenger brought of truthful news and equitable rulings, and the Word of your Lord has been fulfilled in truth and in justice. If you are in doubt, then examine (truthfully) every report Allāh conveyed in His Book or reported by His Messenger Muhammad, and you will find that it is upon the highest degree of truthfulness and most beneficial for the people, because indeed accepting and believing in the one who reported it is the greatest nourisher of faith. Reflect a second time! Is there anything in Allāh’s statements and the statements of His Messenger that shows other than what sound perception, true reality and sound intellect shows, or do you find that these matters are the greatest testimonies for the statements of Allāh and His Messenger? Reflect a third time! Do you find anything in Allāh’s rulings and His Messenger’s rulings, the commands and prohibitions, that which negates true wellbeing for the servants or do you find that it is the purpose behind the perfection of their affairs, an elevation of their status, adorns them with beautiful manners and free them from evil manners? It is that which raises its people to the highest levels of perfection, and deficiency and harm do not occur except due being devoid of it or some of it. And indeed one of the allies of the atheists acknowledged this and then unleashed doubts to those who are ignorant of Islaam true reality when he did so in some of its subsidiary branches, but his lies and slander were manifested, well-being was manifested for people and as well as many benefits from the statement which the Islamic legislation demonstrated, because it is the divine law of the Best of Judges, the knower of the unseen and the seen, Who knows (perfectly) the means of wellbeing for the servants that which they do not know, and legislated for them that which is a means of perfect well-being in every era and place, in their religious and worldly, and He is The All-Wise, The All-Knower and The Most Bestower of Special Mercy to The Believers.

Sound intellect affirms Allāh’s Oneness, the fact that Allaah alone is the Creaator, The Provider and The One in Control of alla affairs of the Creation; (affirms) the truthfulness of Allāh’s Messenger and the soundness of what he brought. Whoever claims that anything of the intellectual evidences which the people of sound intellect have submitted to contradicts what Muhammad brought, he is one who is deceived and let him produce a single example because he will not be able to do so. Yes, he may bring theories and fantasies, but when sound intellect is established you will find ignorance and clear misguidance similar to the statement of many of the atheists, who say: “The punishments and prescribed Islamic injunctions, which the religion of Islam brought to deal with crimes, are neither appropriate nor suitable as laws.” So, the best in their view is to replace them with imprisonment and fines. This is tantamount to false conclusion and arrogance in dealing with true reality, for indeed the laws enacted by the atheists to deal with crimes – as well as those who blindly follow them – do not benefit in anything, and its great deficiencies have manifested and its setbacks are great.

Indeed, it has no effect in deterring criminals and the only single way to deter every criminal is through application of the Islamic legislated injunctions and the prescribed religious punishments. It is what will guarantee deterrence against the criminals, as they are penalties, exemplary punishments and admonitions, which if applied in a region amongst the regions, the matters will be rectified, perpetrators and criminals will be fewer and there will be safety against crimes related to murder, wealth and honour, because it is a legislation from One Who is All-Wise in dealing with the circumstances of the servants and that which will rectify their affairs, and protect them from evil. (1)

Imaam As-Sadi [may Allaah have mercy upon him] also said:

Allaah [The Most High] said:

لَقَدۡ مَنَّ ٱللَّهُ عَلَى ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ إِذۡ بَعَثَ فِيہِمۡ رَسُولاً۬ مِّنۡ أَنفُسِهِمۡ يَتۡلُواْ عَلَيۡہِمۡ ءَايَـٰتِهِۦ وَيُزَڪِّيہِمۡ وَيُعَلِّمُهُمُ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبَ وَٱلۡحِڪۡمَةَ وَإِن كَانُواْ مِن قَبۡلُ لَفِى ضَلَـٰلٍ۬ مُّبِينٍ

Indeed, Allah conferred a great favour on the believers when He sent among them a Messenger (Muhammad) from among themselves, reciting unto them His Verses (the Qur’an), and purifying them (from sins by their following him), and instructing them (in) the Book (the Qur’an) and Al-Hikmah [the wisdom and the Sunnah of the Prophet (i.e. his legal ways, statements, acts of worship, etc.)], while before that they had been in manifest error.

Allaah [The Most High] said:

وَٱذۡكُرُواْ نِعۡمَتَ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيۡكُمۡ إِذۡ كُنتُمۡ أَعۡدَآءً۬ فَأَلَّفَ بَيۡنَ قُلُوبِكُمۡ فَأَصۡبَحۡتُم بِنِعۡمَتِهِۦۤ إِخۡوَٲنً۬ا وَكُنتُمۡ عَلَىٰ شَفَا حُفۡرَةٍ۬ مِّنَ ٱلنَّارِ فَأَنقَذَكُم مِّنۡہَا‌ۗ كَذَٲلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمۡ ءَايَـٰتِهِۦ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَہۡتَدُونَ

And remember Allah’s Favour on you, for you were enemies one to another but He joined your hearts together, so that, by His Grace, you became brethren (in Islamic Faith), and you were on the brink of a pit of Fire, and He saved you from it. Thus, Allah makes His Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.,) clear to you, that you may be guided.

Allaah [The Most High] said: [ ٱلۡيَوۡمَ أَكۡمَلۡتُ لَكُمۡ دِينَكُمۡ وَأَتۡمَمۡتُ عَلَيۡكُمۡ نِعۡمَتِى وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ ٱلۡإِسۡلَـٰمَ دِينً۬ا‌ۚ – This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My Favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion].

Allaah [The Most High] said: [وَمَنۡ أَحۡسَنُ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ حُكۡمً۬ا لِّقَوۡمٍ۬ يُوقِنُونَ – And who is better in judgement than Allah for a people who have firm Faith].

Whoever utilises sound intellect to examine what the Messengers brought [i.e. the revelation] – what they commanded and guided the people to, such as knowledge and Awareness of Allaah, the worship of Allaah alone, turning to Allaah in repentance and obedience with true Faith (Islamic Monotheism) and the command to fulfil all the rights [of the people] based on courteous good will, perfecting one’s actions [i.e. based on sincerity to Allaah alone] and treating others with kindness [by sincerely seeking to benefit them though one’s knowledge, wealth or position], and that which they [i.e. Messengers] forbade; then thereafter he examines what those who have deviated from the path of Allaah call to, he will know that good [and its outcomes], success, sound rectification of the hearts and deeds, [sound rectification of] the worldly affairs and [sound rectification of the religious affairs and their end results in the afterlife] are all in agreement with what the Messengers called to. And he will know that the call of those who deviate from the path of Allaah is designed to do away with good manners, whose end result is nothing but complete chaos and a state in which one goes along with lust until the animals become more noble and beneficial than humans. This is no doubt their state of affairs – clearly manifested by what they are upon and what they proclaim with their tongues. Among the most amazing of affairs is that many contemporary writers and politicians seek to remedy the many social ills and try to do so do from many angles, however as for the problem of deviation from Allaah’s Path – whose surge has carried away the majority of young people – they have not rushed to stop it by returning to sound Eemaan and certainty; rather those who have deviated from Allaah’s Path have been abandoned to wander blindly in their misguidance and wavering in beguilement, and thus the social ills they seek to remedy gives birth to other social ills- because if the path to remedying social ills is not based on Eemaan and sound religion, they will increase and become worse. (2)

Imaam Ibnul Qayyim [may Allaah have mercy upon him] said: Everyone with a bit of (sound) intellect knows that the corruption of the world and its ruin occurs due to giving precedence to opinion over the divine revelation and (evil) desires over sound intellect. These two corrupt motives are not entrenched in a heart except that its destruction becomes inevitable nor in a nation except that its affairs are completely corrupted. (3)

Shaikhul Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah [may Allaah have mercy upon him] said: And even though there is something in the paths of analogical reasoning and reflection that will lead to knowledge, however sometimes it cannot give detail explanation in a dispute between the people of the earth due to the minute details and ambiguities [in that dispute], and at other times due to the fact the people differ when prioritising necessities. Therefore, due to this Allaah [The Most High] commanded [us] to return to the revelation in times of dispute. Allaah [The Most High] said: [ كَانَ ٱلنَّاسُ أُمَّةً۬ وَٲحِدَةً۬ فَبَعَثَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلنَّبِيِّـۧنَ مُبَشِّرِينَ وَمُنذِرِينَ وَأَنزَلَ مَعَهُمُ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبَ بِٱلۡحَقِّ لِيَحۡكُمَ بَيۡنَ ٱلنَّاسِ فِيمَا ٱخۡتَلَفُواْ فِيهِ‌ۚ -Mankind were one community (i.e. upon Tawheed and Allaah’s Sharee’ah) and Allah sent Prophets with glad tidings and warnings, and with them He sent the Scripture in truth to judge between people in matters wherein they differed]. [Surah Al-Baqarah’ Aayah 213] Therefore, Allaah [The Most High] designated the revealed Books [i.e. the Qur’aan being the final of them] as the judge between the people in matters wherein they differ. (4)

Shaikh Abdur Razzaaq Al-Badr [may Allaah preserve him] said: If you say that the intellect is to be given precedence over the revelation, then which intellect should we follow? Are the intellects of the people combined in the intellect of one man or do they differ? There are intellects of the philosophers, the atheists, the heretics, the people of evil desires and those who confound truth with falsehood; and due to this one of the Salaf said, “Had the desires been one, it would have been considered to be the [basis of] truth”; therefore, we say, “Had the intellects been one, it would have been considered to be the [basis of] truth. (5)

Shaikh Abu Iyaadh [may Allaah preserve him] said: The wisdom of the Islamic Shariah: Cut off evils and harms to society from their very roots and enjoy the resulting freedom, ease and wholesome life. In contrast: the barbarity and backwardness of commercialising corrosive evils– usurious banking, alcohol, gambling–in order to profit from the masses through affairs in which their ruin and impoverishment lies–and then managing this commercialisation through legislation, policies, guidelines and so on to “limit the harms”. The result? Inescapable enslavement, bondage, disease and ruin of the masses for the enrichment of the few who peddle these vices. Where is the intellect?! (6)

How to Approach the Contemporary Worldly Sciences

Shaikh Saaleh Aala Ash-Shaikh [may allaah preserve him] said: The Messenger [peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him] said: Verily, the creation of each of you is brought together in his mother’s womb for forty days as a drop [of water, semen], then he is a clot for a similar period, then a morsel for a similar period…. [An-Nawawi’s Forty Hadeeth. Hadeeth 4]

It is well known that during that era, the Sahaabah did not know these stages (of development of the human being in the womb) through experimental knowledge, vision [i.e. by way X-rays or ultrasound that enables the human to see something in the womb) or other than that; rather it was simply (a statement of the Prophet) which they (believed and affirmed). They were scholars by way of the revelation sent down to the Prophet and not by way of experimentation (examination). [Sharh Al-Arba’een. Hadeeth 4]

Imaam Muhammad Bin Saaleh Al-Uthaymeen [may Allaah have mercy upon him] said: We do not say, “We do not give consideration to anything stated by the people in the subject matter regarding medicine, astronomy and the celestial bodies”, however, we do not accept everything they say. If what they say opposes the Book and the (authentic) Sunnah, then indeed we do not accept their statements. We take [i.e. believe and affirm without any doubt] that which is conveyed in the Book and the Sunnah], and we say, “An era will come in which the people will bear witness to the falsity of those statements of theirs – at present – that are in opposition to the Book and Sunnah and (bear witness) to the soundness of that which has been conveyed in the Book and the Sunnah. [An excerpt from the ‘Explanation of Bulooghul Maraam’ Vol 1. page 130. Shared by Ustaadh abu Tasneem (Mushaf Al-Banghaalee- may Allaah preserve him)]

Imaam Abdul Azeez Bin Baaz [may Allaah have mercy upon him] said: Indeed, that which is stated by the astronomers about the celestial bodies, their sizes and the distance between them, and that which is said about the earth [i.e. by the geologists etc] is categorized into three affairs: [a] That which is backed by the sound knowledge-based proofs [i.e. the Sharee’ah], therefore it is accepted. [b] That which the knowledge-based proofs [i.e. the sharee’ah] declares to be false, therefore it is rejected. [c] That which there is no proof to either accept or reject it, therefore it is unproven until a person from the people of knowledge [i.e. upright scholars of Ahlus Sunnah] examines it [i.e. examines what it indicates based on the Book and Sunnah] to show whether it should be accepted or rejected. As for accepting it without [sound] investigation and observation, but merely accepting it by blindly following them [i.e. the astronomers, geologists etc], then this is impermissible because of the numerous mistakes that occur as a result of that and speaking -without knowledge – about Allaah and that which He has created [i.e. the entire universe and all that is within it]. [An Excerpts from ‘Al-Adillah An-Naqliyyah Wal-Hissiyyah Alaa Imkaanis Su’ood Ilal Kawaakib Wa Alaa Jarayaan Ash-Shams Wal-Qamar Wa Sukoon Al-Ard’ page 74. slightly paraphrased]

Therefore, we return to those honest investigators – those students of sound Aqeedah who are well acquainted with both the statements of the upright scholars and the contemporary worldly sciences, such as the likes of Dr. Shaikh Abu Iyaadh Amjad Rafiq [may Allaah preserve him, increase him in beneficial knowledge and righteous deeds. And likewise preserve all the students and Ahlus Sunnah Aameen].

Read: Understanding the Two Definitions of ‘Science’ in Operation – By Shaikh Dr. Abu Iyaadh:
http://www.aboutatheism.net/articles/juvtbpd-understanding-the-two-definitions-of-science-and-scientific-enquiry.cfm

[Ref 1: An Excerpt from Ad-Dalaa’il Al-Qur’aaniyyah Fee Annal Uloom Wal-A’maal An-Naafi’ah Al-Asriyyah Daakhilatun Fid Deen Al-Islaamiy. page 28-29. Slightly paraphrased]

[Ref 2: An Excerpt from ‘Al-Adillatul Qawaatiq Wal Baraaheen Fee Ibtaal Usool Al-Mulhideen. pages 40-41′. slightly paraphrased]

[Ref 3: A’laam Al-Muwaqqi’een 1/67-69]

[Ref 4: Dar Ta’aarud Al-Aql Wan-Naql: 9/17-18]

[Ref 5:Muqaddimah Fee Diraasah At-Tawheed’ by Shaikh Abdur-Razzaaq Al-Badr (may Allaah preserve him) Lesson: 3]

[Ref 6: http://www.shariah.ws/articles/suokooj-there-is-no-safe-limit-in-the-consumption-of-alcohol-and-the-prohibition-of-alcohol-in-the-quran.cfm ]