Religion and Science:Perspectives of Religious Seminary Students

Abstract

This study examines the perspectives of religious seminary students on the relationship between religion and science from an Islamic and analytical perspective. The relationship between religion and science has become an important intellectual issue in the contemporary world, particularly in Muslim societies where traditional religious education interacts with modern scientific thought. The study explores how students of religious seminaries understand the nature of religion and science, their relationship, and the extent to which they perceive them as complementary, independent, or conflicting domains. Using an analytical approach, the study draws upon the Qur’an, Sunnah, Islamic intellectual tradition, and relevant contemporary literature to examine the Islamic concept of knowledge and its attitude toward reason, observation, reflection, and scientific inquiry. It also highlights the Qur’anic emphasis on contemplating the creation of the heavens and the earth and encourages intellectual reflection and the pursuit of knowledge. The study argues that the Islamic perspective does not necessarily regard authentic scientific inquiry and religious belief as contradictory. Rather, revelation, reason, observation, and experience can have distinct yet interconnected roles in the pursuit of knowledge. However, an uncritical identification of every modern scientific theory with Qur’anic verses, as well as an understanding of science as inherently opposed to religion, may lead to intellectual imbalance. The study therefore emphasizes the need for a balanced understanding of religion and science among religious seminary students. The findings suggest that greater exposure to contemporary scientific knowledge, Islamic intellectual history, critical thinking, and interdisciplinary academic dialogue can contribute to developing a more balanced and informed perspective among seminary students. The study recommends strengthening the academic engagement between religious and scientific disciplines so that students can respond to contemporary intellectual challenges with sound reasoning, Islamic scholarship, and a constructive approach to scientific thought.

Keywords: Religion, Science, Religious Seminaries, Seminary Students, Islamic Concept of Knowledge, Scientific Thought, Intellectual Perspectives, Qur’an, Critical Thinking