Moralities (1)

Moralities (1)

Muslim Ethical Basis of Social Life

The ethical Muslim social life is rather a difficult subject to write about in anything like adequate fashion. Islam is international, and Muslims, who inhabit different parts of the world, live in different stages of social development, and are attached to their inherited customs of ages, some of them of pre-Muslim origin. The ethical basis on which Muslim society is built up may be traced back to the last address delivered by the Prophet soon after his farewell pilgrimage, in which he said: “O men. Listen to me, for I may not be with you after this year in this place. Let it be well understood that your lives and property are sacred and inviolable to each other. Everyone will have his share of inheritance. The child belongs to his parents. You have right over your wives and they have right over you. They should not be faithless to you and you must treat them with loving kindness. Do not transgress, and be faithful to any trust placed in you. Usury is prohibited and also vengeance for blood. Treat your slave [servants] with kindness, feed them with what you eat, and clothe them as you do yourselves. Forgive them if they commit fault. The slaves in your possession, who perform prayers, are your brothers and all Muslims are brothers to one another. I ask you all to guard yourselves against all sorts of injustice.”

Such was the fraternal spirit under which Muslim society came to be first established and later developed, first and foremost in Arabia and then Central and South Asia, North Africa, and Southern Europe. The same spirit made itself felt in less or more degree, wherever Islam permeated even in a mild or attenuated form. Among the more important factors which influence the development of society is the status assigned to men and women as members of the family.

In Islam man is the maintainer of the family and as such holds greater power and responsibility, though women take a prominent part in it. In fact, one of the most striking features in Muslim culture is the position assigned to woman in social life.

The Moral Conditions

Muslim ethics and moralities as stated in the Qu’ran embrace the consideration of all those moral excellences known to any advanced civilization, such as sincerity, honestly, humility, justice, patience, straightforwardness, keeping a promise, chastity, meekness, politeness, forgiveness, goodness, courage, veracity, sympathy, and other ethical instructions and rules of conduct, which are recommended, praised and enjoined upon Muslims in the Glorious Qu’ran and in the teachings of the Prophet. But the Qu’ran does not simply list such moral qualities and distinctions as God is pleased to enjoin upon his servants; nay, it further gives us ethical teachings as to how man can get to acquire these moral excellences and shows the straight way leading to their achievements. Now, what is the effect of the teachings of the Glorious Qu’ran upon the physical state of man, how does it guide us with respect to it and what practical limits does it set to the natural inclination? It may be remarked at the outset that according to the Glorious Qu’ran, the physical conditions of man are closely connected with his moral and spiritual states, so much, so that even his modes of eating and drinking play a part in the moulding of his moral and spiritual qualities. If, therefore, his natural desires are subjected to the directions of the law, they take the form of moral qualities and deeply affect the spiritual state of the soul. It is for this reason that in all forms of devotion and prayer and in all the injunctions relating to internal purity and moral rectitude, the greatest stress has been laid upon external purity and cleanliness and the proper attitude of the body. The relation between the physical and spiritual nature of man would become evident on careful consideration of the actions of the outward organs and the effect they produce upon the internal nature of man. Weeping, even when artificial at once saddens the heart, while an artificial laugh makes it cheerful. Likewise, a prostration of the body, as is done in prayer, causes the soul to humble itself and adore the Creator; whereas strutting produces vanity and vain glory. Experience also shows the strong effect of food upon the heart and brain powers. For instance, the vegetarians ultimately may lose courage. There is not the least doubt that food plays an important part in the formation of the character. Furthermore, as there is a defect in excluding meat from the diet altogether, excess of meat is also injurious to character and badly affects the admirable qualities of humility and meekness. But those who adopt the middle path are heirs to both the noble qualities of courage and meekness. It is with this great law in view that the Glorious Qu’ran gives the instructions: “Eat [meat as well as other food] and drink but do not give way to excess” [7:31]. [in any particular form of diet so that your character and health may not suffer from it]”

In fact, there is a mysterious relation between the body and the soul of man, and the solution of the mystery is rather beyond human comprehension.

Having briefly indicated the directions given by the Glorious Qu’ran in the first stage of reformation, we now come to the second. After it has given to the savage and the primitive such rules as are necessary for his guidance, it undertakes to teach him high morals. We shall, therefore, mention, as an example, only a few of the moral qualities upon which the Glorious Qu’ran has laid stress. All moral qualities fall under two heads:

1) Those which enable man to abstain from inflicting injury upon his fellow-men, and

2) Those which enable him to do good to others:

• to the first class belong the rules of conduct which direct the intentions and actions of man so that he may not injure the life, property, or honour of his fellow-beings by means of his tongue or hand or eye, or any other member of his body.

• The second class comprises all rules calculated to guide the intentions and actions of man in doing good to others by means of the faculties which God has granted him or in declaring the glory or honour of others or in forbearing from punishing an offender, or in punishing him in such a manner that the punishment turns to be a blessing for him.