Islamic Ethics 1

ISLAMIC ETHICS
Definition:
 Ethics in Islam is known as akhlaq (plural of
khuluq) which means character, nature,
disposition. In daily use, the word akhlaq is
interchangeably used with morals and
ethics to describe good or bad actions.
 Al-Ghazzali states that man consists of two
aspects, khalq and khulq. Khalq refers to
the physical form of man, while khulq
(which is the singular form of akhlaq) refers
to the spiritual aspect of man. Thus, akhlaq
from al-Ghazzali’s point of view is rooted in
the soul and manifested through man’s
actions. A good soul will produce right
action and vice versa.
The term khuluq in the Qur’an:
• “This is no other than a customary device
of the ancients.” al-Shu‘ara’ 26:137.
• “And thou (standest) on an exalted

standard of character.” al-Qalam 68:4.
The term Khuluq/Akhlaq in Hadith:
1. Laysa shay’un fi al-mizan athqala min husni al-khuluq
(Nothing is heavier on the scale than good character)
2. Min aktharu ma yudkhilu al-nasa al-jannata taqwa Allah wa
husni al-khuluq (Among the greatest number of people who
enter paradise are of the pious and the virtuous)
3. Inna al-‘abda layudriku bihusni khulqihi darajata al-sa’im
al-qa’im (Verily the virtuous deserve the rank of the one
who fast continuously).
4. Innama bu‘ithtu liutammima makarim al-akhlaq (I have
been sent only for the purpose of perfecting good
morals/noble characteristics).
Definitions of Islamic Ethics
by Muslim Scholars
a) Al-Ghazzali (d. 1111)
 Islamic ethics is a science of virtues
 It is a way to acquire the well-being
of the soul and to guard it against
vices.
 Islamic ethics as a branch of
philosophy consists in defining the
characteristics and moral
constitutions of the soul and the
method of moderating and
b) Al-Farabi (d. 950)
 Islamic ethics is a science that studies the
state of the human soul.
 It studies about the virtues and vices.
c) Ibn Taymiyyah (d. 1263)

 Islamic ethics is a science that seeks to
know which actions should be done and
which actions should be avoided.
 It is a practical science.
 It seeks knowledge for the purpose of
practicing it.
Virtues
 The quality or practice of moral excellence or
righteousness.
 Any of the cardinal virtues for example,
prudence, justice, fortitude and temperance.
• Akhlaq/character refers to the stable state of man’s
soul from which actions proceed easily without
thought or deliberation.
• Akhlaq can be divided into types:
• 1. good (husn)
• 2. bad (su’)
• Husnu al-khuluq refers to good character or virtuous
deed or noble behavior.
• If the state of the soul is of the kind which causes
good actions i.e. those praised by the Shari‘ah (Divine
Law) and ‘aql (intellect/intelligence), the state is
called good character. If the state of the soul is of the
kind which causes evil or bad actions it is called bad
character.
Akhlaq involves the following elements:
• The inner (batin) and outer (zahir) dimensions

of man.
• The innate, inborn (fitri) traits or
characteristics.
• It is developed through training or discipline
(riyadah) which becomes a custom or habit.
Islamic Ethics on the whole deals with the study
of:
 Man’s soul or man’s inward dimension.
 Man’s outward dimension, his character
actions and responsibilities.
 Promoting virtues.
 Protecting from vices.
 Purification of man’s soul.
 Happiness and misery.
• Islamic Ethics deal with the relationship
between
• man and God
• man and his innermost self
• man and his ‘neighbor’/fellow men
• man and other creatures
• man and the environment
Questions dealt in Islamic Ethics i.e., Scope of Islamic Ethics:
¨ How do the Qur’an and the Prophetic tradition

(Hadith) expound ethics?
¨ What is the best model of values and norms?
¨ What is right and what is wrong?
¨ What is rewarded and punishable by Allah?
¨ Is man responsible for his own actions?
¨ Is ethics related to faith?
¨ What are the issues related to ethics?
THE IMPORTANCE OF ISLAMIC
ETHICS:
 Islam emphasizes on the importance of ethics and its
significance to the spiritual and moral development of the
individual and society.
 Refer to Q Ali ‘Imran, 3:104
 “Let there arise out of you a group of people inviting to
all that is good (al-khayr), enjoining what is right and
forbidding what is wrong. They are the ones who attain
felicity/success. ”
 Three important points mentioned in this verse:
i) Calling others to all that is good.
ii) Enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong (amr
bi al-ma‘ruf wa nahy ‘an al-munkar).
iii) The above actions as ethical requisite of success.
 “You are the best community that has been raised up
for mankind, you enjoin what is right and forbid what
is wrong and you believe in Allah.” Q Ali ‘Imran,
3:110
 The Prophet’s Sayings (Hadith) which underscores
the importance of ethics:
--“Nothing is heavier on the scale than having good
character.”
--“I was sent to uphold/sanctify the noble
characteristics.”
--“Among the greatest number of people who enter
paradise are of the pious and the virtuous.”
 To understand the ultimate consequences of human
actions.
 To understand the reality of being human.
 To understand the ultimate meaning of human life.
 Reason: human beings are created for immortality
and the eternal world.
 To realize man’s responsibility to Allah for his actions
as servant (‘abd) and vicegerent (khalifah).
 Ethics is the basic pillar for a healthy and firm nation.
 Ethics must be a counter-part of other sciences such
as law, politics, economics, medicine and others for
such sciences become ‘soulless’ or insignificant if
detached from ethics.
 To revive the study of ethics which has been
neglected by contemporary Islamic movements.
 To stop the tendency among Muslim intellectuals that
morality is a private matter. That it is subjective and
not objective and should be left to the preachers and
Imams.
THE TASKS OF ISLAMIC
ETHICS
1. To understand and expound the ethos of Islam as
conceived in the Qur’an and as elaborated in the
Hadith of the Prophet.
2. To discuss the general terms used in Islamic morals,
such as good, bad, right, wrong, meritorious, non-
meritorious, responsibility and obligation.
3. To discuss how Islamic ethics is related to and
influenced by Islamic faith.
4. To pronounce judgments on problems faced by
Islamic society and to determine what constitutes
right and wrong actions.

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ISLAMIC ETHICS

• “And thou (standest) on an exalted

c) Ibn Taymiyyah (d. 1263)

• The inner (batin) and outer (zahir) dimensions

¨ How do the Qur’an and the Prophetic tradition

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