سائنسی نظریہ حیات، قرآن اور مفسرینِ برصغیر: علم زراعت کے بارے آیات کی سائنسی تفسیر کے تناظر میں

Abstract

Science and the scientific worldview are not the same thing. There is nothing inherently problematic about science itself, but the scientific worldview is contributing to the rise of atheism among youth across the globe. Muslim youth are no exception to this phenomenon, and as a result, a sense of pessimism is increasing in their minds. As science and technology continue to advance, the scientific worldview is also progressing. In the Indo-Pak subcontinent, a segment of religious scholars views the advancement of modern scientific knowledge as a significant challenge for religious circles—one that must be addressed as a pressing religious duty of our time. However, this challenge cannot be overcome merely by rejecting or denying modern scientific research and disciplines. This raises several important questions: Has sufficient work been done on the scientific aspects of the Qur'an in Indo-Pak subcontinent? What is the current state of scholarly efforts in this field? Who are the exegetes (mufassirīn) who have paid attention to this dimension? Furthermore, how can the modern mind be intellectually satisfied with Qur'anic teachings in light of contemporary scientific knowledge? And how can the doubts created by the scientific worldview be addressed? Is there still considerable scope to highlight the scientific miracles of the Qur'an and engage the contemporary mind more effectively? This paper seeks to clarify the relationship between the Qur'an and science using a standard research methodology. After briefly outlining the strategies adopted by Muslim intellectuals in response to the challenge of the modern scientific worldview, the article presents interpretations by exegetes of the Indo-Pak subcontinent as examples—focusing particularly on verses related to agricultural knowledge in the Qur'an. It also examines how these interpretations, in light of scientific information, can help modern Muslim youth find reassurance in their faith and respond to the challenges posed by the scientific worldview. This research is significant in that it can help reorient the educational policies of Muslim countries and the intellectual trends of Islamic scholars toward effectively addressing this contemporary challenge.