The Position of Islam Toward Technology and Modern Science
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question:
Some of the brothers are asking about the position of Islam regarding the emergence of technology and modern science, which did not exist in the time of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). Is this a religious innovation, given that it serves humanity in various fields, such as transportation and different industries?
Answer:
As mentioned previously in the answer of Shaykh Abdullah ibn Abdulrahman, ordinary matters, and what is attached to them in terms of industries, have no connection to religious innovations. Religious innovations are what occurs in acts of devotion, obedience, and worship; these are the domain of religious innovations.
As for what people do in matters of industry, ships, clothing, and the like, these have no connection to religious innovations and are not religious innovations in any way. Islam encourages knowledge and encourages what benefits people, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sahih Muslim 2664.
There is no doubt that extracting oil and creating beneficial industries that benefit people in their ships, their gatherings, and the like is a sought-after matter. Likewise, what benefits people in their food and in everything else is sought-after and is not a religious innovation. However, it must be weighed by the Shari'ah scale. So, if people innovate something that contradicts the Shari'ah of Allah, it is prohibited. As for something that does not contradict the Shari'ah of Allah, such as factories, ships, space ships, and agricultural machines, all of this is good and beneficial.
Likewise, what relates to clothing and what relates to farms and farm equipment, everything that benefits people is permissible, provided that it is not forbidden. So, if people innovate clothing made of silk for men, it is prohibited, because silk is prohibited for men.
Similarly, if people innovate something that contradicts the Shari'ah of Allah in their use of it, it is prohibited on the side of their use of it, not on the side of it being an innovation. The innovation in ordinary matters has no connection to religious innovations; religious innovations are in matters of religion, specifically matters of worship only.
Some of the brothers are asking about the position of Islam regarding the emergence of technology and modern science, which did not exist in the time of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). Is this a religious innovation, given that it serves humanity in various fields, such as transportation and different industries?
Answer:
As mentioned previously in the answer of Shaykh Abdullah ibn Abdulrahman, ordinary matters, and what is attached to them in terms of industries, have no connection to religious innovations. Religious innovations are what occurs in acts of devotion, obedience, and worship; these are the domain of religious innovations.
As for what people do in matters of industry, ships, clothing, and the like, these have no connection to religious innovations and are not religious innovations in any way. Islam encourages knowledge and encourages what benefits people, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
cherish that which gives you benefit (in the Hereafter) and seek help from Allah
احرص على ما ينفعك، واستعن باللهThere is no doubt that extracting oil and creating beneficial industries that benefit people in their ships, their gatherings, and the like is a sought-after matter. Likewise, what benefits people in their food and in everything else is sought-after and is not a religious innovation. However, it must be weighed by the Shari'ah scale. So, if people innovate something that contradicts the Shari'ah of Allah, it is prohibited. As for something that does not contradict the Shari'ah of Allah, such as factories, ships, space ships, and agricultural machines, all of this is good and beneficial.
Likewise, what relates to clothing and what relates to farms and farm equipment, everything that benefits people is permissible, provided that it is not forbidden. So, if people innovate clothing made of silk for men, it is prohibited, because silk is prohibited for men.
Similarly, if people innovate something that contradicts the Shari'ah of Allah in their use of it, it is prohibited on the side of their use of it, not on the side of it being an innovation. The innovation in ordinary matters has no connection to religious innovations; religious innovations are in matters of religion, specifically matters of worship only.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.