On the Conflict between Science and Hadith: A Framework for Navigating Epistemological Tensions​

This paper examines how modern and premodern Muslim scholars grappled with the complex relationship between scripture and empirical evidence, presenting as its case study hadith reports describing the extraordinary height of Prophet Ādam and early humans. Through this case study, the paper aims to contribute to two broader burgeoning discourses: the tension between science and Islamic scripture, and the concern that classical Muslim scholars were indifferent to the complexities that preoccupy modern Muslim thought.

The paper also explores a nexus of interconnected disciplines, including epistemology, science, archaeology, hadith criticism, and pre-Islamic scriptural narratives. Given the varied epistemic grading of hadith reports, this case study facilitates a reexamination of both the meaning (dālala) and the transmission (thubūt) of hadith concerning Ādam’s height. In doing so, this essay not only addresses the specific contentions at hand but also proposes a universal framework for engaging with other contemporary conflicts between established scientific facts and Prophetic reports,

Keywords: Science and religion; Hadith and science; scripture and science; paradigms for conlict resolution in science and religion; archaeology, prophetic reports and modernity. 

Journal of Islamic Sciences, Vol. 17 (Summer-Winter 2024)​

Muntasir Zaman

Muntasir Zaman is a faculty member at the Qalam Seminary in Dallas, TX, USA, where he teaches Hadith and Ḥanafī law.