Overview
The project ‘Fostering Connections between Bioscience and Theology for Medical Track
Muslim Students’ is also known as the ‘Exploring Bioscience and Islam’ Seminar Series.
This project was launched by II&M in 2022 with the generous support of the John
Templeton Foundation (JTF). We aim to help teachers and students gain conceptual
literacy on some critical topics at the intersection of bioscience and theology through
addressing the five fundamental questions about the human being.
As Muslim students explore the biosciences, they may encounter difficult questions and wonder how their religious identity intersects with scientific discoveries: Does affirming scientific facts compromise religious beliefs? Does religion explain scientific findings? How can they navigate these domains constructively? We believe that conflicts are not inevitable, and that knowledge integration is possible and can shape stable professional identities in the future.
The project activities include:
- Seminar series for Muslim high school and university students.
- Designing of curriculum and instructional materials.
- Implementation of professional workshops for teachers and college instructors.
- Student essays and podcast
Program Design
Our team consisting of theologians, bioscientists and educators have conducted a series of seminars that were specifically designed for Muslim high school and university students using a multimodal learning approach. Subsequently, we developed teaching modules for teachers, instructors, administrators, and educators who wish to use our materials for their students and institutions.
The seven seminar topics were:
- What Do We Know and How Do We Know It? Reasoning Exercises in Islam and Science.
- How did Human Beings Come About? Evolution and God’s Special Creation.
- What does it mean to be a Human Being? Neuroscience, Artificial Intelligence and the Soul.
- Human Enhancement and Transhumanism: Are we changing and should we change our being?
- Are We Programmed or Do We Have Free Will? Discussions on Fate and Genetic Determinism
- Are Human Beings Unique in this Universe? Science and Theological Inquiry about Extraterrestrial Intelligent Life
- Curriculum Review: Knowledge Cafe’s and Harvest
Aims/Goals
Build conceptual literacy among students and teachers on critical topics at the intersection between bioscience and theology.
Enhance students’ awareness and abilities to address the relationships – including overlap and tension – between bioscience and theology.
Increase students’ intention and preparedness to pursue further inquiry in this field.
Develop relevant teaching modules for Islamic high school/college teachers and instructors.
Student Seminars
International Institute of Islamic Thought
- Date: August 29th – September 1st 2025
- Audience: Medical, Dental, Nursing and health-allied students
- Location: IIIT, 500 Grove St Herndon, VA 20170
International Islamic University Malaysia
- Date: July 17-20, 2023
- Audience: Pre-university (foundational studies) students
- Location: IIUM Gambang Campus, Pahang.
Chicago, Illinois (USA)
- Date: Jan 14-15, 2023, Feb 18-19, 2023
- Audience: High school Islamic students (Grade 11 & 12)
- Location: Chicago, Illinois
Teacher Training Workshops:
Teaching Bioscience Through an Islamic Lens, Initiative on Islam and Medicine (II&M) and Islamic Schools League of America (ISLA), May 20th, 2024.
Reimagining Bioscience for Muslim Students, Initiative on Islam and Medicine (II&M) and Islamic Schools League of America (ISLA), January 31st & February 3rd 2025.
Special Symposium on Islam & Bioscience, Initiative on Islam and Medicine (II&M) and International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), February 24th, 2025.
Publications
- Reimagining Bioscience Curriculum for Muslim High School Students,
Islamic Horizons, May/June 2025 - Tackling ‘Big’ questions at the bioscience-Islam interface: Reporting on the efficacy of an educational programme designed for Muslim high school students,
International Journal of Science Education, 2024. - Can We Live Longer and Should We? Radical Life Extension, Biomedicine, and Islamic Bioethics.
Journal of Ethics and Emerging Technologies, 34(2), 1-29, 2024
Presentations
- Addressing Fundamental Questions about the Human Being through Bioscientific and Theological Discussions: An Educational Pilot with Pre-Medical Students, 2023 MCW IHER Conference, Milwaukee, WI, 9/2023.
- Exploring Fundamental Questions about the Human Being through Bioscience and Islam: Testing a Novel Curriculum for Muslim Medical Track Students in Two Countries, 17th World Congress of Bioethics, Doha, Qatar, 6/2024.
- Addressing ‘Big’ Questions About the Human Being: Empirical and Philosophical Findings from an Islam & Bioscience Educational Intervention for Premedical Students, ASBH 26th Annual Conference, St. Louis, MO 9/2024.
- Where Bioscience, Islam, and Education Intersect: Piloting a Novel Curriculum for Pre-Medical Muslim Students, The ISLA Research Symposium, 12/8/2024 (Video recording).
- Where Bioscience, Islam, and Education Intersect: Piloting a Novel Curriculum for Pre-Medical Muslim Students, The ISLA Research Symposium, 12/8/2024 (Presentation).
- Scientific Inquiry, Evolution, and the Human Experience: Navigating Life’s Big Questions, 26th ISNA Education Forum, 19/4/2025
Podcast
Project Materials
Testimonial
Meet The Project Team