Islam, Technology and Civilization: Searching for Compatibilities

Article by: Ahmad Jais Alias, Mahamod Ismail and Abdul Halim Ismail

Reviewed by: Nadhira Najwa BT Mohd Rozli

Based on the article above, the writers focused on the importance of understanding a multi-
cultural society, their belief systems and basic needs with special reference to Muslim
communities in developing countries relating to engineer’s perspective. The writers relate
about experience gained by engineers to develop and implement an Islam and Engineering
course at University Duisburg Essen (UDE) in Germany, and a similar course, Technology
and Civilization at the Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. The course
covers about fundamental worldview of Islam, its teaching and practices, its contribution to
science and technology, its views on professionalism and discussion on engineering
profession and ethics at UDE. While, at UKM the same courses that emphasis same objective
is offered. The research and findings by introducing these courses for engineering students
and technologist will be able to appreciate the integrate compatible between Islam,
Technology and Civilization.

In the article, writers raise up about a few good amounts of searching compatibilities based
on Islam, Technology and Civilization. The writers point out about Migration and cross-
boundary movement of a large group of people who had the same worldview based on
Muslims perspectives and westerners who migrate at other countries either to western
countries nor to Muslim countries. They also stated that western and eastern communities
start to discuss and find initiative to overcome the huge civilization gap between these two
communities.

The writers focused on both side of the communities and they talk about technologies,
civilization and worldviews to overcome the civilization gap. The writers talk about
technology that been made by westerners and the westerners need to understand Islam to
broaden their markets, technology, transfer and partnership with other community. While, for
the Muslim they need assistance and support from the westerners to develop their countries.
Same goes to civilization. The writers did not focus on one side. They focused on both side of
civilization. Worldviews in writer’s context are formed by minds as matters of habit. It is
dominant in daily lives, through culture, technology, scientific religious and ideas.
Then, they state about communities in the world that live in a multicultural and industrial
society. The writers state that living in multicultural countries has its benefits to Westerners
and Muslim peoples. People able to learn about different cultures, religion, lifestyles,
traditions and cuisine. Based on Islamic concept. It is not founded based on their race,
nationality, locality, occupation, or special interest. The foundations are based on submission
to the will of Allah, and obedience of Allah’s law and commitment to his cause. In western
community they view industrial culture and economy as a process. The relationship between
industrial-capitalist, mutual respect and workers right. However, in Islamic perspective we
view as “Al-Mudharabah”. The concept of profit sharing and mutual benefit to all parties.

Then, they talked about conducting a workshop and joint curriculum development after they
search compatibility based on Islam, Technology and Civilization for the engineering
students. During, the first and second workshop they discuss about Islam and engineering
field to the engineering students. Finally, they state that joining Islam and engineering field is
to expose non-Muslims or westerners to understand more about Islam.

I agreed with the writers about searching compatibilities between Muslim and non-Muslim
people in engineering fields in terms of Islam, Technology and civilizations. We can relate
that by conducting a course for engineering students from diverse countries, religions,
ethnicity and nationalities will help us to broaden their view about Islam and also their own
view about their religion. They will be able to find compatibility even though we are from
different religion but still there are something that compatible to each other’s. It will also help
both Muslim and non-Muslim engineers to adapt the ways of life when they need to work
with others community.

University should offer joint courses like this. So, that people will get clearer view about
Islamic and Western perspective. We also can reduce about our judgement and hate towards
other religion. They can learn about others religion. In which, it will help both sides to build
respect about other religion views and about their way of life. As, I enroll degree program at
IIUM I feel grateful because even though I pursue my studies for Tesl but I gain a lot of
knowledge from Islamic and western perspective and technology that unite us. It is because
all the courses offered are searching for compatibility between Islamic perspective, western
perspective and relate it through technology and civilization. All these are related to each
other’s. So, why not all the universities at Malaysia make a lot of course like what the writers
did.

By doing the course like “Islam and Engineering” It will help both students from west and
east to get clearer views from both sides. Apart from that, when they worked at others
community, they can relate it with what they already learnt. They can easily adapt their new
environment and respect other religions. It will help both Muslim and Non-Muslims to build
peaceful human civilization that will give benefits for the humankind. Offering join courses
like what the writers state is showing a contribution for a better world in the future.
Promoting both side western and eastern community will give great understanding for both
sides and showed cross-cultural cooperation, tolerance and harmony between other religion.
It also creates a peaceful world for the human.