Islamic Ethics

Unit Summary

This unique unit is designed to develop students’ knowledge in the key concepts of the Islamic ethical framework. It is taught from an Islamic perspective, introducing the main sources and methodologies for understanding and exploring ethical issues in Islam. Ethics (akhlaq) has always been an intrinsic and fundamental element of Greek moral philosophy, and monistic thoughts including Islamic thought. Ethics plays a central part of both Muslim jurisprudence (fiqh) and the Islamic theology (kalam). However, modern scholarship in Islam has unfortunately not paid much attention to this vital and significant component of Islam. Therefore, this new Islamic Ethics unit looks at the centrality of ethics in the Islamic core sources, and how early and classical Muslim scholars have conceptualised it utilising the core sources as well as the existing moral philosophical theories and trends. The reference will also be made to apply segments of Islamic ethics in the contemporary issues will be critically examined.