Conceptualizing Islamic Ethics for Contemporary Muslim Societies

Abstract

Abstract: Contemporary Muslim societies suffer from numerous endemic
problems such as corruption, poverty, and gender inequality. In addressing
these problems, scholars tend to consider sociological models, and overlook
the potential of Islamic ethical perspectives. The Islamic sources, particularly
the Qur’an provide pertinent insights on ethics that should be foremost in the
minds of those seeking to alleviate social problems in Muslim communities.
Essential writings on ethics, particularly Tahdhib al-Akhlāq by Ibn Miskawayh,
The Moral World of the Qur’an by Draz, and The Ethico-Religious Concepts
in the Qur’an by Izutsu are major works in this field. This paper elucidates the
meaning of Islamic ethics, with an overview from the Qur’an and the views
of prominent scholars. It then analyses the current major problems in Muslimmajority
countries and their ethical roots to emphasize the significance of Islamic
ethics as a source of remedy. This is an interdisciplinary qualitative study,
which uses the thematic commentary on Qur’an and ḥemedy methodologies,
integrating the methods of sociology and ethics.