[STUDY TEXT SEMINAR]: NATURAL PHILOSOPHY, GHAZĀLI AND SCIENCE

[PLEASE NOTE - The course is BOTH in person ONSITE in London and for those who can not attend in person can purchase the LIVE ONLINE STREAMING ticket to watch it from their device and those coming in person, should you not decide to attend person on the day or half the day, you will still recieve a link to the live online streaming, irrespective but are encouraged to attend in person if you have registered for that ticket, as this helps with allows room allocation, respectively for fellow participants].

BOOKING DEADLINE ENDs FRIDAY 5th JUNE 2026 after which spaces become limited and prices increase - REGISTER ONLINE and you will receive final instructions.

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Islamic Courses present:

[STUDY TEXT SEMINAR]: NATURAL PHILOSOPHY, GHAZĀLI AND SCIENCE

With Professor Basil Altaie [Emeritus Visiting Professor at the School of Physics & Astronomy, Leeds University]

Date: Saturday 4th July 2026

Time: 9am - 6pm

Venue: Ebrahim College, 399–401 High Street, Stratford, London, E15 4QZ

Imam al-Ghazālī's natural philosophy, often explored in his critique of Aristotelian thought, centered on a theological view where God is the direct, constant cause of all events, challenging deterministic, independent causation. He argues that what appears as physical law is actually the "habit" of God (occasionalism).

Based on Professor's Basil Altaie book 'Natural Philosophy, Ghazāli and Science' which intended to initiate new tends in studying Islamic philosophy in our modern age, this seminar will address some of the common misunderstanding of the role of al-Ghazali, in respect of the decline of the Islamic civilization. The arguments used by al-Ghazali in support of his theological views are rational and encompass concepts of space, time, motion, symmetry, the size of the world, the fate of the Sun, among others. It has been found that such accusations were based on wrong translations for al-Ghazali's text. The book also assesses the position of al-Ghazali on occasionalism and causality in the light of fundamental concepts in contemporary understandings of physics and cosmology, including quantum theory. His philosophy emphasizes that rational inquiry is valuable but must be subordinated to spiritual reality and divine revelation, paving the way for a synthesis of theology and philosophical thought.

This short intensive overview course will cover the following:

1. Al-Ghazālī: the AshꜤarite; Why Tahāfut al-Falāsifa - the Incoherence of the Philosophers [A direct critique of Greek-influenced metaphysics] ; Al-Ghazālī Approach to Science; Did he condemn Mathematics?
2. Astronomical knowledge of Al-Ghazālī; Al Ghazālī’s argument about the fate of the Sun; What modern astrophysics says about the fate of the Sun.
3. Time and the Universe; Does the universe has a beginning?; Relativity of space and time; Symmetry of the Globe ; Symmetry Breaking; The before and the after: argument from Relativity Theory; A-theory and B-theory of Time.
4. Modern Cosmology; Temporal or Eternal Universe; Einstein’s biggest blunder; The Hubble discovery: the expanding universe; Where the universe is expanding into; What event where before the creation of the universe; The fate of the Universe: where the Qur’ān and Science Diverge

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About the course presenter: * Professor Basil Altaie is Emeritus Visiting Professor at the School of Physics & Astronomy, Leeds University. He obtained his PhD from Manchester University in 1978 and has worked on fundamental research problems in Quantum Field Theory and General Relativity, publishing more than two dozens of papers in peer reviewed journals like the Physical Review and the IOP journals. Over the past 40 years Altaie has taught many physics courses at Mosul University, Iraq and at Yarmouk University, Jordan and has supervised research projects at postgraduate levels. Altaie has worked on topics in Islamic Kalām that deals with problems of Natural Philosophy. He claims that Kalām can provide full view of the Islamic Philosophy of Nature. This he expressed in his book Daqīq al-Kalām: the Islamic Approach to Natural Philosophy. He has been invited by several universities and institutions worldwide to give talks about his theory. Altaie is the author of God, Nature and the Cause, 10 other titles in arabic.

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AUDIENCE: Open to ALL and any one interested in Kalam, science, metaphysics, philosophy and classical Islamic scholarship and contemporary science-religion dialogue and debates on an advanced level.

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All welcome, limited spaces, pre-registration required!

DEADLINE FOR BOOKINGS APPLY after which prices increase

For more information call/tel: 07956735301 or email: [email protected]

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* Please note, time and resources have been set aside to ensure the programme runs in a smooth and professional manner for the maximum benefit of participants and thus unless the programme has been postponed or cancelled, there are NO REFUNDS as part of the terms and condition policy.

*Lunch and refreshments can be purchased at cafe's or restaurant's near to the venue and NOT included in ticket price.

*The course is BOTH in person ONSITE in London and for those who can not attend in person can purchase the LIVE ONLINE STREAMING ticket to watch it from their device and those coming in person, should decide not to attend person on the day or half the day, you will still recieve a link to the live online streaming, irrespective but are encouraged to attend in person if you have registered for that ticket, as this helps with allows room allocation, respectively for fellow participants

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Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Ebrahim College, 401 High Street, London, United Kingdom

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