YOGYAKARTA – Religion and modern knowledge is expected to be made integral in order to respond to problems among people. This is because the development of modern science is further away from ethics, humanity, emancipation and transcendentalism. Therefore, prophetic science development through integralisation of human knowledge and revelations are urgent to be applied.
Such was stated in the expert discussion in the Prophetic Science Workshop at UGM Graduate School on Tuesday (24/5). Attending as speakers are former Chairman of Lembaga Ilmu Pengetahuan Indonesia (LIPI), Prof. Dr. Umar Anggoro Jenie, and lecturer of Philosophy UGM, Dr. Arqom Kuswanjono.
Jenie said that contextual religious teaching is required to anticipate knowledge that is bringing religious values further away from humans. It requires a model for knowledge ethics teaching through prophetic science. “Now all over the world there is the movement to integralise science and religion,” he said.
In modern religious science, Jenie said there are 4 stages to obtain science, which are observation of natural phenomenons, measurement to get data, critical analysis, and rational conclusion. Jenie added that the Qoran provides many indications of natural phenomenon.
In his opinion, in this modern era, scientific explanation about natural phenomenon is in line with the Qoran. “It’s necessary for Qoran scientists to adopt science in interpreting the Holy Book. Clearly, there is no contradiction between the Quranic verses on nature and scientific texts on nature,” he explained.
Arqom Kuswanjono share similar views. In his opinion, there should be change of paradigm on modern science pisitivism. This is also because social sciences came to a stop presently. They function only on explaining phenomenons. This should not be the case. They shoyld be able to give transformational guidance based on prophetic aspirations, which is humanity or emancipation, liberalisation and transcendentalism.
Arqom quoted the opinion of Kuntowijoyo who divided Islam development into three, Islam as myth, iedeology and science. The myth-type religiousity has developed among literary group who saw the Qoran textually. “The Qoran is taken for granted and need no reinterpretation, contextual approach are longer required because the Holy Book has surpassed the age,” he said.
Next, Islam as ideology is seen in the Islamic organisations that have the vision and mission to establish an Islamic state. The believers of this view consider that political power will make it easier to fight for Islam in other areas.
“They saw that Islamic life is not perfect now without an Islamic state. Hizbut Tahrir and NII belong to this category,” he said.
The development of Islam as science is still a struggle that has not found its format and shape while Islam has the duty to make social changes in line with its prophetic aspirations in establishing a just and egalitarian society based on faith.