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Discourses on Science and Islam: A View from Britain

In this chapter examining discourses on science and Islam, I first briefly highlight a dominant contemporary discourse among non-Muslims, which tends to cast Islam as a particularly backward and unintellectual religion requiring scientific enlightenment. I point out historical precedents for this viewpoint, before turning to examine a specific discourse on science and Islam among Muslims, in which the Qur’an is deemed to be scientifically miraculous, a view that has its roots in the Salafi reformist movement. Drawing on data from focus groups conducted with British Muslims of South Asian heritage actively engaged with institutions influenced by Salafi reformism, I argue that these popular scientific interpretations of the Qur’an may hold particular appeal for Muslims in Britain who are, as members of a religious minority viewed with suspicion, frequently required to “explain themselves” and defend their religious beliefs and practices. I also discuss survey data examining views of science among Muslims, making suggestions for how such work could be refined and extended in the future.