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Professional Ethics and Morality:

Islamic Ethical Paradigm
Prof. Dr. Anis Ahmad*

* Prof. Anis is meritorious professor and Vice Chancellor, Riphah International University, Islamabad.
He is also Editor of Quarterly Journal West & Islam, Islamabad. He can be contacted at
anis.ahmad@riphah.edu.pk and anis@anisahmad.com

1. The essence of the Quran lies in its holistic

ethics in practice

And you are certainly on the most exalted standard of

moral excellence.
(al-Qalam 68:4)
The mission of the Prophet (sallalahu alayhay
wasaallum) was to present through his behavior an
immitable ethical model.

1.A.

Surely Allah conferred a great favor on the believers

when He raised from among them a Messenger to recite
to them His signs (ayat) and to purify (yuzakkihim)
them and to teach them the Book and wisdom (hikmah).
For before that they were in manifest error.
(al-i-Imran 3:164)

2.

Surely you have in the Messenger of Allah a good

example.
(al-Ahzab 33:21)
The ethical model of the Prophet sallalahu alayhay
wasallam is historic, comprehensive, contemporary,
practical and simple.

3. Islamic Universal Ethical Values

Unity in Life
and Cosmos (tawhid)
Equity, Justice, Fairness (adl)
Protection and Promotion of Life (nafs)
Protection of Reason (aql)
Preservation of Religio-Cultural Freedom (din)
Protection and Dignity of Gene and Genealogy (nasl)
Protection of Property (mal)

4. Unity in universe

Had there been any gods in the heavens and the earth
apart from Allah, the order of both the heaven and the
earth would have gone to ruins (al-Anbia 21:22)

Were the Truth (al-Haqq) to follow their desires, the

order of the heavens and the earth and those who
dwell in them would have been ruined
(al-Muminun 23:71)

5. Unity in life

Say: Do you serve, instead of Allah, that which has no

power either to harm or benefit you whereas Allah alone
is All Hearing, All Knowing
al-Maidah 5:76

Do not call upon any apart from Allah, upon those who
have no power to benefit or hurt you
Yunus 10:106

6. Unity in Political authority

All sovereignty (hukm) belongs to Allah, He has

commanded that you serve non but Him, This is the
Right Way of Life (dhalika al-din al-qayyim)
Yousuf 12:40

7. Unity in Law

These are the bounds (hudud) set by Allah..

an-Nisa 4:13

..These are the bounds set by Allah; and a grievous

chastisement awaits the unbelievers
al-Mujadalah 58:4

9. Tawhid in Financial matters

Believers! Have fear of Allah and give up all

outstanding interests (riba) if you truly believe.
(al-Baqarah 2:278)

But if you fail to do so then be prepared to face war

(against you) from Allah and His Messenger.
(al-Baqarh 2:279)

10. Realization of (Adl) equity, balance,

moderation and fairness

Allah commands you to deliver trusts to those worthy

of them; and when you judge between people, judge
with justice
(an-Nisa 4:58)

Surely Allah enjoins justice, kindness, and doing of

good to kith and kin and forbids all that is shameful,
evil and oppressive
(al-Nahl 16:90)

11.
Adl is one of the core teachings of Islam. It is also
a major attribute of the Creator and Sustainer, Allah
subhanahu wa taala. It is a desirable behavioral
quality to be reflected in the attitude of all believers
and in their behavior toward their Rabb, toward
universe, toward their own self, and others.

12. Adl as a comprehensive Quranic term

refers to:

Balance and Harmony

Impartiality
Equity and justice
No-discrimination
Fair and just social conduct
Ethical and moral responsibility
It is essentially an Applied Ethical Principle

13. Social dimensions of Adl:

Islam visualizes the individual self in the context of
family. Living family life is considered an ethical
obligation and a social responsibility; Your nafs has a
right on you (hadith). Similarly, nikah is declared a
Sunnah and a requirement for completion of Iman.
Celibacy and monk hood are condemned and state and
society are asked to let people live a family life.

and marry off every single person among you

(an-Nur 24:32)

14. Economic dimension of Adl:

Right

to economic activity (fadl)

Right to save and invest (tijarah, Bay)
Right to transfer, distribute (hibah, infaq,sadaqah)
Right to inherit (warathah)
Right to share (shirakah, mudaraba)
Right to just economic reward (ujra)
Dignity to labour

15. Political Dimension

Holding of independent views and opinion (raiy)

Assuming public responsibility (khilafa, imarah,
niyabah, immamah)
Participating in decision-making (shura)
Formation of group (jamaah)
To fight for truth, justice, virtue, public good and to
take steps for elimination of injustice, falsehood,
corruption and obscenity (amr bi al aruf wa nahi
an il munkar)

16. Religious Dimension

Liberty

to interpret the Quran and the Sunnah

within the Muslim Ummah.

Right

to practice ones faith and culture as a nonMuslim

Principal

Ummah

of Ijtihad as a requirement for the

17. Value of protection, preservation, and

promotion of life

Do not kill any person Allah has forbidden to kill,

except with right
Bani-Israil 17:33

Do not kill your children for fear of want. We will

provide for them and for you, surely killing them is a
great sin
Bani-Israil 17:31

18. Value of reason

Knowledge
Responsible behavior (prophetic of liqoen)
Healthy entertainment

19. Value of Religious and Cultural freedom

Co-existence and plurality

20. Value of property:

Right to work
Right to own
Right to invest
Right to gift and transfer
Right to inherit

21. Islamic Ethical Paradigm - II

Sincerity or ikhlas
Honesty or amanah
Observance of justice or adl
Ethical and moral conduct or taqwa
Humanity and humbleness or insaniyat
Respect of faith and culture of others or din
Development of excellence or ehsan, virtue or birr and
self-purification (tazkiyah)

22. Ethical Behavior: Rights of Allah and

His servants

(al-Baqarah 2:177)

22.A.
Righteousness (birr) does not consist in turning you
faces towards the east or the west; true birr consists in
Iman in Allah and the Last Day, the angels, the Book (alkitab) and the Prophets, and in giving away ones property
in love of Him to ones kinsmen, the orphans, the poor
and the wayfarer, and to those who ask for help and in
freeing the necks of slaves, and in establishment of salah
and dispersing of zakah.
(True righteousness is attained by those) who are faithful
to their promise once they have made it and by those who
remain steadfast (sabirin) in adversity and affliction and
at the time of battle (between truth and falsehood). Such
are the truthful ones (sadaqu); such are the Allah
conscious (muttaqin).
(al-Baqarah 2:177)

23. Personal Conduct: Right Intention

Action (deeds) are judged on intentions; a person
will get what he intends for. Those whoso migrate for
Allah and His messenger, his migration shall be
counted fro Allah and His messenger; and whoso
migrates for material gains or for marrying a woman,
his migration will be for that purpose
Reported by Umar bi al-Khattab, mutafiq Alayh
Allah does not look at your faces and wealth, but He
notices your hearts (qulub) and action (Amal)
Reported by Abu Huraira in Sahih of Muslim

23.A.
The messenger of Allah (sallahu alayhy wassalam) said
Whoso loved (someone) for Allah; and disliked for
Allah; and gave for Allah and withheld for Allah he
perfected his Iman
Reported by Abu Umamah in Sahih of Bukhari
Amr bin Abasah reports I said O Messenger of
Allah what is Iman He said al sabr steadfastness,
forbearance
and
samahah
open
heartedness
(generosity).
Sahih of Muslim

23.B.
Anas says Very seldom the Messenger of Allah
(p.b.u.h) addressed us and did not say He who destroys
trust (amanah) has no Iman and he who does not keep
his promise (Ahd) has no din
Mishkat

23.C. Purity of Heart

Anas said The Messengers of Allah (p.b.u.h) said O
my son, if you could lead your life in such a way that
the there is nothing in your heart against anyone, then
do it
Then he said O my son, this is what I do and he who
loved my sunnah in fact loved me, and he who loved
me will remain with me in paradise
Sahih of Muslim

23.D.
Abdur Rahman ibn Abi Qarad says that the Prophet
(pbuh) one day made ablution. So his companions
started wiping their face with the water with with the
prophet made ablution. The Prophet asked them
What makes you do this? They said: the love of
Allah and His Messenger. The Prophet (pbuh) said
Those who are pleased with the love of Allah and His
Messenger when talk should say the truth, when they
are entrusted a trust, they hand it over to its rightful
owner, and should treat well their neighbor
Mishkat

23.E. Ethical Professional Conduct: Halal & Haram

The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said No one even ate
a better food than the one who earned it with his own
hand, and the apostle of Allah. Dawud used to eat
from what he earned with his own hand
Reported by Maqdad bin Madikarb in Sahih of
Bukhari

22.F.
The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said Allah is good (tayyib)
and accepts only good things. And Allah expects the believers
the same things as He expects from His messengers. Then He
says O my Messengers eat of good (tayyabat) thing and do
good (amal al salih) and He says O you who believe, eat of
the good things that we have given you
The messenger of Allah mentioned about a person who after
a long journey arrives at a sacred place, covered with dust
and entangled hair, stretches out his hands toward sky saying
O my Rabb, while his food is haram, his drink is haram, his
dress is haram and he has been brought up on an unlawful
earning, how and why would the prayer of such a person be
accepted
Bukhari

Wama tawfiqi illa billah

wa
Shukran
Thank You
March 15, 2013