Islam and Science: The Intellectual Career of Nizam al-Din al-Nisaburi

In examining the work of eminent fourteenth century Iranian Shiite scholar Nizam al-Din al-Nisaburi, this book is the first rigorous attempt to explain the cross-fertilization of scientific and religious thought in Islamic civilization.

Nisaburi did not consider himself a scientist alone, being commissioned by his patrons to work in a variety of fields. Islam and Science examines in detail the relationship between the metaphysics of Nisaburi’s science, and statements he made in his Qur’an commentary and in other non-scientific writings.

Sources suggest that Nisaburi was inspired to begin his scientific career by the inclusion of basic science in a religious (madrasa) education. By mid-career, he had found methodological similarities between theoretical astronomy and Islamic jurisprudence. Morrison concludes that while Nisaburi believed science could give one a taste of God’s knowledge, he realised that the study of science and natural philosophy alone could not lead him to a spiritual union with God. Only Sufi practice and Sufi theory could accomplish that.

Morrison’s work is remarkable in synthesizing the history of Islamic science with other areas of Islamic studies. It will be of interest to students and scholars of religion and the history of science, as well as readers with a more general interest in Middle Eastern studies.

About the Author

Robert Morrison is Assistant Professor of Religion at Whitman College, USA.

Table of the Contents

Introduction,

Chapter One (Reconstructing Nisaburi’s Early Education)

Chapter Two (Nisaburi’s Early Scientific Thought),

Chapter Three (Nisaburi’s Early Religious Thought),

Chapter Four (Astrology Motivating Inductions About God’s Power),

Chapter Five (Nisaburi’s Later Scientific Thought),

Chapter Six (The Impact of Science on Nisaburi’s Religious Thought),

Chapter Seven (The Limits of Science’s Influence on Nisaburi’s Religious Thought),

Conclusion,

Appendix A (Dating Nisaburi’s Texts),

Appendix B (Nisaburi’s Observational Astronomy),

Appendix C (Nisaburi’s Theoretical Astronomy),

Bibliographic Information

Title: Islam and Science: The Intellectual Career of Nizam al-Din al-Nisaburi

Author(s): Robert Morrison

Publisher: Routledge

 Language: English

Length: 312 pages

ISBN:978-0415663991

Pub. Date: August 25, 2011

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