How do we develop a good understanding of right and wrong? How do we change ourselves so that we can live by the universal, moral values of Islam? This handbook tells us how to go about changing ourselves in seven steps. Based on Imam Ghazali's teachings, this handbook is attractively laid out and easy to understand.
Musharraf Hussain is the chief executive of the Karimia Institute. In 2009 he was nationally recognized for his services to community relations in Britain. He is also a chair of the United Kingdom's national Christian-Muslim Forum.
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Islamic morality is a code of conduct revealed by God (Allah) and lived by the Prophets, and, in particular, that which was shown by the final Prophet Muhammad
, who explained his purpose as having ‘been sent to perfect morality’. Muslims regard prophetic morality as the overriding guide to individual behaviour that they must adopt in their daily lives. It is also a universal guide that all rational people can aspire to. A closer look at Islamic morality shows that it is a universal code that, without exception, other religions and traditions promote as well.
Imam Ghazali defines morality as ‘a firmly established condition of the heart, from which acts proceed easily without any need for thinking.’ So it’s a mindset, an attitude, as though one is programmed to doing good; morality is therefore not the action but the driving energy behind the action.
Moral Character is…
Knowing the good, desiring the good and doing the good is shown by good habits of mind, habits of the heart and habits of action.
Thomas Lickona, educational psychologist
The Purpose of Morality
Morality is concerned with promoting peace and harmony between people and avoiding harm to others. Basically it’s about what sort of person we should all want to be and how we should all live together.
Morality serves many purposes:
1. To be characterized by the Divine attributes and qualities. The Messenger
said, ‘You should be characterised by the attributes of God Most High.’
2. To copy the beautiful character of the Messenger of God
, since ‘his character was the teachings of the Qur’an’ and he is the most beautiful of role models.
3. Morality serves the social function of ensuring the well-being of others, in particular the weak and vulnerable members of society.
4. For personal development, morality counters egoism (self-centeredness) and develops a spirit of self-sacrifice.
Without guidance and moral teachings, people will not change. They will be caught up in the mesh of their selfish desires, and become self-centred. Islam offers Divine reward and promises Paradise. Moral development helps a person to have self-mastery enabling her or him to serve and contribute to the well-being of others. When a person is able to subordinate an impulse to a moral virtue, when he can control certain feelings, circumstances and conditions, then that is moral living. The moral person lives by moral virtues that have been internalised.
The Golden Rule in Islam
You cannot be a believer until you love for your brother what you love for yourself.
Prophet Muhammad
5. Morals are a means to salvation in the next life. Here I would like to highlight some of the objectives that lie behind the acquisition of moral virtues. These life skills help in achieving a goal or a combination of several goals such as:
a. Self-awareness
b. Reconciliation and achieving peace
c. Communication skills
d. Team building
e. Diagnostic skills or understanding the needs or ideals of others
f. Organisational skills
g. Discipline in carrying out specific objectives
6. Imam Fakhruddin Razi (d. 604 AH), commenting on the verse, On that day We shall call every community with their imam (Bani Isra’il 17: 71), says, ‘There is another possible meaning of “imam” and that is as follows: there are many moral virtues and vices. Everyone possesses one or the other. There are people who are overwhelmed by anger (i.e. they are angry); others [who are] full of hatred or jealousy. On the other hand, there are those who are forgiving, brave or generous. So these virtues or vices are like an imam for him on the Day of Judgement; reward or punishment will be as a result of these moral virtues or vices.’ Morality is the key to joy and happiness. Ask yourself these three questions with respect to each moral virtue and reflect on the answers. For example, take the case of generosity:
1. What is it like to experience generosity?
2. When was the last time I was generous?
3. How does it feel to be generous?
Some words that express inner joy and happiness after practising these virtues
Exhilarated
Overjoyed
Lively
Vigorous
Animated
Elated
Energetic
Euphoric
Ecstatic
Alert
Joyful
Empowered
Loved
Dazzled
Enthused
Excited
Intoxicated
Passionate
What makes morality different?
How does morality differ from etiquette, from law, social obligations and spirituality?
Etiquette (adab) is manners and conventional rules of behaviour like eating with the right hand, the dress code and greeting each other in peace (taslim).
Law (fiqh) deals with rules: the do’s (the obligatory, recommended and permitted) and the don’ts (offensive and forbidden). These laws cover all aspects of a Muslim’s life, including worship, marriage and divorce, and business. A breach of the law carries penalties either in this worldly life or in the Hereafter – but that is not the case with morality. Although a breach of the moral code does not incur any legal penalty, it carries with it the significance of troubling the conscience and of incurring the greatest penalty of all – the Divine Wrath.
Social obligations like the rights of parents, relatives, children, neighbours, teachers, friends and animals (known as huquq) are also different from morality. The desire to meet the needs of others by supporting them, respecting them and fulfilling their rights is based on the deeply-held belief that all human beings have common parentage in Adam and Eve. This belief leads to the feelings of brotherhood and sisterhood whereby all humans are one family – ‘the family of God’. All are equal and should have their human rights protected. Islam expects us to make the service of others part of the purpose of our lives.
The educationist Rosalind Hursthouse elaborates this human relationship as being ‘willing to subjugate their egoistical desires in order to secure the advantages of co-operation. Like other social animals, our natural impulses are not solely directed towards our own pleasure and preservations but include altruistic and cooperative ones.’
Spirituality is defined as the awareness of the Lord of the universe, having faith in His Benevolence, trust in His infinite Power, and accepting the responsibility of being His representative on Earth as well as being His trusted servant. One Islamic term used to describe spirituality is taqwa, which means God-consciousness, piety, fear of God, and awareness of and attentiveness towards God. Another term for spirituality is ikhlas, which means having sincerity and genuineness towards God in one’s intention and actions, and loving God as He is the One who truly deserves our love. The Islamic forms of worship like the five daily prayers (salat), remembrance (dhikr) and glorification (tasbih) of God, singing devotional poetry (qasa’id or anashid), invoking His beautiful Names (al-asma’ al-husna) and fasting (siyam) are all effective spiritual exercises. The result of all these is drawing closer to God, feeling happy in His presence, recognising the Lord and living in His presence.
The Prophet
said,
The best amongst you is the one who benefits others the most.
(Tirmidhi)
Spirituality is humankind’s relationship with its Lord, whilst morality is people’s relationship with each other as well as with all other living creatures. However we should understand that spirituality provides the motivational energy for living the moral life.
Religion and Morality
Islam is a whole way of life, constantly guiding and leading its followers towards Paradise and ultimate salvation. Morality is one of its important subjects. The Prophet
said ‘religion is morality.’ But this does not mean religion is only morality, rather its pre-eminence in Islam is being emphasised here. Morality is not a particular act but the desire to act righteously – it is a mindset.
Moral acts are a sign of the inner will.
Imam Ghazali
Ali Izetbegovic, the Bosnian writer and politician, explained the link between religion and morality, when he said, ‘as a phenomenon of human life, morals cannot be rationally explained, and as such, in them lie the first and perhaps the only practical argument for religion.’ This does not mean morality is irrational. To live a moral life is essentially to live a pure, good and happy life. The arguments for such a life are self-evident. We can understand the self-evident nature of a moral life by c...
