Frontline Islamic clerics have emphasized the role of Muslims in science discoveries, noting that Qur’an, the glorious book is the compendium of all aspects of science, being wrongly claimed as intellectual property of scholars.
An Islamic scholar and Vice Chancellor, Fountain University, Osogbo, Osun State, Professor Amidu Sanni, who spoke at the 15th yearly Ramadan lecture organised by the University of Lagos Muslim Community, asserted that, Islam is more than just the faith, but comprises of good deeds and knowledge of how humanity would be on top of any situation in medicine, technology, law, among others.
Sanni, who spoke on the title: ‘Islam, Science and Today’s World’ lamented the nonchalant attitude of today’s Muslims towards knowledge, especially science, and reminded that the knowledge is the foundation on which Islam is built, as the first verse revealed to Prophet Muhammad (SAW), was about ‘reading,’ connotes seeking for knowledge.
The author of several books quoted verses from the glorious book, where the Almighty Allah tasked Muslims to think deeply and research extensively to discover that it is a divine book that is the compendium of all aspects of science people can think of under the sun.
Sanni proved to the audience that, “Islamic scholars documented and protected sources of sciences that the world now collate and call the sciences,” stating that, “what they now do is just to change the names.”
The concerned lecturer lamented that, it is now the non-Muslims that are exhibiting Islamic Idealism abandoned by the Muslims who are the originators, pointing out emphatically that there is no doubt that Muslims contributed largely to all forms of science.
While suggesting a way forward for Muslims to recapture the lost glory in the field of knowledge, particularly the science, he called for a pragmatic plans to evolve expansion of some institutions on ground as a launching pad.
According to him, building of Wahab Iyanda Folawiyo Legacy, as well as complementing the bold step of Prince Abdul-Jabar Bola Ajibola that led to the establishment of the Crescent University, Abeokuta, Ogun State as well as expansion of frontiers of the likes of the associations like the Nasrul Lahil –l- Fathi (NASFAT) would go a long way in moving forward toward realising the goal.
Chairman, University of Lagos (UNILAG) Muslim Community, Professor Lai Olurode, said the topic of the lecture was deliberately chosen to wake up the Muslims from their slumber to realise that Qur’an and the sciences are Siamese twins that cannot be separated.
According to him, if lectures on such topics are not organised, Muslims would not stop having the erroneous impression that Islam and the early Muslims contributed nothing to the sciences saying, with this type of programme, the Muslims will wake up to the realisation that they are the custodians of the knowledge that keeps the world going.
He therefore urged the Muslims to rise up and take over their rightful place in the world as far as knowledge, particularly the sciences is concerned.
Chairman on the occasion, Muiz Banire, said having listened to the lecturer, what remains is a pragmatic steps towards making the import of the message to have impact on the Muslims.
Banire, who is the current Chairman, Assets Management Company of Nigeria (AFCOM), also admitted that, “scientific inventions witnessing today are already captured in the glorious Qur’an,” asserting that, “the rapport and symbiotic relationship between the sciences and the Qur’an are not antagonistic, but rather complimentary.
He therefore urged the Muslims to continue to make excursion into researches since the most compelling obligation in Islam is seeking for knowledge, advising that, “we should not be contented and be satisfied with the little we have acquired in our research into sciences”.
In his goodwill message, the Chief Imam of Lagos State, Sheikh Sulaimon Oluwatoyin Abou-Nolla, charged the audience to take their destiny in their hands reminding that, “God has said that he will not change the affairs of any community until the community is prepared to change its affairs for good.”
According to him, Muslims should sit down and plan very well to have solutions to their challenges, asserting that nobody would do it for them since even the almighty Allah has said that He is not ready to do it for them until they are prepared to do it for themselves.
Chief Host and the Vice Chancellor, UNILAG, Professor T. O. Ogundipe, thanked the organisers for their contributions towards peace on the campus saying, “we are privileged nowadays to have this type of lecture that contribute to education and peaceful co-existence in the community.”
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