Islam Ethics

[DT Strain]

I am trying to learn more about Islamic ethics. Not the religious doctrine particular to the faith, but the civic ethics (for example, on killing, stealing, lying, cheating, etc). Mainly, I'm looking for those ethics which likely overlap with many other faiths, along with where they are located in the Quran.

Many thanks for any assistance

 

[Friend]

Relation with others

The holy Prophet has stated the foremost purpose of his being sent down in this world and the method of his call to the people in these words:
"I have been sent only for the purpose of perfecting good morals."

There is a relation in Islam between individual responsibility and the rights and privileges derived from membership in the community. Individual obligations must be met before one can claim a portion from the community of which he is part. Each member of a society must fulfill his own obligations and rely on others to fulfill theirs before that society can acquire the necessary reservoir of social rights and privileges which can then be shared by all. The notions of brotherhood and solidarity not only impose upon the community the duty to care for' its members, but also require each person to use his initiative to carry out individual and social responsibilities according to his ability.

“And to be firm and patient, in pain (or suffering) and adversity, And throughout all periods of panic. Such are the people of truth, the God-fearing.” Qur'an 2:177

"Whosoever of you sees an evil action, let him change it with his hand; and if he is not able to do so, then with his tongue; and if he is not able to do so, then with his heart—and that is the weakest of faith." The Prophet's Hadith .

Individual responsibility is a cornerstone of Islam. Every Muslim is accountable to his Creator for what he himself does or fails to do—as well as for others for whom he may be accountable—and for things that he has control over.

“Serve God, and join not any partners with Him; and do good—To parents, orphans, those in need, neighbours who are near, neighbours who are strangers; the companion by your side, the way-farer (ye meet), and what your right hands possess: For God loveth not the arrogant, the vainglorious;— Qur'an 4:36

"None of you (truly) believes until he wishes for his brother what he wishes for himself." The Prophet's Hadith.

man who harasses his neighbor and makes him suffer any kind of damage is called cruel and stone hearted by the religion. In this connection the decision of the Prophet is: "By God, he cannot be a Momin (believer ) ;by God, he cannot be a Momin; by God, he cannot be a Momin. He was asked: 'who"? He answered: 'He from whose misdeeds his neighbor is not safe."

The holy Prophet advises his companions to keep away from the talk that is trash, the acts that are wicked, and the deeds that are senseless. He says:

"A person who believes in Allah and the Hereafter should speak about good things or else should keep quiet."

"Tell those who believe, to forgive those who do not look forward to the days of Allah: It is for Him to recompense (for good or ill) each people acording to what they have earned." 45:14

The purpose of paying Zakat has been stated in the Qur'an in the following words:

"O Prophet ! Take charity from their property so that if may clean them and purify them." (Tauba: 103)

To clean the self of the worldly impurities and to raise the standard of the society to the heights of decency and purity are the wisdom behind the levy of Zakat.

For this reason the Prophet has taken it in a very wide sense, and to pay Zakat has been made compulsory for every eligible Muslim. The Prophet has said:

"To smile in the company of your brother is charity. To command to do good deeds and to prevent others from doing evil is charity. To guide a person in a place where he can go astray is charity. To remove troublesome things like thorns and bones from the road is charity. To pour water from your jug into the jug of your brother is charity. To guide a person with defective vision is charity for you.''

 

[Friend]

Equality

The equality of all Muslims is emphasized repeatedly throughout the Qur'an. It is because of that concept that Islam under the Sunni tradition does not have an ordained clergy. There is a direct relationship between every man and his Creator, and there can be no intermediary. This particular closeness between the individual and God is paramount in belief as well as in practice.

The human quality that encompasses the concept of ideal ethical value in the Qur'an is summed up in the term taqwa(fear and respect of Allah). It represents, on one hand, the moral grounding that underlies human action, while on the other, it signifies the ethical conscience which makes human beings aware of their duties both towards Allah and towards their society.

Allah says in the Qur’an:

”O humankind! We have created you out of male and female and constituted you into different groups and societies, so that you may come to know each other – the noblest of you, the sight of God, are the ones possessing taqwa. God is the All-knowing, the All-Aware”. Qur’an (9.13)

O mankind! Lo! We have created you male and female and have made you nations and tribes that ye may know one another. Lo! The noblest of you in the sight of Allah is the best in conduct. Qur'an 49:13

(And whoever does righteous good deeds, being a male or a female, and is a true believer, such will enter Paradise. ) (An-Nisa 4: 124)

 

[Friend]

Prophet Mohammed definition about the poor person

One day the Prophet asked his dear companions whether they knew who was poor. They answered that poor was one who had no dirham or dinar (money)' He said:

"In my Ummah, the poor is that man who would appear on the Day of the Judgment before Allah; he had offered prayer; he had paid Zakat ;he had observed fast; but he would have abused somebody, he would have falsely accused some one; he would have unauthorizedly taken some one else's property; he would have murdered some one; would have hit some body. All his virtues would be given to his victims. If his Virtues are finished before his wicked deeds are finished, then the errors and sins of the victims would be given to him and he would be thrown into the Hell.''

Identification of a hypocrite

The relationship between faith and morality is clearly shown in the hadith of the holy Prophet:

"The man who has these three habits is a hypocrite even if he observes fast, offers prayers, performs umra (pilgrimage), and calls himself a Muslim: when he talks he speaks untruth, when he makes a promise he does not keep it, and when he is given something in trust, he commits dishonesty."

Human Forgiveness in Islam:
Just as it is important to believe in the mercy and forgiveness of Allah, it is also necessary to base all human relations on forgiveness. How should we expect Allah’s forgiveness while we do not forgive those who do wrong to us?! Forgiving each other, even forgiving one’s enemies is one of the most important Islamic teaching. In the Qur’an Allah has described the Believers as:

“Those who avoid major sins and acts of indecencies and when they are angry they forgive.” Qur'an ( 42:37)

Later in the same Surrah Allah says:

“The reward of the evil is the evil thereof, but whosoever forgives and makes amends, his reward is upon Allah.”Qur'an ( 42:40)

In another Surrahs in the Qur’an, Allah The Almighty says:

“If you punish, then punish with the like of that wherewith you were afflicted. But if you endure patiently, indeed it is better for the patient. Endure you patiently. Your patience is not except through the help of Allah."Qur'an (16:126-127)

In one Hadith Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) said that Allah has commanded him with nine things. One of them he mentioned was “that I forgive those who do wrong to me.”

The Prophet (PBUH) was the most forgiving person. He was ever ready to forgive his enemies. When he went to Ta’if to preach the message of Allah, its people mistreated him, abused him and hit him with stones. He left the city humiliated and wounded. When he took shelter under a tree, the angel of Allah visited him and told him that Allah sent him to destroy the people of Ta’if because of their sin of maltreating their Prophet. Mohammad (PBUH) prayed to Allah to save the people of Taif, because what they did was out of their ignorance.

He (PBUH) said:

“O Allah, guide these people, as they did not know what they were doing.”

When he entered the city of Mekkah after the victory, the Prophet -peace be upon him- had in front of him some of his staunchest enemies. Those who fought him for many years, persecuted his followers and killed many of them. Now he had full power to pay back and punish them for their crimes and for what they did to him and to the Muslims. Instead the Prophet (PBUH) asked them:

“What do you think I shall do to you now?” They pleaded for mercy. The Prophet (PBUH) said, “Today I shall say to you what Joseph (referring to Prophet Youssuf (PBUH) as mentioned in the Qur’an, (Youssuf 12:92) Prophet Youssuf (PBUH) said to his brothers, ‘No blame on you today. Go, you are all free.” Soon they all came and embraced Islam at his hands. He forgave even Hind who had caused the murder of his uncle Hamza -may Allah be pleased with him. After killing him she had his body mutilated and chewed his liver. When she embraced Islam, the Prophet even forgave her.

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To know about Islamic Moral System see this site

http://www.geocities.com/ahlulbayt14/morals.html

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[Friend]

During anger, one can physically or verbally abuse a person that he or she loves, hurt another living being like an animal, or during the dejection phase of anger, one can even hurt him- or herself and even commit suicide. Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) gave us the medicine for that saying:​

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"Shake hands and rancor will disappear. Give gifts to each other and love each other and enmity will disappear".​

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One companion asked him, Give me some advice by virtue of which I hope for good in the life hereafter, and he said,​

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"Don't be angry."Another person asked, what will save me from the wrath of God, and he said, "Do not express your anger." A third person asked three times, 0 Messenger of Allah, give me an order to do a short good deed, and he said, "Don't be angry." Once he asked a question of his companion, "Who among you do you consider a strong man?" They said, the one who can defeat so-and-so wrestler in a fight, and he said, that is not so. The one who is strong is the one who can control himself at the time of anger. He also said that anger is like fire, which destroys you from within, and it can also lead you to the fire of hell by your own expressions of anger unjustly.​

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[iBrian]

Is that a good start for you, DT?

 

[Friend]

I am trying to learn more about Islamic ethics. Not the religious doctrine particular to the faith, but the civic ethics (for example, on killing, stealing, lying, cheating, etc). Mainly, I'm looking for those ethics which likely overlap with many other faiths, along with where they are located in the Quran.

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Many thanks for any assistance ​

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Salaamu Alyckum all​

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I want to give you Idea about what Al Qur'aan tell Muslims about the Killing :​

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"O ye who believe! the law of equality is prescribed to you in cases of murder: the free for the free, the slave for the slave, the woman for the woman. But if any remission is made by the brother of the slain, then grant any reasonable demand, and compensate him with handsome gratitude, this is a concession and a Mercy from your Lord. After this whoever exceeds the limits shall be in grave penalty. (The Noble Quran, 2:178)" ​

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"We ordained therein for them: "Life for life, eye for eye, nose or nose, ear for ear, tooth for tooth, and wounds equal for equal." But if any one remits the retaliation by way of charity, it is an act of atonement for himself. And if any fail to judge by (the light of) what God hath revealed, they are (No better than) wrong-doers. (The Noble Quran, 5:45)"​

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"And if ye punish, then punish as ye were punished (by them). But if ye show patience, that is indeed the best (course) For those who are patient. (The Noble Quran, 16:126)"​

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"It may be that God will grant love (and friendship) between you and those whom ye (now) hold as enemies. For God has power (over all things); And God is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. God forbids you not, with regard to those who fight you not for (your) Faith nor drive you out of your homes, from dealing kindly and justly with them: for God loveth those who are just. God only forbids you, with regard to those who fight you for (your) Faith, and drive you out of your homes, and support (others) in driving you out, from turning to them (for friendship and protection). It is such as turn to them (in these circumstances), that do wrong. (The Noble Quran, 60:7-9)" ​

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"...if any one slew a person - unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land - it would be as if he slew the whole people: and if any one saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people...(The Noble Quran, 5:32)"​

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Thanks to all​