The successive scientific breakthroughs, researches and inventions of nineteenth and twentieth centuries not only captivated the minds and hearts of human beings, but have also shaken the faith of followers of religions particularly of Muslims in their religion. Consequently, sense of skepticism and disbelief towards religion has prevailed among them. This situation was not much different from the situation of Muslim’s in the second and third centuries AH which arouse when Greek, Syriac and Indian books of philosophy and knowledge were transmitted into Arabic language in the Abbasid Era. Thus, when the Greek philosophy posed serious doubts against Islam and Islamic system of beliefs, scholars and intellectuals at that time felt the need of time and faced the problems and challenges posed by the philosophy at the scientific and academic level, laying the foundation of a new Islamic dialectics. Among the architects of Islamic dialectics of this era were Imam Ghazali, Imam Razi, Allama ibn Taimiyah, Shaikh Izzudin ibn Abdus Salam and Ibn Rushd.
Contrary to the Greek philosophy, the problems and challenges posed by modern science were of different kind. In order to answer them, it was essential that one such modern Islamic dialectic should be developed that would be able to answer all the questions and doubts raised by modern science and solve all of its riddles, and pave the way for the scholastic renaissance of Muslim Ummah. The literature prepared by Furqania Academy is groundbreaking and historic one in this regard. Furqania academy is not only the first and unique institution of Indian subcontinent but it is the first of its kind in the whole Islamic world, which was founded in order to establish harmony between Islam and modern scientific researches and discoveries; to compile scientific marvels of Qur’an and hadith; and develop contemporary Islamic dialectics.
Allama Mohammed Shihabuddin Nadvi brought into light new aspects of understanding Holy Qur’an in the contemporary world. He introduced new principles in the interpretation and exegesis of the Holy Qur’an in the light of modern scientific discoveries. He opened new vistas of debate on philosophy of science and empirical sciences and gave an altogether new philosophy to the world, paving the way for the intellectual renaissance of Muslim Ummah. Academy’s publications bear testimony on this, and a world of scholars have attested it.
The Academy was established in 1970. Two organs of academy, monthly Tameer-e-Fikr and quarterly Nida-e-Furqan were issued from the Academy soon after its establishment with the objectives of preparing quality literature and articles on Qur’an and science and present them in an objective manner. In a short span of time, the Academy had put forward important research works in front of the world and gained wide acclamation from the academic circles from across the globe. It can be appraised from letters and impressions that were received at that time.
The main feat of Allama Nadvi in this regard was that he did not content with proving modern scientific discoveries in the Qur’an and hadith. Instead, he invented a new way to establish the veracity, transparency and supremacy of Islamic beliefs -unity of God, attributes of God, prophethood and doomsday – based on scientific researches, paving the way for the establishment of modern Islamic dialectics.
The fruits of half a century’s ambitious efforts and scholarly jehad of the Academy are in front of the world. The branch or knowledge which was once considered a prohibited tree has
become a shady and fruitful tree for the ummah today. Its positive effects can be felt in the religious circles, madrasas, colleges and universities of the Indian subcontinent and everywhere.
The Academy’s journey which began half a century ago continues to do so. There are dozens of new topics concerning scientific marvels of Qur’an and hadith which are being researched in the Academy. Two dozen books are passing through different stages of research and compilation. A brief introduction of these academic projects will be offered in the coming issues of Tameer-e-Firk.
It is a pleasure to notify that a number PhDs on the services of Allama Mohammed Shihabuddin Nadvi and the Furqania Academy are underway in several national and international universities. In 2013, a Saudi national Dr. Sulaiman Bin Mohammed Al Muhaimeed was conferred a PhD in Arabic language on the services of Furqania Academy from Jamia Islamia University, Madina Munawwara, Saudi Arabia. According to our knowledge, at least two PhDs are underway in Indian universities and two in Pakistani universities. We will keep our readers updated about its progress in future.