The Center for Islam & Science: A New Initiative

Abstract

The Center for Islam & Science (CIS) is dedicated to a creative exploration of the Islamic view of science and to a renewal of links with the intellectual tradition of Islam. The CIS supports research and activities aimed at enhancing our Islamic and scientific understanding of nature and the human condition. Recognizing an underlying unity in all domains of knowledge, the CIS does not construe 'Islam' and 'science' as two unrelated entities that need to be artificially linked through an external methodology. This fundamental unity stems from tawhid (unicity of God), the foundation of Islamic epistemology. The CIS, therefore, recognizes, honours and builds its vision and strategy on this unifying principle. Accordingly, it considers the physical world (the subject matter of natural sciences) a part of the hierarchy of beings which must be studied in relation to other parts as well as to the greater whole.