Does Islam contradict science?

Short answerThere is no conflict between Islam and empirical science. The Quran calls for reflection on the universe and raises the rank of the learned, and the sciences flourished in Islamic civilisation for centuries. The Quran is a book of guidance, not an experimental science text, and matters of the unseen are taken from revelation.

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The Quran’s call to knowledge

Quran
أَمَّنۡ هُوَ قَٰنِتٌ ءَانَآءَ ٱلَّيۡلِ سَاجِدٗا وَقَآئِمٗا يَحۡذَرُ ٱلۡأٓخِرَةَ وَيَرۡجُواْ رَحۡمَةَ رَبِّهِۦۗ قُلۡ هَلۡ يَسۡتَوِي ٱلَّذِينَ يَعۡلَمُونَ وَٱلَّذِينَ لَا يَعۡلَمُونَۗ إِنَّمَا يَتَذَكَّرُ أُوْلُواْ ٱلۡأَلۡبَٰبِ

Az-Zumar 39:9
Quran
إِنَّ فِي خَلۡقِ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَٱخۡتِلَٰفِ ٱلَّيۡلِ وَٱلنَّهَارِ لَأٓيَٰتٖ لِّأُوْلِي ٱلۡأَلۡبَٰبِ ٱلَّذِينَ يَذۡكُرُونَ ٱللَّهَ قِيَٰمٗا وَقُعُودٗا وَعَلَىٰ جُنُوبِهِمۡ وَيَتَفَكَّرُونَ فِي خَلۡقِ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ رَبَّنَا مَا خَلَقۡتَ هَٰذَا بَٰطِلٗا سُبۡحَٰنَكَ فَقِنَا عَذَابَ ٱلنَّارِ

Ali 'Imran 3:190–191

History

Islamic civilisation produced scholars such as Ibn al-Haytham in optics, al-Khwarizmi in algebra, Ibn Sina in medicine and al-Biruni, who saw scientific inquiry as worship and reflection on Allah’s creation.

Frequently asked questions

Does the Quran contain scientific miracles?

Some scholars see scientific allusions in the Quran, while others caution against tying the text to changing theories; the safer view is that the Quran is a book of guidance.

Quran text and translations: QuranEnc. Hadith translations: HadeethEnc. Sources are shown on each item. Found a mistake? Tell us.