Morality (1/2)

Early Islamic ethical trends modified the old Arabian ideal of muru’a (manliness) into a new ideal of virtuous happiness in this world and the Hereafter. Morality refers to the degree of conformity to the moral principles acquired by a society.

Good manners and morality provide are building  bricks  of a noble character.

Sins that are committed under the impulse of man’s lust consist with Islamic morality and human nature, especially the element of shame (haya), which prevents people from doing wrong. Through a process of Islamic education, this shame can be nurtured in such a way that it acts as a deterrent.

Early Arab virtues

A good starting point for understanding the  morality  of  the  Qur’an  is  to  learn about  the morality  of  pre-Islamic  Arabia.  Many of the moral qualities of the pagan Arabs were   transformed with their conversion to Islam, with the period before the Qur’anic revelation known in Arabia as the age of ignorance   (jahiliyya).

However,  Goldziher   argues  that  the term  should  be  translated  as  barbarism,  because Muhammad (Peace be upon him) intended to contrast Islam with barbarism rather than  ignorance.  The   word   ignorance also connotes the   reckless temper of the pagan Arabs, which is the antithesis of Islamic hilm (forbearance, self-mastery). The pagan Arabs were torn between ignorance   and   forbearance:   they   lost their temper easily and were prone to violence, yet they admired the quality of forbearance and self-control (Goldziher, 1967: 202ff.)[1]

Concerning impetuousness, the Qur’an states:

“When the unbelievers instilled in their hearts  fierceness, the fierceness of paganism,  Allah  then   sent  down His  serenity upon  His apostle and  upon  the  believers, and  imposed on  them  the  word  of piety, they  being  more  deserving and  worthier. Allah has knowledge of everything.”  (Surah Al-Fath, 48.26)

The expression erceness of paganism (hamiyyat al-jahiliyya) in the Qur’an refers to the haughty spirit of the tribal Arab, which inspired many blood feuds in pre-Islamic Arabia.  The Qur’anic verse above contrasts this to the calm, tranquil and forbearing way of religion.  Connected to this, blind anger is the pagan manliness, which also subsumes under it the qualities of generosity (jud) and honour (karam) (Izutsu, 1959: 23ff.)[2]

The meaning of muru’a changed with Muhammad (Peace be upon him), who   taught the pagan Arabs that forgiveness is not a vice, but the highest virtue of muru’a (Levy, 1969: 193ff.)[3]

Thus, the term covers both the physical and spiritual qualities of man: the   physical aspect started with the pagans   and   the   spiritual   aspect with Islam.

Pre-Islamic morality was tied up with tribal loyalty, but the Qur’an transformed it into a personal morality.  “No burdened soul shall bear the burden of another, and every person will be accountable on the Day of Judgement for himself.” (Surah Al-Ankabut, 29:13 and Surah An-Nahl, 16:25).  Islam favoured   a   universal   brotherhood   in which kindness and equity should count for more than custom and law. The morality of the Qur’an may be summed up as: “Believe and do right.” (Surah Al- Maidah, 5:93).  Belief in One God is fundamental to Muslim ethics. It is the foundation of man’s accountability to God and of his happiness in this world and the next.)

Of all the human virtues, the Qur’an insists most frequently and most urgently on benevolence to the poor, the needy, the stranger, the slave and the prisoner. This is expressed in the form of compulsory alms-giving (zakat) and, more importantly, in the form of voluntary charity (sadaqa).

(Continued)