Learning From a Fly's Wing: Building a Dialogical Paradigm of Science and Islam in Science Education

Abstract

The hadith narrative regarding flies—stating that one wing carries disease while the other carries an antidote—presents a contradiction that necessitates scientific study to support the integration of Islam and science in education. This experimental study employed a completely randomized design with four treatments and seven replicates to assess the inhibitory effect of housefly (Musca domestica) body parts on Salmonella typhi growth in vitro. The results demonstrated that fly wings provided significantly higher growth inhibition ($p < 0.05$) than other body parts and the control. However, no significant difference was found between the right and left wings ($p > 0.05$). These findings establish an epistemological framework for science education through a "two-language dialogical paradigm." This model bridges religious narrative with empirical facts, promoting synergy between Islamic teachings and scientific discovery, while advancing natural-based antimicrobial research and strengthening the integration of Islamic values in science learning.