Can science take us to God?

Can science take us to God? So is science a waste of time in the path of reaching God? The answer is not as simple as you might think.

Science is a creation of God. If you study science with the full knowledge and consiousness that this is the case, that science tells us about its Creator the way that a painting tells us about its painter or that a book tells us about its author; then science become a means to get closer to God through learning more about Him and His names and attributes; it becomes an act of worship and a beautiful means to bond with our Creator.

On the other hand, if you view science as independent from God, it becomes nothing more than a bunch of formulas and rules that govern this universe.

But what about the technological advances one might ask? They surely advance humanity even when viewed independently from God, and benefit the humankind regardless of our perspective. So is science still valuable even when viewed from the wrong perspective? After all, we wouldn’t have any of this technology today if it wasn’t for the scientists who invented them, regardless of their perspective.

Our worldly life is but a fleeting moment compared to the infinite expanse of the afterlife. To illustrate this, the duration of this life relative to eternal life is less than a fraction of a fraction of a fraction—much less than 0.000001%. In this light, technological advancements, while impressive, address only this infinitesimal portion of our existence. So basically, when you advance technology, you’re only benefiting less than 0.000001% of our total lifespan
which is negligible to say the least.

Of course, this is not to say we should downplay the role of technology in our lives. Technology is an incredible favor that God has given us. It brings all sorts of benefits like connecting with people all over has world, curing various illnesses, speeding up transportation, and so on. But it is only worth it if it brings us closer to God. Otherwise, it defeats the purpose of our existence, which is to worship and bond with our Creator. The benefits it brings become so minimal that they may be dismissed.

Furthermore, if one uses science as a justification and a means to distance themselves from God, such as those basing their athiesm on science, it causes much more harm than any good at all.

Now, let’s get back to the first case of viewing science as a creation of God. How can we use science to get closer to our Creator?

Every field of science is a manifestation of a name of Allah (SWT). By reflecting and pondering about these manifestations, we can get closer and strengthen our bond with our Creator.

1. Medicine, for example, depends on the name as-Shafee (The Healer). It teaches us that God is the Healer Who created the cure for various illnesses and urges us to discover them.
2. Mathematics and engineering are manifestations of the name al-Adil (The Just). Divine Justice means that God gives everything and everyone precisely what they need or deserve. This level of precision is apparent in mathematics and any field that is based on it. For a further elaboration of this concept, see my previous video.
3. The fields of probability and statistics manifest the name of God al-Hakeem (The Wise). By using statistics we can predict seemingly random outcomes to some extent and analyze the rules and patterns that they follow. It shows us that even random looking events follow rules and patterns. In other words, true randomness does not exist. For a further elaboration, see my related blog post.

These are just three out of countless many examples where science allows us to learn more about God, reflect on Him and His names, and gradually draw closer to Him.

May Allah (SWT) allow all of us to learn more about Him, His names and attributes and use science as a stepping stone to draw closer to Him.

Relevant Passage from the 12th Word

As for the Muslim scholar, when he looked at the Qur’an, he understood that it was the Perspicuous Book, the All-Wise Qur’an. This truth-loving person neither attached importance to the external adornments, nor busied himself with the ornamented letters. He became preoccupied with something that was a million times higher, more elevated, more subtle, more noble, more beneficial, and more comprehensive than the matters with which the other man had busied himself. For discussing the sacred truths and lights of the mysteries beneath the veil of the decorations, he wrote a truly fine commentary.

Source

• The Words, The Twentieth Word, Second Station
• The Twelfth Word