IN FOCUS

Upon hearing this, the Prophet permitted them to resume their work and stated a principle of timeless importance: “You have better knowledge of your worldly affairs.” (Sahih Muslim) This statement was neither an admission of ignorance nor merely an expression of humility. Rather, it was the proclamation of a profound and far-reaching truth. Through this single sentence, the Prophet established a clear distinction between matters of revelation and matters of empirical knowledge. He affirmed that religious belief should not interfere with scientific investigation and worldly expertise. For thousands of years prior to this, religion and science had remained entangled. As a result, any scientific discovery that appeared to contradict prevailing religious interpretations was often met with hostility and suppression. History bears tragic witness to this confusion. In ancient Greece, the philosopher Socrates was condemned to death by the religious and political establishment for ideas deemed threatening to accepted beliefs. Four centuries before Christ, Socrates was one of the greatest intellectual figures of his time, yet he was forced to drink poison on charges of impiety and corrupting the youth. From Socrates to later figures such as Bruno and Galileo, countless scholars pursued research in astronomy, botany, mathematics, and other disciplines, only to face persecution because their findings challenged entrenched dogma. It is narrated that when the Romans conquered Greece, a renowned scientist and mathematician was found deeply engrossed in solving a mathematical problem. A Roman soldier, fearing that the scholar The Prophet established a clear distinction between matters of revelation and matters of empirical knowledge. He affirmed that religious belief should not interfere with scientific investigation and worldly expertise.