Cemalnur Sargut

Ken’an Rifai thinks that regarding religion as conservative and slow in progress when compared to science is a concept that has to be corrected urgently.

A person is not able to become a modern type-man that can fulfill the demands of our age if he holds the dogmas rigidly and not has enough knowledge about the contents and the aims of the grand religions. On the other hand, a person can also become a fanatic of science and a slave of scientific dogmas which is equally dangerous.

Ken’an Rifai said “If a scientist who is examining a specimen under the microscope is not astonished by this tiny part of the universe and if he doesn’t start thinking about the limitations of his knowledge modestly, we must doubt his credibility as a man of science”. And he supported his point of view by repeating the following words of Hazret-i Muhammed (s.a.v.): “Ya Rabbim, expand the magnitude of my astonishment”.

Thus, he tried to solve the problem by rescuing both science and religion from fanatics. He knew that Islam is a religion constructed on the fundamentals of science. With the Book that begins with “Recite!” and with its Prophet who says,

“Search for science even if it is in China.”

“Being in contact with scientists is regarded as worship.”

“Science is superior to worship and it is the order of religion.”

“Serve the scientists of my people, since they are the stars of this world.”

“Studying science is an obligatory act for all of my people, man or woman.”

“Study science because education is our weapon against our enemies.”

“From cradle to grave, demand for science.”

“The most virtuous worship is to demand science and maturity.”

And with great scientists, who rescued Europe from the Inquisition, it is very clear how important science is for Islam.

For instance, the English author R.V.C. Bodley handles this matter in “The Messenger, The Life of Mohammed” as such: “Muslims did not behave like the warriors of other religions. They did not destroy the land they had conquered. Instead, they built and created masterpieces on whichever land they passed through. They gave life to these territories like rain.

Our prophet Hazret-i Muhammed (s.a.v.) says that:

“Damn the day that does not add anything new to my knowledge.”

“The death of a scientist is as great a loss as the death of a nation.”

“The transitory one who dedicates himself to science gains eternalness.”

“There is no alms more valuable than spreading science.”

“There is no brutal poverty worse than ignorance.”

“Whoever serves a scientist serves Allah.”

“From science all creatures benefit, but from ‘takva’ (obeying religious rules strictly) only one person benefits.”

“The sleep of the scientist is superior to the worship of the ignorant.”

“A scientist among the ignorant is like a man living among the dead.”

Considering that science can not satisfy human beings’ need of a higher being, Ken’an Rifai regarded the religion as an ethical principle and science as a means to develop that principle. He neither committed himself to an unchangeable doctrine like the dogmatic, nor did he act heedlessly by regarding the matter as a fact like the radicals. But since he valued creative studies that are required for the development of the civilization, he drew our attention to the hesitating and irresolute pace of science. He said “What we considered as being right yesterday is proven to be wrong today. Also, tomorrow we will realize that what we know today is wrong or incomplete. In fact, progress demands this.”

He also said, “To deal with the content of the psychical world is not possible with the understanding of the previous century. The noblest behavior of our century is to accept its incompetence in explaining the truth of the physical universe.

Ken’an Rifai next to listening to the religious scientist also listened to the atheist scientist, and thus made it possible to have a comparative view on the matter.

He was undoubtedly aware that religious events need science to express themselves. Through this understanding, he often repeated these words of Hazret-i Muhammed (s.a.v.): “Whoever wants this world, must embrace science; whoever wants the Hereafter must embrace science. Whoever wants both this world and the Hereafter must also embrace science.”

He says: “As science is necessary in order to get rid of bigotry, false convictions, primitive fantasies, religion thus ‘vicdan’ (conscience) is necessary to protect the successful scientist from making moral errors.” Where did the scientists, including Einstein, who invented the nuclear bomb, get their inner power that encouraged them when they tried to prevent the nations from using it?

“We do not have peace in our heart since we look for pleasure without felicity, felicity without science and science without wisdom. Science is not science if it has no wisdom because the goal of all sciences is to know Allah. The goal of the actions is ethical virtue. And man is guided to this goal by religion and faith.”

Science and religion can unite in the best and most secure way when religion with its broadest and purest meaning and science with its most developed understanding unite. This kind of union can not be achieved by using the mechanical rules of Law or rational rules of science, or ideological propaganda alone.

The union of mankind on an ideal cause can only be possible when that cause is sincerely acquired. When man understands the meaning, which exists behind the inner life and figures, he gets rid of the affects of his material belongings and reaches relative peace and freedom. This peace and freedom should be enriched and developed by social welfare. And this is the duty of science.

Ken’an Rifai worked on uniting people within a system of relationships enriched by the religion that is based on love and respect for Allah.

We heard these words of Hazret-i Ali (r.a.) from him several times: “The vitality of heart is due to science, come closer. But its death is due to ignorance, get away.”

When we examine the life of Ken’an Rifai we see that he was not only a supporter of science in theory, but also he practiced it in his daily life. He said to one of his pupils, “Spiritual science is not enough for those who carry the responsibility of guiding. A murshid (leader) or a teacher can not carry out a relationship with his students if he does not know anything about social life of his time. When you talk to me about music thinking that I have knowledge about the subject, if I can not say anything, at least in general, won’t this bother you?

His constructive mind, as a sword that is sharpened due to working constantly, served for the problems of all kinds till he died. With this mind, along with the incomparable faith and deep knowledge, a great world of thoughts and ethic has been established.