Transcendance : Action de
Concilier la Foi et la Science
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FORWARD
The human mind has always attempted to unravel the mysteries of universe. The natural phenomena, sometimes became the source of fear and at others provided strength to faith. Human beings tried to understand the creation through their conjectures, philosophical constructs, hypothesis and theories. As the scientific enquiry got strengthened, it seemed that science and faith contradicted each other. The scientific discoveries provided shock to philosophers. Intelligent philosophers adjusted their hypothesis in the light of the scientific discovery. Those, who were unable to adjust, created problems for the scientists, sometimes leading to their elimination.
The basis of philosophy is logic. All sciences are also based on logic. Till faith (Aqeedah) is blind and emanates from logical constructs, there should be no contradiction between faith, philosophy and science. The reality is one but it is multi-faceted.
The mysteries of these facets are unraveled by each of the sciences, yet no science can claim that it explains the whole reality. The universe has come to existence from the state of non-existence some 15 to 20 billion years ago. Was it a chance that the universe came to being? Has it been created by some force? Who manages and regulates the universe? These questions have always bothered the human intellect and myriad approaches have been adopted in different times to explain the phenomena.
In transcendance A. Al Jazairi, through building a logical and scientific construct step by step, has examined and attempted to prove the existence of a Supreme Power, which has been given many names such as Allah, Bhagwan, God, Almighty or even nameless. Baname aun ki u name nadarad (In the name of Him, 2
who has no name). The author contends that universe has been created by one Supreme Power, which is unique. The qualities of this Supreme Power have been described in almost all the revealed texts of the world, which bear striking similarity. The oriental surs and saints attempted to realize and experience this Supreme Power but they did not make others to have the taste of their experience.
Knowledge is supposed to consist of evidenced, justified or proven beliefs. Our infirmity in having the absolute truth, leads us to accept faith, which may be blind. Al Jazairi’s exercise in this book transcends belief and goes in the realm of knowledge. It brings together the vedantic concept of nirankar (shapelessness), ekoham dwiteeyo nasti (I am the One, there is none else), Islamic Tauheed (oneness) and monotheism of other religions. The author has examined all shades of existing philosophical constructs in different regions of the world, to build up his arguments. His contention that “every relationship obtained by the application of an axiom is true” is a logically accepted statement. He has attempted the justification of the presence of the Supreme Power after examining the theoretical frames available (Maxwell’s theory to Einstein's theory). Al Jazairi’s presentation is a well-argued contribution in the existing body of literature and is bound to stimulate others to probe deeper and deeper.
Prof. M.H.Qureshi
J.N.U. New Delhi, October 1998.
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