Islam Ethics: An Introduction to Islamic Moral Principles

ISLAM ETHICS  Introduction  Islamic Ethics is drawn from Islamic Religion.  Islam is defined as a set of norms, values and laws that make up the Islamic way of life.  The main components of Islam are faith, ethics, and legal rulings that govern the acts of human beings.  The...

ISLAM ETHICS  Introduction  Islamic Ethics is drawn from Islamic Religion.  Islam is defined as a set of norms, values and laws that make up the Islamic way of life.  The main components of Islam are faith, ethics, and legal rulings that govern the acts of human beings.  The first two components: faith and ethics are permanent and fixed at all times and for all societies. In contrast, the last component which is legal ruling may be modified and changed consistently with time and  The Islamic Religion is one of the world’s major religions belonging to the monotheistic family of faiths (the belief in the existence of only one god that created the world, is all-powerful and intervenes in the world) alongside Judaism and Christianity.  From its beginnings in what is now Saudi Arabia over 1,400 years ago, it has grown and spread to include almost a billion adherents.  The majority of Islam’s followers, called Muslims are found in the continents of Africa and Asia including the Asian republics of the Soviet Union and North-West China.  In south Africa Islam has a minority status but it is the second largest and the fastest growing faith in the World  Good actions are described as salihat and bad actions are described as sayyi’at  In Islam, ethics can be defined as good principles and values based on the Islamic sources Quran (the Word of God) and the Sunnah (teachings and attributes of Prophet Muhammad)  Islamic worships, which can be defined as religious deeds and actions ordered by Allah (s.w.t) to get His acceptance are designed to improve and protect ethics.  S.W.T: An abbreviation which can be translated as- “Glorious is He and He is Exalted”  Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) which stands for: Peace and prayers Be Upon Him, indicated that the main purpose Allah sent him to the people is to improve their ethics. He said: “I have been sent to accomplish the best of the morality” (Al-Ghazali 2001). IMAN/ FAITH  Islamic ethics is related to faith  Iman is the religious feelings that result from following what Allah s.w.t asks Muslims to do (Al-Banna 1940).  Iman is the power that improves and protects ethics and Iman is not acceptable in the eyes of Islam without connecting it with good deeds (Al-Ghazali 2001).  It means that strong faith generates a good character and weak faith results in a collapse of  The Prophet Muhammad connects faith (iman) with ethics. He mentioned “None of you (truly) has faith until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself” (Yaken 2006).  The Prophet was told about a woman who prayed and fasted constantly, but she used to hurt her neighbours with her words. The Prophet said that the woman would go to hell in the hereafter (Al- Ghazali 2001).  The Prophet also said “Let he who truly believes in Allah and the Last Day speak good or be silent” (Al-Qaradawi 1985).  The Prophet said “The most complete believers in faith are those who are best in character”.  SOURCES OF ISLAMIC ETHICS  There are three major sources of Islamic ethics: 1.Quran  The Quran contains words of God revealed in Arabic in Rhythmical form to Prophet Muhammad.  It's recitation is used in forms of worship such as salat (the daily ritual prayer enjoined upon all Muslims)  The Quran is the holy book that guides the people on how to behave because it is from Allah s.w.t, who has created this world and who knows what is right and 2. Sunnah/ hadith:  Sunnah refers to the way of life of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).  Hadith is a collection of traditions containing sayings of the prophet Muhammad.  Muslim theologians have defined what a man must believe and do in order to live as a faithful member of the faith.  These duties are more embracing since they cover all details of human activity.  For example, the precise details governing wudu- the washing of hands, head and rinsing of the mouth and nostrils and ears (a type of ritual purification), and the use of dust or sand when water is not available are all well prescribed and obligatory;  the kind of clothes and personal ornaments people may or may not wear, the way they should salute each other and so on, are all subject of religious law and not matters of personal preference.  Together with the Sunnah, they constitute the major source of  The Quran is the main course of judgment. However, because the Quran generally speaks about general concepts, the specific details of them are spelled out by the Sunnah.  The detailed practicality of what ethics is, is embodied in the Prophet’s action and behaviour. Indeed, the Prophet Muhammad explained the purpose of his mission. He said: “I was sent only to perfect the moral excellence of human beings”  Muhammad received several of those revelations for which he became convinced that God was calling him to be his prophet and during this period  Mohammed finally made his proclamation at Mecca (a city in Saudi Arabia and the birthplace of Mohammed) as the Prophet of God after sufficient evidence that God was calling him to be Prophet. His early religious ideas as expressed in his revelations were: a. There is one God besides whom no other gods can exist. b. God is merciful c. Man is morally responsible to God for all his deeds. d. There is a day of judgment following resurrection e. The damned will suffer in hell and the blessed will enjoy the pleasures of heaven. f. Man’s religious duties are to believe in God, repent from sin, pray to God, help the poor, and do not deceive in business.  The Quran and the Sunnah are the two major authorities for Islamic morality.  Muslims all over the world regard the Quran as the ultimate closure in a series of revelations of God to mankind.  The Sunnah, as the historical projection of a divinely inspired and guided human life in the person of the Prophet Muhammad, who is also 3. The sharia law  The sharia law is also known as the Islamic holy law.  The content of the sharia is divided into 2: Duties to God and duties to fellow men. These are interpreted as centering on divine commands and prohibition.  The Sharia law has fivefold classification of action: a. Obligatory acts: prayer, fasting in the month of Ramadan (the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, and the month in which the Quran was revealed to the Islamic prophet Muhammad), Alms to the needy b. Recommended Acts: visiting the sick, kindness to animals and respect for the environment c. Permissible: actions which the Quran or Muhammed’s example and the Islamic law are either vague or silent on i.e: there is no reward for performing it nor any punishment for neglecting it, e.g., drinking tea. d. Reprehensible but not forbidden acts: silence against injustice, smoking, sleeping till after sunrise, etc. e. Forbidden e.g: Murder, bribery, dishonesty, theft, using more water than is necessary for wudu, consuming alcoholic drinks, kissing the hand of your friend, A woman’s going out without wearing hijab and her close Exposing your awrah and looking at a person’s awrah [the awrah of a man is the area between his navel and knees, and the awrah of a woman is all parts of her body except her hands and face], Prostrating yourself for anyone other than Allah. Characteristics of Islamic Ethics 1. Comprehensive  It is very clear in everything related to this world and provides guidance for Muslims in every situation  The message of Islam extends across time and covers all matters of this world and the Hereafter.  Allah s.w.t told His Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) that Quran is comprehensive covering all aspects of life. He said: “We have sent down to thee the Book explaining all  Ethics from an Islamic viewpoint are not simply religious morality reflected in the performance of some practices such as: praying, not eating pork, and not consuming alcohol. But ethics cover all aspects of life, physically, morally, spiritually, in secular form, intellectually, emotionally, individually, and collectively  Islam has a comprehensive perspective to ethics by taking a full picture of everything related to human being; it does not consider a single standard only such as the consequences of actions as argued by utilitarian theory and egoism theory.  Moreover, Islamic principles are not against scientific facts and logical theories, whether they are proposed by Muslim or non-Muslim scientists Three types of ethics in society according to Islam  There are at least three types of ethics in society: ethics that are related to individuals, family, and society.  Ethics related to individuals include things such as Muslims must take care of themselves by eating and drinking without wasting. Allah s.w.t says: “Eat and drink: But waste not by excess, for Allah loveth not the  Honesty, restraint and self-purity, trust, truth, chastity, modesty and integrity, are examples of individual ethics  There are ethics related to family. For example, a husband must treat his wife in a polite and ethical manner.  Ethics related to society in general. For example, Islam provides guidance on the etiquette of entering other people’s house. Allah s.w.t says: “Do not enter others’ houses until you have asked permission and saluted those in them: that is best for you, in order that you may heed”(Al-Quran 24:27). The virtue of cooperation, protecting the privacy of others, refraining from gossip, prohibition of robbery, prohibition of fraud, prohibition of injustice, spreading 2. Realistic  From the ethical point of view, Islam takes into account the capacity that people have because Allah s.w.t has knowledge of the weaknesses and strengths of mankind.  Islam recognizes that different people have different degrees of iman (faith). The Quran (35:32) says: “Then we have given the book of inheritance to such of our servants as we have chosen: but there are among them some who wrong their own souls; some who follow a middle course; and some who are, by Allah’s leave, foremost in good deeds; that is the highest Grace.”  Islam considers and takes into account special circumstances that allow Muslims to engage in acts that are originally prohibited under normal circumstance such as lying to mislead the Muslims’ enemy during a war time (Al-Qaradawi 1996).  Another example is that Islam also allows a Muslim to drink alcohol if he has no other viable choice such as when he is likely to die when surrounded in a desert and there is no water available (Al- Qaradawi 1985). 3. Moderation or Balance  Islam takes a moderate approach in ethics as opposed to the ultra-idealists who see a human being as an angel and the ultra-realists who perceive a human being as an animal (Al-Banna 1940).  In the eyes of Islam, human beings are created with both the need of body and spiritual soul (Al-Ghazali 2001).  Also Islam has a moderate view of this life as opposed to those who deny the existence of hereafter, and those who deny inhabiting and developing this life (Al-Qaradawi 1985).  Islam recognizes that there is life to be lived in this world as well as life in the hereafter, but goes further by saying that this life is the way to the life in the hereafter; and life in the hereafter is far more important than life in this world (Al-Ghazali 2001).  Nevertheless, Muslims believe that living his/her life by working hard is the purpose of the creation of human beings, and worship of God (Allah).  The Quran (2:201/202) says: “And there are men who say: “Our Lord! Give us good in this world and good in the hereafter, and defend us from the torment of the fire. To these will be allotted what they have earned; and 4. Good nature In the Islamic ethical system, man’s nature is not evil nor graceless, but good. Man is born with good natural disposition; evil traits are acquired and additional to the human nature.  Upon birth, man is innocent and his nature is not ungracious which requires redemption or baptism to wash his original sin; every person begins his life ethically sane and sound, not weighed down by any original sin.  In fact, at birth man is already above the zero point in that he has the revelation and his rational equipment ready for use, as well as a world all too ready to receive his ethical deed.  In this understanding, man and the world are either positively good or neutral, but not evil. In due time, this good character might become obscured by envy, hate, ego, jealousy, utilitarian and prejudice. 5. Public welfare Islam offers “an open system approach to ethics, not a self-oriented system”. As individual interest and personal satisfaction are very much related to the public well-fare and collective interest, egoism has no place in the Islamic moral system.  The entire human race is considered as one entity; therefore, the interest of each and every one of this entity matters. The Prophet (s.a.w) states that: “He has not affirmed faith in me (i.e. he is not a true follower) who eats to his satisfaction and sleeps comfortably at night while his neighbour goes hungry and he is aware of it.”  This and other narrations, make Islamic ethics to transcend ego and personal gains. Islamic ethics is not just a personal affair, but it is also a social matter; it aims to serve the needs of both the individual and the society, as it aims to take  PILLARS/ TEACHINGS OF ISLAMIC ETHICS The teaching of Islam is centered on the five pillars of Islam, namely, Profession of faith, Prayer, Charity or Almsgiving, Fasting and Pilgrimage to Mecca Profession of Faith (Shahadah)  All Muslims must profess their faith and are expected to live by it. The Shahadah simply states that: There is only one God and Muhammad is his prophet. Prayer (Salat)  Prayer is an obligation in Islamic religion and devout Muslims are expected to pray five times a day as the Prophet himself practiced.  Besides its spiritual and moral benefits it Fasting (Sawm)  Fasting teaches Muslims how to live with ethical principles and values.  Ramadan is the month during which the Quran was revealed, providing guidance for the people, clear teachings, and the statute book.  Fasting makes one more respectable in the eyes of Allah. Pilgrimage (Hajj)  Pilgrimage to the holy place in Mecca (The sacred Mosque) is one of the ritual duties incumbent on all Muslims.  The pilgrimage trains Muslims to develop  Closing remarks  According to Al-Aidaros et.al, (2013), the Western concepts and understanding of ethics are incomplete in explaining what is right and what is wrong.  In contrast, Islam has a comprehensive perspective regarding the ethical issues because the lawgiver for all systems, including the ethical system, is Allah s.w.t, who knows everything and what is best for all human beings.  Ethics in Islam, are defined as the good principles and values based on the Islamic sources. The Islamic sources are the only standards for identifying what is right and what is wrong. The Islamic ethics and Islamic sources have different characteristics that make the Islamic perspective more appropriate to explain ethics.  Ethics in Islam are consistent with the ability of human beings and they cover all aspects of life. THE END