The Role of Classical Sunnī Theology in Islam and Science: Responding to Nidhal Guessoum

This paper recommends a theological turn for the engagement of Islam and Science. There were two identifiable prior phases. Two broad movements typified the first: an attempt to “Islamise” science, and an attempt to show the Qurʾān miraculously contains modern scientific knowledge. The second phase...

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Published in:Zygon Vol. 60; no. 1; p. 31
Main Authors: Jalajel, David Solomon, Malik, Shoaib Ahmed
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: Cambridge Open Library of Humanities 20.06.2025
Subjects:
Christianity
Exegesis & hermeneutics
Muslims
Religion
Theology
occasionalism
Islam and science
hermeneutics
Islamic hermeneutics
Sunni theology
Sunnī theology
evolution
Nidhal Guessoum
divine action
science and miracles
miracles
ISSN:1467-9744, 0591-2385, 1467-9744
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:This paper recommends a theological turn for the engagement of Islam and Science. There were two identifiable prior phases. Two broad movements typified the first: an attempt to “Islamise” science, and an attempt to show the Qurʾān miraculously contains modern scientific knowledge. The second phase included non-systematic investigations into methodology, divine action, and some localised issues at the Islam and science interface. Nidhal Guessoum proposes the next step should be developing a theistic interpretation of Islam that conforms with modern science as it stands and harmonises Islamic beliefs with science. This presupposes conflicts or serious tensions between traditional Islamic understandings and modern science. This paper argues that a more rigorous exploration into classical and traditional theological approaches could benefit, as it might reveal possibilities in Islam’s theological traditions that do not result in an inherent tension between Islam and science. For instance, in Sunnī theology, we suggest a default “no-conflict” position can be achieved. Such an approach is recommended, since modern Muslim resistance to science, or to certain scientific theories, is often due to perceptions that science challenges Islamic teachings.
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ISSN:1467-9744
0591-2385
1467-9744
DOI:10.16995/zygon.16545