✿ Modernity, Scientific Method, and the Analysis of the Concept of God ✿
✍ Written by: Sohrab Naseer
In any civilization, the concept of knowledge is the highest expression of its goals and objectives.
The Western Enlightenment emerged as a reaction against Papal authority, where revelation and metaphysics were rejected, and the human intellect was declared the sole source of knowledge.
Modernity gave birth to the scientific method, which was initially applied to the study of physical objects and natural laws, but later expanded into all fields of human knowledge.
The scientific method rests on two primary principles:
➤ Observation
➤ Experimentation
Observation can be:
✔ Direct — like observing the rotation of the moon and sun
✔ Indirect — like inferring the existence of electrons through their effects
Based on observation, a hypothesis is formed, which is then tested through experiments.
As science progressed, material advancement in the West impacted every field, and scholars from various disciplines began applying scientific principles in their own investigations.
History is a compilation of past events, and access to it is made possible through two primary sources:
① Archaeological remains — artifacts uncovered through excavation
② Narrative reports — either written records or oral traditions
However, the lack of direct eyewitnesses in historical studies often raises questions about its reliability.
In this regard, Islamic history, especially the era of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, is unique due to:
✔ The presence of a large number of eyewitnesses
✔ Detailed preservation of their character and biographies
Darwin’s theory of evolution deeply influenced Western thinkers, leading many to assert that religion is a product of the human mind.
There are two primary assumptions:
① The concept of God is a human imagination.
② In early civilizations, belief in multiple gods existed, which eventually evolved into monotheism.
Modern science rejected even the idea of a singular God, interpreting religious beliefs as human psychological constructs.
Due to the absence of eyewitnesses and authentic foundational sources, Western scholars often rely on speculative assumptions in their study of religion.
For scholars who believe in evolution, every religious idea is viewed as a human creation.
Science possesses no instrument or method to determine whether a religious belief is based on divine revelation or human fabrication.
Religious elements such as belief in:
➤ God
➤ Paradise and Hell
➤ Angels
— appear in various religions across the world.
Two opposing interpretations arise:
✔ Those who believe in revelation:
These commonalities affirm divine guidance.
✘ Those who deny revelation:
They consider them coincidences of the human mind.
Western scholar Karen Armstrong, in her book A History of God, writes:
“Humans initially created the concept of a God who controlled the heavens and the earth, but the relationship between man and God has always been intrinsic and inseparable.”
Even in the modern scientific age, man has not been freed from the longing for transcendence.
The numerous harmonies and patterns in the universe point toward the existence of an intelligent being.
The concept of God is deeply embedded in human nature, and it will remain so until the end of mankind.
Despite scientific progress, man has not ceased to search for the ultimate reality.
Modernity may attempt to redefine or reduce the idea of God, but the signs within the universe and human consciousness continue to affirm the necessity of a Creator.
✍ Written by: Sohrab Naseer
❖ Western Enlightenment Movement and the Concept of Knowledge
In any civilization, the concept of knowledge is the highest expression of its goals and objectives.
The Western Enlightenment emerged as a reaction against Papal authority, where revelation and metaphysics were rejected, and the human intellect was declared the sole source of knowledge.
Modernity gave birth to the scientific method, which was initially applied to the study of physical objects and natural laws, but later expanded into all fields of human knowledge.
❖ Foundations of the Scientific Method
The scientific method rests on two primary principles:
➤ Observation
➤ Experimentation
Observation can be:
✔ Direct — like observing the rotation of the moon and sun
✔ Indirect — like inferring the existence of electrons through their effects
Based on observation, a hypothesis is formed, which is then tested through experiments.
As science progressed, material advancement in the West impacted every field, and scholars from various disciplines began applying scientific principles in their own investigations.
❖ History and the Complexities of the Scientific Method
History is a compilation of past events, and access to it is made possible through two primary sources:
① Archaeological remains — artifacts uncovered through excavation
② Narrative reports — either written records or oral traditions
However, the lack of direct eyewitnesses in historical studies often raises questions about its reliability.
In this regard, Islamic history, especially the era of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, is unique due to:
✔ The presence of a large number of eyewitnesses
✔ Detailed preservation of their character and biographies
❖ Theory of Evolution and the Concept of Religion
Darwin’s theory of evolution deeply influenced Western thinkers, leading many to assert that religion is a product of the human mind.
There are two primary assumptions:
① The concept of God is a human imagination.
② In early civilizations, belief in multiple gods existed, which eventually evolved into monotheism.
Modern science rejected even the idea of a singular God, interpreting religious beliefs as human psychological constructs.
❖ Western Scholars and The Study of Religion
Due to the absence of eyewitnesses and authentic foundational sources, Western scholars often rely on speculative assumptions in their study of religion.
For scholars who believe in evolution, every religious idea is viewed as a human creation.
Science possesses no instrument or method to determine whether a religious belief is based on divine revelation or human fabrication.
❖ Diverse Interpretations of Universal Religious Concepts
Religious elements such as belief in:
➤ God
➤ Paradise and Hell
➤ Angels
— appear in various religions across the world.
Two opposing interpretations arise:
✔ Those who believe in revelation:
These commonalities affirm divine guidance.
✘ Those who deny revelation:
They consider them coincidences of the human mind.
❖ Critique of Modern Religious Concepts
Western scholar Karen Armstrong, in her book A History of God, writes:
“Humans initially created the concept of a God who controlled the heavens and the earth, but the relationship between man and God has always been intrinsic and inseparable.”
Even in the modern scientific age, man has not been freed from the longing for transcendence.
The numerous harmonies and patterns in the universe point toward the existence of an intelligent being.
✔ Conclusion
The concept of God is deeply embedded in human nature, and it will remain so until the end of mankind.
Despite scientific progress, man has not ceased to search for the ultimate reality.
Modernity may attempt to redefine or reduce the idea of God, but the signs within the universe and human consciousness continue to affirm the necessity of a Creator.
