move in their prescribed orbits and clouds must seek atmospheric
regions of lighter density. The dominion of law extends even to
seemingly fortuitous and catastrophic events such as thunderbolts
and earthquakes. In several verses of the Qur'an, our attention is
drawn to the rule of law and to the order exhibited by nature. We are
exhorted to ponder on the regularity of natural phenomena. This
regularity is the reflection of the Divine Will which is free from any
trace of internal conflict or dissonance:
And unto Allah maketh prostration (submits to His laws) whatsoever is
in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth of living creatures ( 16 : 49 ).
In the words of the Qur'an, therefore, there is no object in the
heavens and earth which is not subject to His Will and to the Law
which He has decreed for it.
Man, by making use of his reason, can discover the natural laws,
and, equipped with this knowledge, can control the natural forces
and exploit them for his purpose. A lawful and orderly world is the
appropriate stage for a rational being like man to play his part and
achieve his objects. Man can live purposefully, and can fulfil his self
only in a world which he can understand and control. The following
verse tells us that the world is a suitable place for a free rational
being:
And He has constrained the night and the day and the sun and the
moon to be of service unto you, and the stars are made subservient to
His command (16:12).
The conquest of nature is, therefore, not a pipe dream but an
attainable objective for man. He can understand the world because
the order exhibited by it is intelligible and he can bring it under
control for the same reason. The great strides made by science
during the twentieth century testify to the fact that the world is
amenable to human reason. As he ceaselessly explores the world
and probes its nature, he brings to light hitherto hidden aspects of
the laws that govern its working. No part of nature has been found
to be impervious to reason. Recent advances in science have
considerably increased and expanded man's control over nature.
The entry into outer space, probes into the stratosphere and the
discovery of atomic fission are magnificent achievements of which
man can be justly proud. The point to note in this connection is that
the minutest particles as well as heavenly bodies of stupendous
Islam: A Challenge to Religion 143