Religion and Science

Basic Information

Title: Religion and Science
Author: Maulana Wahiduddin Khan
Language: English (translated from Urdu)
Length: Approximately 90–115 pages
Publisher: Goodword Books (India)
Publication Period: Late 1990s to early 2000s

Purpose and Main Theme

The book explores the relationship between religion and modern science, showing that they are not contradictory but complementary.
Maulana Wahiduddin Khan argues that while science studies the physical universe, religion deals with spiritual truths and moral purpose. Together they form a complete understanding of reality.

He explains that science provides knowledge of how the universe functions, whereas religion provides insight into why it exists and what meaning it holds. The goal of the book is to harmonize faith with modern intellectual life, encouraging readers to see the discoveries of science as reflections of divine wisdom.

Structure and Content

The book is divided into several concise sections, each addressing an aspect of the relationship between faith and scientific knowledge.

1. Defining Religion and Science

   • Explains what each discipline seeks to uncover.

   • Discusses how misunderstandings led to the idea of conflict between science and religion.

2. The Nature of the Universe

   • Describes the beauty, complexity, and harmony of the cosmos as revealed by modern science.

   • Argues that these qualities point to design and divine order.

3. Scientific and Religious Reasoning

   • Shows that both science and religion rely on inference, observation, and reasoning — though in different domains.

   • Religion, like science, invites reflection on signs and evidence.

4. The Qur’anic View of Knowledge

   • Discusses how the Qur’an encourages study of nature as a form of worship.

   • Illustrates that scientific discovery can strengthen faith.

5. Human Life and the Hereafter

   • Explores how religion completes what science cannot explain — the purpose of life, morality, and the afterlife.

6. Reconciliation of Modern Thought and Faith

   • Argues that Islam welcomes reason and inquiry.

   • Encourages Muslims to view science as a path to understanding God’s creation rather than as opposition to belief.

Style and Approach

The writing is clear, logical, and reflective, accessible to general readers.
Maulana Wahiduddin Khan avoids complex technical language, using simple analogies and reasoning.
The tone is calm, optimistic, and reconciliatory, seeking to end the supposed conflict between scientific progress and spiritual belief.

He supports his ideas with examples from both scientific discoveries and Qur’anic insights, presenting a balance between intellectual thought and faith.

Central Message

The book’s central message is that religion and science are two paths to the same truth.
Science reveals the laws of the universe, while religion reveals the Lawgiver.
Both rely on observation and reflection, and both, when properly understood, lead the human mind toward acknowledging the Creator.

Significance

• It serves as an introductory text for readers interested in how Islam views science.

• Encourages believers to engage positively with modern knowledge rather than viewing it as a threat to faith.

• Highlights Islam’s historical support for reason, discovery, and intellectual exploration.

• Presents a rational, peaceful approach that fits Maulana Wahiduddin Khan’s lifelong emphasis on harmony and dialogue.

Strengths

• Short, direct, and easily understandable.

• Provides a thoughtful and optimistic bridge between modern thought and spirituality.

• Reinforces confidence in the compatibility of Islam and reason.

Limitations

• Due to its brevity, it does not go deeply into technical scientific theories.

• Some readers seeking philosophical or theological depth may find it introductory rather than exhaustive.

• Focuses mainly on the general relationship between science and faith rather than on specific scientific issues.

Summary

Religion and Science by Maulana Wahiduddin Khan is a concise, insightful reflection on how belief in God and modern scientific discovery can coexist in harmony. It argues that science explains the workings of the universe, while religion gives them meaning. Together they affirm the greatness of the Creator and the purpose of human life.

It remains a thoughtful and inspiring book for anyone interested in building intellectual and spiritual balance in the modern age.