ISLAMIC ETHICS: IOU YL360 Program

SESSION 2
LEARNING OUTCOMES
1. Be able to define Islamic Ethics and its significance
2. Identify the concept of being a Ghurabaa and the different levels and
connect it to the challenges you face today as you try to grow as
practicing Muslims
3. Learn lessons from Islamic History on exemplary ethical behavior and
contemplate on how to emulate in your lives in today’s context
4. Learn and apply the different components of Islamic Ethics as it relates to
a. Family
b. Friends
c. Business/School
d. Environment/Animals
e. Society/Ummah
ISLAMIC ETHICS SESSION 2:
LIVING ISLAM
1. RELATION WITH SELF
2. RELATION WITH PARENTS
3. RELATION WITH SPOUSE/FAMILY
4. RELATION WITH NEIGHBOURS
5. RELATION WITH COMMUNITY
6. RELTAION WITH ANIMALS & ENVIRONMENT
7. EARNING HALAL & SPENDING CORRECTLY
ETHICS (DICTIONARY
DEFINITION)
Principles of right or good conduct.
Ethics are the rules or standards
governing the conduct.

Islamic Ethics consists of Khuluq and

Adab
DIMENSIONS OF ETHICS
Ummah
Communi
ty
Neighbor

Family

Self
CASE STUDY
It is around Christmas time in a masjid XYZ in a non-Muslim country. The
imam delivers a khutba in which he states that wishing merry Christmas is
not allowed and shirk and Muslims should refrain from it. The khutba gets
broadcasted on youtube and the imam and masjid board come under
pressure of the media. The board agrees to put up a signboard outside the
masjid stating “Merry Christmas” and is putting pressure on the imam to
announce in the upcoming khutba that it is ok to wish “Merry Christmas” as
we should not offend the community and we are living among non-Muslims.
1) Did the board have justification for their actions?
2) What should the imam do in this situation?
3) If you attend this masjid regularly, what should you do?
RELATIONSHIP WITH
COMMUNITY (MACRO)
 Focuses on building Islamic Community wherever he is
 Supports the establishment of the Deen and Shariah
 Believes that Hukm/Law is for Allah alone (Does not get caught up in voting)
 Does hijra if needed
 Is just and upholds justice with all
 Defends the oppressed
 Strives against the disbelievers and hypocrites
 Commands good and forbids evil
 Dawah (invites to Islam) following the Quranic & Prophetic examples
 Support one another in righteousness and piety and not in sin and transgression
 Struggles to free the imprisoned Muslims
DIMENSIONS OF ETHICS
Ummah
Communit
y
Neighbor

Family

Self
RELATIONSHIP WITH THE
COMMUNITY (MICRO)
 Is truthful
 Fulfills commitments and contracts
 Strives to reconcile among Muslims
 Does what he says he will do
 Displays Hayah (shyness)
 Spreads salam – to known and unknown
 Follows Islamic etiquettes in all interactions (sneezing, opposite gender
etc.)
 Attends funerals and visits the sick
 ETIQUETTES WITH
DISBELIEVERS
 Cannot be pleased with the unbelief of disbelieves
 Should hate the disbelievers because of Allah’s hatred for him because of his
kufr
 Love for the sake of Allah and hate for the sake of Allah
 Cannot give his loyalty or love to non-Muslim
 Must be just and righteous and do good to disbelievers (as long as they are not
opposing/at war with Islam and especially if they have a treaty with the Muslims)
 Should have general compassion and mercy for all mankind (should feed if
they’re thirsty, hungry, want them to become Muslim etc.)
 Should not aid, assist in any way those opposing Islam openly (this includes
giving them water if they’re thirsty)
Should not copy the disbelievers (in their religious customs, shaving, clothing
etc.)
 DVD

The Black
Hole

PG 16
ON BUSINESS ETHICS
 Learn the fiqh of business before getting into business or working
 Ensure your earnings are halal
 Stay away from Riba
 Woe to the mutaffifeen
 Be fair, do not cheat.
 Do not exaggerate by highlighting the good and hiding the bad of your
product
 Do not give or take bribes
 Be a strong/capable and trustworthy employee
 Be socially responsible (environment, animals)
CASE STUDY
Yusuf is in the last year of his Phd., working on a
groundbreaking research project with his team. They make
an agreement to not publicize the results until results are
published and the supervisor shares the findings in an
upcoming conference. Now, Yusuf is invited to interview for
a valuable position in a prestigious firm in his dream city.
The interviewer asks about the result of the project and his
job application depends on learning more about the project.
1) What are the ethical dilemmas here?
2) What should Yusuf do in this situation?
DIMENSIONS OF ETHICS
Ummah
Communi
ty
Neighbor

Family

Self
“That a man who filled his belly while his neighbor is hungry is not
a [good] believer.” [Adab al-mufrad]
RELATIONSHIP WITH
NEIGHBORS
POLL
How many of you know the names of at least five of your neighbors from
different houses or apartments?
RELATIONSHIP WITH
NEIGHBORS
 Knows his neighbors rights over him
 Starts with neighbor closest to him
 Generous towards his neighbors
 He likes for his neighbor what he likes for himself
 Tolerant, does not do tit-for-tat
 Leverages the masjid to build relationships in his neighborhood
 No MYOB – Invites them to do good and forbids evil
DIMENSIONS OF ETHICS
Ummah
Communi
ty
Neighbor

Family

Self
RELATION WITH FAMILY

 Love & mercy toward spouse

 Man is protector and maintainer of women
 Women is in charge of the household and children
 Gentleness towards children
 Balancing affection and discipline
 Not discriminating between spouses, children
 Maintains ties with kinship
RELATION WITH PARENTS
 Knows their high status
 Is grateful towards them
 Treats them with kind and respect
 Is obedient towards them and responds immediately to demands
 Puts Allah Azzawajal first, respectfully
CASE STUDY
You and your parents are visiting your relatives after a long
time in another city and during a conversation, they start to
backbite another relative.

1) What are the Islamic aspects related to this situation?

2) How would you react in this situation?

DIMENSIONS OF ETHICS
Ummah
Communi
ty
Neighbor

Family

Self
RELATION WITH SELF
 Maintains connection with Allah– Covered in Purification of the Soul
 Seeks beneficial knowledge and applies it
 Moderation in eating & drinking: Halal & Tayyib
 Exercises regularly and practices recommended sports
 Keeps clean and maintains good appearance
 Maintains good company and avoids detractors
 Identifies his strengths and blessings and specializes
The Pearl Necklace
APPENDIX
 PARENTS RIGHTS
1. Be respectful and obedient towards parents.
“And your Lord has decreed that you not worship except Him, and to parents,
good treatment. Whether one or both of them reach old age [while] with you,
say not to them [so much as], "uff," and do not repel them but speak to them a
noble word.” [Surah Isra: 23]

Beware of the Great Sins: The Prophet was asked about the great sins He
said,
"They are:--
To join others in worship with Allah,
To be undutiful to one's parents,
To kill a person (which Allah has forbidden to kill)
And to give a false witness." (Bukhari 3-821)
PARENTS RIGHTS
2. Be Grateful to them "And We have enjoined on man (to be
good) to his parents: in travail upon travail did his mother bear
him, and in years twain was his weaning: (hear the command),
"Show gratitude to Me and to thy parents: to Me is (thy final)
Goal." (Quran 31:14)
PARENTS RIGHTS
3. Respond Immediately to their Demands
A man said, "Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) what
rights can parents demand from their children?" He replied,
"They are your Paradise and your Hell."