Western scholars have found it difficult to define religion. The word religion probably refers to either one of these three Latin verbs: relegere (to observe conscientiously), religari (to bind oneself back), or reeligere (to choose again). Due to the questionable etymology of the word ‘religion’, for Western thinkers, there is no clear definition of religion. For some Western thinkers, there could…
The most destructive unjust deed to one’s self, family, society and state revolves around three vices: lying, breaking a promise, and betraying a trust. The modern Muslim world has long been reminded to effectively check these vices since the First World Conference on Muslim Education held at Mecca, in the April of 1977, when Dr.…
If honesty reflects internal rectitude, dishonest external conduct mirrors hypocrisy. Utterly relevant to this principle is the Prophet Muhammad’s reminder that there are three signs of a hypocrite (munafiq): when he speaks, he lies; when he promises, he breaks his promise; and when he is trusted with something, he betrays that trust. The significance of…
Tried ethical virtues are called probity, while adherence to moral principles is termed integrity. Interpreted and conceptualised according to the worldview of Islam, integrity and probity are discussed in Islamic ethics under the rubric of “sidq”. So much significant integrity and probity are in reality, that in a passage of Abu Bakr’s speech when he…
It is taught in Islamic intellectual tradition that, the names and attributes that belong to God are unlimited in their number, far more beyond the names enumerable by man. Be that as it may, there is a tradition of the Prophet Muhammad, who says that “God has ninety-nine names…whoever memorises, utters and comprehends them will…
The cornerstone of ethics is the religious exhortation to the soul to engage in relentless search for the love and pleasure of God. When Archangel Gabriel asked the Prophet what is religious perfection (ihsan), the latter answered, “that you should render your service to God as if you see Him, and if you see Him…
What exactly is the relation between pleasure and good life, between satisfaction and happiness, between contentment and felicity, between ladhdhah and sa‘adah? According to al-Ghazali, pleasure is “the attaining of the object of desire, while desire is the soul’s inclination to possess the object of its yearning (shawq).” When sensitive and rational faculties function well,…
Secularist believes that the quest for moral truths is of the pride of reason: it is the judging of all-whether good or evil, right or wrong-in terms of deduction alone. On the contrary, Muslim believes in guidance (hidayah) as the foundation stone of all good, which one must be willing to accept in humility to…
With reference to excellent ethics, there are four principal virtues from which all other virtues flow. This refers to prudence, fortitude, temperance, and justice. Each of the first three chief virtues is a mean between two vicious extremes of excess and of defect. Prudence or wisdom is a mean between deceit and stupidity; fortitude, between…
There are numerous Qur’anic verses and Prophetic traditions purporting to commend “good character”. According to interpretation of Muslim psychologists like al-Ghazzali, “good character” refers to the just management of three powers of the soul, viz. the concupiscent, irascible, and rational powers. The Qur’anic basis of al-Ghazzali’s thesis is al-Hujurat (49):15, which reads to the effect…
