Said Abdallah AL-MAMARI, an Omani Medical Doctor working at the Royal Hospital as a Consultant in the Urology Department, has recently written a 466-page book in relation to Science, Religion, and Philosophy: “Science and Religion: The Illusion of a Conflict”, published by Europe Books.
This is not his first publication, as he has already authored several articles, chapters, and books in his specialty (Urology), mostly published by Springer Nature, and has been actively involved in research for more than a decade.
However, this is the first book outside his field, showcasing his boldness in taking on new challenges. Indeed, the subject on the table is a very complex one: reconciling belief and reason, the spiritual and the material, Religion and Science.
The author has therefore cautiously substantiated his quest by drawing upon the opinions andadvices of various experts.
Physicists, Cosmologists, Theologians, Philosophers and Historians were contacted for reviews and guidance, and the initial difficulty quickly proved to be, on the contrary, a stimulating factor for Al-Mamari’s motivation to embark the readers on an exciting journey where he explores the interface between Science and Religion through a systematic approach that comprises 25 well-documented chapters grouped in 3 main parts:
He attacks the first part with these two questions:
“Are the genius of humans and the knowledge of nature that they have acquired over millennia of research and discovery factors likely to weaken their religious beliefs or rather to reinforce them? Is science capable of explaining everything and freeing man from all mystical-religious concepts?”, and he immediately presents his methodology: “A historical, religious and scientific study is necessary to try to answer these questions.
It will be taken through a journey of more than five millennia, starting from the origins of human history and progressing up to contemporary times.
This trip will also tour the globe to discover the main ethnic and religious groups that populate the Earth.”
Then the readers are taken on an 11-chapter tour that exposes the flaws of the perceived conflict between Science and Religion, starting from the Mesopotamian civilization up to modern time and involving every region of the globe.
He examines all the major civilizations of the world, as well as many of the great scientists and philosophers who left a lasting legacy in human history.
Progressing to the second part, he starts with this statement: “After having made a long
journey through time and across the world to the sources of human history, after having paid a deserved tribute to the great men who contributed to the development of sciences, as well as to the great thinkers whose spiritual and philosophical influence is still palpable in modern societies, the time has come to burst the abscesses that are eating away at the relations between science and religion. It is time to discover whether this conflict is inherent in the very essence of these two concepts or whether their opposition is only superficial, nourished by a misunderstanding”
The process is now underway. Al-Mamari sets out to address all the "casus belli"—the points of contention—used to create the illusion of a conflict between science and religion, by bringing them into confrontation with the message of the Holy Scriptures:
The Big Bang, the Infinitely large (Cosmology) and small (Quantum physics), the theory of biological evolution, the mystery of Life and death and consciousness, the concepts of God and Religion, the fine tuning of the universe.
He does not shy away from comparing science and religion, in terms of the benefits and harms attributed to each with regard to humanity; furthermore, he devotes a significant portion of his reflection to new technologies—such as artificial intelligence—examining their impact on human life and the challenges they pose to religious beliefs.
Interestingly, in this part, which comprises chapters 12 to 22, the author doesn’t ignore the opinion and statement of famous atheist scholars who have made the harshest criticisms of religion and discuss their views and arguments.
Finally, comes the third part, consisting of the last three chapters, in which the author attempts to bridge the gap between science and religion. He discusses in a very balanced way the various aspects of strength and weakness of each side, but takes maximum care to say “let us clarify once again that these errors are neither attributable to science nor to religion in their quintessence, but rather to men or women who represent them or claim so.”
Avoiding no topic—not even the most delicate ones that divide believers—Al-Mamari also addresses the phenomenon of miraculous scientific content of the Quran or I’jaz ‘ilmi or Islamic Concordism.
He presents the diverging viewpoints on this subject, cites its primary proponents
and their contradictors, and offers an in-depth analysis, aiming to provide readers with the necessary information to form their own opinions.
In doing so, he expands the debate well beyond the confines of the Islamic faith alone, as concordism is an issue that also exists within Christianity.
In the 25 th and final chapter (Reconciliation: Ultimately, don't Science and Religion express the same truth?) the author invites readers—now bolstered by the full range of arguments developed throughout the book—to harmonize their faith with science and to avoid perceiving any conflict between the two.. “There is neither victor nor vanquished between religion and science; the blame will always lie with the one who strikes first and forces their separation…
There is room for Science and Religion to coexist harmoniously.”
Finally comes the conclusion, in which the author once again leaves readers the freedom to chart their own path in light of all the discussions presented throughout the book. “Throughout this book, I have been nothing more than a bus driver who took you to visit the sources of science, the different nations that populate our planet and their original religions.
As in any guided tour, I have allowed myself to share with you from time to time my admiration for the achievements of mankind in exploring the wonders of nature, inventing more and more sophisticated instruments, and constructing impressive buildings. As you must have surely guessed, the true purpose of this journey was to equip you with the tools needed to form your own judgment.”
The Book “Science and Religion: The Illusion of a Conflict” is a very interesting book for anyone wishing to confront his faith with reason, and his spiritual life with the material or physical world, and the author did nothing other than echo Allah’s recommendations in the Qur’an as He says:
“Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of the day and night there are signs for people of reason.
They are˺ those who remember Allah while standing,sitting, and lying on their sides, and reflect on the creation of the heavens and the earth ˹and pray˺, “Our Lord! You have not created ˹all of˺ this without purpose. Glory be to You! Protect us from the torment of the Fire”. (The Quran, Aal 'Imran, 3: 190-191)
“And say: “My Lord! Increase me in knowledge” (Quran, Ta-Ha, 20:114)
“Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “Travel throughout the land and see how He originated the creation, then
Allah will bring it into being one more time. Surely Allah is Most Capable of everything” (Quran,
Al Ankaboot, 29:20).
“From among His servants, it is only those who know that fear Allah”. (The Quran, Al Fatir, 35:
28).
“Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “Are those who know equal to those who do not know?” None will be mindful
˹of this˺ except people of reason”. (Quran, Az-zumar, 39:9).
According to Al-Mamari, the most compelling argument for dismantling any conflict between the Holy Scriptures and the Science of matter is: “The creator God is both the cause of the material Universe that Science studies and the source of divine revelations and the spiritual Universe at the base of Religion. Would the Master of Order and Harmony have created two incompatible or irreconcilable worlds?”.
The book 'Science and Religion: The Illusion of a Conflict' is best savored slowly and in full.
According to its author, one should take the time to read it completely to grasp its message accurately, as a hasty or partial reading could easily lead to a misunderstanding & quot;
