نشریه قرآن و علم
پیاپی 17 (پاییز و زمستان 1394)

The purpose of the research was to have a look at the psychometrics from Koranic view without concerning the form of modern psychometrics. The research question was: "what concepts can be derived from Koranic verses about psychometrics and what structure can they have?"; thus in this research, the related verses were identified, studied, conceptually analyzed, summarized, and organized with the help of Koran by Koran interpretation. The findings showed that Koran has paid attention to "self-report" in two "conscious" and "unconscious" levels and to "other-report" in two "interpersonal" and "field" levels. From viewpoint of Koran, psychometrics is a "criterion-referenced" not "norm-referenced"; Koran has also mentioned their differences as well as the limits of "criterion-referenced" test.

The current paper aims to gain access to an appropriate method so as to change the Quranic general guidelines into behavioral indices. To the writer, it’s somehow a religious duty to recognize the whole process of indexation and change the Quranic propositions into practical patterns of behavior. The writer, in his paper, has touched two methods of deducing behavioral indices from the Quran. The first method is ‘conceptual analysis’ whereas the second is to ‘utilize criteria to determine indices’. The given two methods are of qualitative nature that turn the Quranic concepts into observational modes of behavior. The first method being called ‘conceptual analysis’, through a process, result information of a behavioral index. The second method is divided into two inter-textual and intra-textual criteria. Each of the aforementioned criteria contains secondary branches that would be dealt with in the paper.

Since time immemorial, the relationship between religion and science has been and still is one of the most controversial and challenging debates amongst the intellectuals. The scholars of different fields of studies, with varying approaches, have addressed the topic in one way or the other. Now, it is necessary to designate the relationship between science and religion; for it would play an extremely important role in producing religious science. Fortunately, the Grand Ayatollah Javadi Amuli, treated the topic and this paper studies his notion of religious science and its implications. According to him, the very long-lasting dispute between religion and science is a story made up of misunderstandings. Neither science and nor that of religion, he holds, negates one another’s achievements. Thus, all sciences including the empirical, natural and humanities (which are the products of abstract and empirical intellect) should be put and processed within an epistemic framework. Hence, dividing science into different religious and non-religious forms, therefore, seems to be of no value. According to his analysis of the topic, the books containing divinely instructions deal with the legislative book of Allah whereas the books relevant to physics and chemistry address the existential productions of Allah. That being the case, both religious knowledge and empirical sciences, deal with the legislative and existential [creational] books of Allah accordingly.

The philosophy of interpretation of the Quran is one of the newly developed [scientific] disciplines that has drawn the attention of the exegetes and Quranic researchers. Keeping a brief historical and geographical survey of producing exegeses among the Muslim community, it would necessitate us to establish the discipline of ‘the philosophy of interpretation of the Quran’. Thus, the writer sheds light, on definition, necessity and the relevant sources of the newly developed discipline. Finally, he would touch some of the important issues of the discipline as well.

Adnan Oktar, also nicknamed ‘Harun Yahya’, is a well-known figure in the current of ‘scientific exegesis of the Quran’ in Turkey. To him, the scientific inimitability of the Quran can be demonstrated by verses which signify either scientific miracle or scientific marvel. The paper at hand, after providing a brief biography of Adnan Oktar, examines some five cases where Adnan has claimed to be scientifically miraculous instances in the Quran. The cases he has posited are as following: the weight of clouds, the proportionality of rain, the non-mixture of seas, the particles of atom, and a microscope-like life. Given the conditions of miraculous inimitability of the Quran, the writer concludes, only the first three cases are eligible to be named as examples of ‘scientific miracle’ whereas the last two cases are better to be named as ‘scientific marvels’ of the Quran.

Paying less or no attention to the spiritual aspects of human relationship with the environment is the root cause of many pollutions and environmental disasters. The human direct and indirect destructive activities have led to the environmental major crises. However, there are scientific solutions and pragmatic programs to control or curb the human destructive activities in respect with the environment, but still, we observe environmental damages around the world. The paper at hand tries to elaborate on the relationship of human and environment. According to him, the Islamic perspective, based on the Quran, subscribes to the human’s healthy and friendly relationship with the environment whereas, from a non-religious perspective, one should dominate and exploit the environment as much as possible. Analyzing the Quranic verses, he concludes that if philosophical thoughts are put forth in a non-religious atmosphere and a part from religious guidelines, they can be the root cause of the destruction of the environment. This dilemma arose from the modern man’s worldview and his view of himself and the nature. The view that traces back to the roots of modern science and thought; where human is devoid of a spiritual perspective. Unless the spiritual relationship is not set or reformed with the nature and environment, one can never expect an essential and enduring solution to environmental issues.