ETHICS AND FIQH IN

EVERYDAY LIFE
(UNGS 2050)

STANDARD CONTENTS
© Department of Fundamental & Inter-Disciplinary Studies, 2018

Dr. Claudia (Azizah) Seise

 WEEK 1
The Concepts of Ethics and Fiqh
 1. Definition of Ethics
Literally: Derived from the Greek word ‘ethos’, which means
character.

Technically:

1. The field of study that has morality as its subject matter.

2. The values or rules of conduct held by an individual or group

3. The branch of philosophy dealing with values relating to

human conduct, with respect to right and wrong actions.
 Ethics / ‘ilm al-Akhlāq/ al-
Akhlāq
Ethics in Arabic is ‘ilm al-Akhlāq (science of morality), which is the
branch of knowledge that studies akhlaq (the beautiful, refined character).

al-Akhlāq (the plural of khuluq (‫خ ُلق‬

ُ )) refers to morality, which means a
nature, or an innate disposition, while the word khalq refers to the
physicality of man (the body).

Khuluq is the moral character; or the fashion of the inner man; his soul
and its peculiar qualities and attributes.

This inner aspect (khuluq) of man and the outer aspect (khalq) is
INTERELATED and COMPLIMENTARY to each other.
 Cont.
Al-Akhlaq according to Abdul Qadir al-Jurjani

“a deep (rasikha) state of the self (haya’a nafs) produces

acts, behavior with ease with no need of sophisticate
thinking and reflection (fikr wa rawiyah)” (Ref. Kitab
Ta’rifat)

This means that good character should be very natural

to us.
 Importance of Ethics in
Islam
Morality/ good moral character (Akhlaq ul Kareem) is:

The spirit of Islam

The validation, authentication and expression of Iman

Morality/ Beautiful and Refined Character is the spirit of Islam

Good relationship among human beings = good morality.

Good relationship with Allah in its spiritual sense.

 ُ ْ ‫ ”إنَّما َ بُ ِعث‬: ‫قال رسول اهلل صلى اهلل عليه وسلم‬
(‫ت ِألُتَ ِمم َم َكا ِرم األَخالَق“ )البخاري‬

The Prophet (s.a.w.) said: “I have been sent (as the Messenger of
Allah) only for the purpose of perfecting good morals/
character.” (Hadith, al-Bukhari)

A Muslim should be as stated in the following Hadith:

‫لسانه ويده‬ ‫من‬ ‫سلم املسلمون‬ ‫”املسلم من‬: ‫قال رسول اهلل صلى اهلل عليه وسلم‬
(‫… )البخاري‬

The Prophet (s.a.w.) said: “A Muslim is the one who avoids harming
Muslims with his tongue and hand…” (Hadith, al-Bukhari)
Even pure worship (‘ibadat) is to refine our good character.
Examples:

al-Salah:

(45 :‫شاء َو ْاملُن َك ِر﴾ )العنكبوت‬

َ ‫الص َالةَ تَن ْ َهى َع ِن ا ْلفَ ْح‬ َّ ِ ‫ َوأ َ ِقم‬...﴿
َّ ‫الص َالةَ إِ َّن‬

“…And establish regular prayer; for prayer restrains from

indecency and evil” (29: 45)

al-Zakah:

َ ‫خذْ ِم ْن أ َ ْم َوالِ ِه ْم‬

(103 :‫ص َد َق ًة تُطَ ِّه ُر ُه ْم َوتُزَ ِّكي ِهم ِب َها﴾ )التوبة‬ ُ ...﴿

“…Take alms of their wealth, so that it may purify and

sanctify them. (9: 103)
al-Siyam:

﴾َ‫ب َع َلى ا َّل ِذي َن ِمن َقبْلِ ُك ْم َل َع َّل ُك ْم تَت َّ ُقون‬

َ ‫الصيَا ُم َك َما ُك ِت‬ َ ‫﴿يَا أَيُّ َها ا َّل ِذي َن آ َمنُوا ْ ُك ِت‬
ِّ ‫ب َع َليْ ُك ُم‬
(183 :‫)البقرة‬

“O you who believe! Fasting was made compulsory for you, as

it was made compulsory for those who preceded you, so that
you may become righteous/ God fearing.” (2: 183)
al-Hajj:

(197 :‫ال ِفي ا ْل َحجِّ﴾ )البقرة‬ ِ َ‫سوقَ َوال‬

َ ‫ج َد‬ َ َ‫ض ِفي ِه َّن ا ْل َحجَّ فَالَ َرف‬
ُ ُ‫ث َوالَ ف‬ َ ‫فَ َمن فَ َر‬...﴿

“…whoever determines the performance of the pilgrimage

therein, there shall be no lewdness (depravity) nor abuse nor
angry conversation on the pilgrimage(2: 197).
Good Character as Validation
and Expression of Iman
Definition of Iman:

،‫ أو بضع وستون شعبة‬،‫ االيمان بضع وسبعون‬: ‫قال رسول اهلل صلى اهلل عليه وسلم‬
.‫ والحياء شعبة من االيمان‬،‫ وأدناها اماطة األذى عن الطريق‬،‫فأفضلها ال اله اال اهلل‬
(‫)البخاري‬

“Iman has over sixty branches (parts): the highest of

which is the belief that nothing deserves to be worshipped
except Allah and the lowest of which is the removal from
the way of that which might cause harm to anyone. And
modesty (haya’ ‫ )الحياء‬is a branch of it.” (Hadith)
 Good Character as Validation
and Expression of Iman
‫ إذا حدث كذب وإذا وعد أخلف وإذا اؤتمن‬: ‫آية املنافق ثالث‬ ] : ‫قال رسول اهلل صلى اهلل عليه و سلم‬
[ ‫وإن صام وصلى وزعم أنه مسلم‬ ] : ‫ زاد في رواية ملسلم‬ ‫متفق عليه‬ [ ‫خان‬

"Three are the signs of a hypocrite: When he speaks, he lies; when he

makes a promise, he breaks it; and when he is trusted, he betrays his trust.
(Al-Bukhari and Muslim) Another narration adds the words: "Even if he
observes Saum(fasts), performs Salat (prayer) and claims to be a Muslim.
Lacking in good morals = Lacking in faith (iman)

(‫)الترمذ‬  … ‫خ ُل ًقا‬ َ ِ‫ني إ‬

َ ‫يمانًا أ َ ْح‬
ُ ‫سن ُ ُه ْم‬ َ ‫ص َّلى اهللَُّ َع َليْ ِه َو‬
َ ‫س َّل َم أ َ ْك َم ُل ْاملُؤ ِْم ِن‬ ُ ‫س‬
َ َِّ‫ول اهلل‬ َ ‫ َق‬ 
ُ ‫ال َر‬

“The most perfect believer in faith is the one who is best in beautiful/ moral/
refined character. ..” (al-Tirmidhi) 

The level of faith (iman) is proportional to the level of good character.

“He who believes in Allah and the Last Day of Judgment is forbidden to
cause any harm to his neighbour, is to be kind to his guests – especially
the strangers, and is to say the truth or else abstain.” (Hadith)

‫ ال يؤمن أحدكم حتى يحب ألخيه ما‬: ‫قال رسول اهلل صلى اهلل عليه وسلم‬
(‫يحب لنفسه )البخاري‬

“None of you will have faith (will be a true believer) till he wishes for his
(Muslim) brother what he likes for himself.” (Hadith)
Discuss in groups of 4 to 5 students:

Why Do We Have to Be People of

Beautiful Character?
 Why Do We Have to Be People of
Beautiful Character?
Because it has many spiritual benefits:
Good morals means voluntary worship!
“A believer by virtue of his good morals may attain the status of one
who fasts (voluntary fast) regularly and performs prayer at night”.
(Hadith)

The dearest one to Allah:

When the Prophet (saw) was asked: Whom Allah likes most amongst His
subjects? He replied: “The one who possesses superior moral qualities”.
(Hadith)
Good morals eliminate sins
– bad morals spoil virtues
“Courtesy and good morality melt the sins just like
water melts the ice. And immorality spoils good deeds
just as vinegar spoils honey.” (Hadith)

“A certain woman is famous for her voluntary prayers,

fasting and charities, but she harms her neighbours.
She is in Hell. Another woman does not do much by
way of voluntary prayers and fasting and she gives
pieces of cheese in charity but she does not harm her
neighbours. She is in Paradise.” (Hadith)
 Social Benefits of Beautiful
Character
Strong and peaceful family life - the core and base for society

Stable, secure, and harmonious society

Directing civilization to a just end (civilization = to do what can be done.

Ethics = what should be done, what should not be done)

Good leadership

Building good reputation

Wining hearts of people

 Significance of Ethics in
Islam
‫ »ا َّل ِذي‬:‫ال‬
َ ‫ول اهلل؟ َق‬
َ ‫س‬ َ ‫ ِق‬.«ُ‫ َواهلل ال ُيؤ ِْمن‬،ُ‫ َواهلل ال ُيؤ ِْمن‬،ُ‫) َواهلل ال ُيؤ ِْمن‬
ُ ‫ َو َم ْن َيا َر‬:‫يل‬
ِ ‫ال َيأ ْ َم ُن َجار ُه َب‬
(‫وائ َق ُه‬ ُ
Abu Musa Al-Ash'ari reported: I asked the Messenger of
Allah : "Who is the most excellent among the Muslims?"
He said, "One from whose tongue and hands the other
Muslims are secure." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
 2. Definition of Fiqh
1. Linguistically:
in-depth understanding

2. Technical/ Legal terminology:

the science of the derived legal rules as
acquired from their particular sources.
 The Interrelationship
between Ethics and Fiqh
Both share similar objectives:
To construct human life on the basis of
virtues (ma’rufat), and to cleanse it from
vices (munkarat).
To regulate the relationship of man with
Allah, and man with man.
Islamic law is deeply rooted in ethics
and stresses good character.
Inner purity of the soul is as important
as the external manifestation of belief
(action) - "believe and do right. "
Law (the required and forbidden
categories) virtue (the recommended
and discouraged categories)
 Discuss in groups of 4 to 5
students:

1. Why Do We Have to Be
People of Beautiful Character?
2. How can we become people of
beautiful character?
 WEEK 2
Core Moral Values in Islam
 Amanah (Trust)
Amanah literally means trust, reliability,
trustworthiness, loyalty, faithfulness, integrity, and
honesty. Iman (faith) also comes from the same root.

Accountability, honesty, determination (itqan) are all

parts of amanah.

The concept of amanah makes human life more

meaningful.
 What is a Trust?
It defines man’s RIGHTS and RESPONSIBILITIES in
relation to all other humans, his environment and the rest of
Allah’s creation, as well as, of course, Allah.

(‫ن‬ ِ َ‫خونُوا أ َ َمان‬

َ ‫ات ُك ْم َوأَنْت ُ ْم تَ ْع َل ُمو‬ َ ‫س‬
ُ َ‫ول َوت‬ ُ ‫الر‬‫و‬َ ‫هلل‬
َّ َ ‫ا‬ ‫وا‬ُ ‫ن‬‫و‬‫خ‬ُ َ ‫ت‬ َ
‫ال‬ ‫وا‬ُ ‫ن‬‫م‬َ َ ‫آ‬ ‫ن‬
َ ‫ي‬‫ذ‬ِ ‫) َيا أ َ ُّي َها ا َّل‬
َّ

"O you, who believe, do not betray God and His Messenger, and
do not knowingly violate your trusts." ( 8:27).

Dishonesty and betrayal are completely at odds with the Islamic

faith. The Prophet says, “A hypocrite is known by three traits:
When he speaks, he lies; when he promises, he breaks; when he is
entrusted, he betrays.” (Al-Bukhari, Muslim)
The Importance to Uphold
One’s Trust
Allah says, ‘There are three people whom I shall be
their opponent on the Day of Judgment: A man who
was given something in My Name and then
betrays; A man who sells-off a free man (as a slave)
and consumes the price; and A man who hires a
laborer, makes use of his service then does not give
him his wages. (Al-Bukhari).
 Aspects of
Amanah
1. Vicegerancy

2. Family

3. Deposits

4. Secrets

5. Work/ Public Office

6. Wealth/ Ability
 1. The Amanah of Taklif
To inhabit this world

to be vicegerents (Khalifah) of Allah

to fulfill the purpose of our creation

to implement His laws on this earth

to wisefully use the resources Allah has trusted us with

‫ح ِم ْلنَ َها‬ َ ْ َ‫ال فَأَب‬

ْ َ ‫ني أ‬
ْ َ‫ن ي‬ ِ َ ‫جب‬ ِ ‫ات َواأل َ ْر‬
ِ ‫ض َوا ْل‬ ِ ‫الس َما َو‬ َّ ‫ع َلى‬
َ ‫مانَ َة‬
َ َ ‫ضنَا األ‬ َ ‫﴿إِنَّا‬
ْ ‫ع َر‬
.(72 :‫هوالً﴾ )األحزاب‬ ُ ‫ج‬ َ ‫ما‬ً ‫ن ظَ ُلو‬ َ ‫ن إِنَّ ُه َكا‬ ُ ‫سا‬ ِ ‫ح َم َل َها‬
َ ْ‫اإلن‬ َ ‫شفَ ْق َن ِمنْ َها َو‬
ْ َ ‫َوأ‬

“We offered the trust unto the heavens and the earth and the
hills, but they shrank from bearing it and were afraid of it. And
man assumed it. He was indeed tyrannous and ignorant.” (33:
72)
2. The Amanah of Family
To fulfill our responsibilities towards our family members and
provide them with guidance, provision, and company.

The Prophet (s.a.w.) said: “Everyone of you is a guardian and

every one will be asked about his subjects. A man is the
guardian of the members in his household and he will be
answerable about them. A woman is the guardian of her
husband’s house and she will be asked about her
responsibility…” (Hadith)
 3. The Amanah of Returning
Deposits to Their Owners
.(58 :‫{ )النساء‬...‫هلِ َها‬ ِ َ ‫ما ن‬
ْ َ ‫ات إِ َلى أ‬ ْ َ ‫م ُر ُك ْم أ‬
َ َ ‫ن تُؤَ ُّدوا األ‬ َّ ِ‫}إ‬
ُ ْ ‫ن اهللََّ يَأ‬

“Surely Allah commands you to render back trusts to their

owners.” (4: 58)

4. The Amanah of Keeping Secrets:

Maintaining secrecy and confidentiality of what is required to be
confidential is a trust.

The Prophet (s.a.w.) said: “What is said in meetings and meant to be

confidential is a trust.” (Hadith)
 5. The Amanah of Work and
Public Office
The Prophet (s.a.w.) said: “Whomsoever we have given
some post and he has concealed a needle or a thing smaller
than that, then it will be a misappropriated thing with which
he will have to appear on the Day of Judgment.” (Hadith)

The Prophet (s.a.w.) also said: “When the administrator is

given a job, he should receive his due and should pay the
dues of others, then he is like a fighter in the cause of Allah
till he returns home.” (Hadith)
6. The Amanah of Wealth
and Abilities
‫ع ُم ِر ِه‬
ُ ‫ع ْن‬َ ‫سأ َ َل‬ ْ ‫حتَّى ُي‬ َ ‫م ِة‬ َ ‫عبْ ٍد َيوْ َم ا ْل ِق َيا‬
َ ‫ما‬ َ ‫ول َق َد‬
ُ ُ‫ ”ال تَز‬r ‫قال رسول اهلل‬
‫ع ْن‬ َ َ‫مالِ ِه ِم ْن أَيْ َن ا ْكت‬
َ ‫سبَ ُه َو ِفي َم أَنْفَ َق ُه َو‬ َ ‫ع ْن‬َ ‫ع ْن ِع ْل ِم ِه ِفي َم فَ َع َل َو‬ َ ‫ِف‬
َ ‫يما أَفْنَاهُ َو‬
."ُ‫س ِم ِه ِفي َم أَبْاله‬ْ ‫ج‬ِ

The Prophet (s.a.w.) said: “Before the end of the Day of

Judgement everyone will be questioned about the following: (1)
How did he spend his life?; (2) What did he do with his
knowledge?; (3) From where did he get his wealth and on what
did he spend it on?; and (4) How did he use his physical and
mental faculties?” (Hadith)
Get together in Pairs and think about
one real life example for each of the 6
Aspects of Amanah.
 THE CONCEPT OF
JUSTICE (‘ADL)
1. ‘Adl (Justice) means to place things in their rightful places.

2. The term “‘adl” implies:

Giving people what they deserve

Impartiality/ Fairness

Saying the truth

Avoiding oppressing others

Avoiding bias and prejudice

Being balanced in one’s views and judgements

What is ‘Adl and what is not
‘Adl?

Group work: Get together in groups and think

of three everyday situation that reflect ‘Adl and
think of three situations that show the
opposite of ‘Adl.
 Forms of Justice

1. Judging between people

2. Speaking Justly

3. it is a way of thinking/ a state of mind

4. it is a way of treating people

 What are the Causes for
Injustice?

Please take 5 Minutes and discuss in pairs!

 What are the Causes for
Injustice?
Causes of injustice:
Hatred: enemies + opponents
Love and favor: relatives + cronies/ companions
Self-interest and greed
Ignorance
Hasty decisions

Consequence of Injustice:
Bankruptcy in this world and in the Hereafter
 36

Injustice leads to Bankruptcy

When the Messenger of Allah asked: “Who is a bankrupt?” His
companions answered that the bankrupt is one who has no money.
He said: “In my Ummah, the bankrupt is that man who would
appear on the Day of Judgment before Allah; he had offered
prayer; he had paid Zakah; he had observed fast; but he would
have abused somebody, he would have falsely accused some one;
he would have unlawfully taken some one else’s property; he
would have murdered some one; he 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 sins of the victims
would be given to him and he would be thrown into the Hell”.
(Hadith)
Virtue/ Rightousness, Goodness

Al-birr (‫ =)اﻟﺒﺮ‬al-khayr (‫ = )الخير‬Virtue, righteousness,
goodness, benevolence

Al-’ithm (‫ = )اإلثم‬al=Sharr (‫ =)الشر‬Vice, evil

The Prophet (s.a.w.) said: “Virtue is what the soul is

pleased with, and sin is what kindles doubt in
yourself and indecision in your chest when you give
your decision.
(Hadith, taken from al-Ghazali, Mishkat al-Masabih, Vol.3, p. 131.)
Virtue/ Rightousness, Goodness

Virtue, from an Islamic perspective, can be defined as: a belief,
act or saying that is useful and beneficial to mankind and in
compliance with divine law.

Virtues, in Islam, can be classified under the following

categories:

1. Observing the obligations enjoined by Allah (s.w.t.) and those

acts recommended by Him to be performed.

2. Refraining from those acts and sayings that are prohibited by

Allah (s.w.t.).
Virtue/ Rightousness, Goodness

3. All acts which are helpful and beneficial to oneself, one’s
family, relatives, other human beings and animals.

Birr towards oneself.

Birr towards one’s family and relatives.

Birr towards community members and humanity.

Birr towards other creatures.

Birr towards Allah, The Creator of this universe.

 Bad Acts, Vice, Sin
A vice (sin) is any belief, act or saying that is harmful to mankind and
against the principles of divine law. Vices/sins can be classified under
the following categories:

1. Neglect your obligations and duties without legal justification.

2. Commission prohibited acts and sayings.

3. Abusing the rights of others and causing undue harm (physical or

psychological) to them (any kind of harm which is not in retaliation to
another harm or which is necessary to remove evil, tyranny or a
greater harm).
 Bad Acts, Vice, Sin
4. Taking the property of someone without his consent.

."‫ دمه وماله وعرضه‬:‫"كل املسلم على املسلم حرام‬

The Prophet (s.a.w.) said: “The blood, property and honour of a Muslim must be
sacred (forbidden) to every other Muslim.” (Hadith)

Types of Bad Acts (Sharr)

Ithm (sharr) towards oneself.

Ithm (sharr) towards family & relatives.

Ithm (sharr) towards community members & humanity.

Ithm (sharr) towards other creatures.

Ithm (sharr) towards Allah.

What does the Prophet saw. tell
43

us about doing good deeds?

Allah's Messenger (saw.) said: “A charity is due on every joint of a
person, every day the sun rises: Administering of justice between
two men is a charity; and assisting a man to ride upon his beast
(vehicle); Helping him load his luggage upon it; and a good word
is a charity; every step that you take towards prayer is a charity;
Removing harmful things from the pathway is a charity.” (Hadith)

Allah's Messenger (saw) said: “Never does a Muslim plant trees or

cultivate land and birds or a man or a beast eat out of them but
that is a charity on his behalf.” (Hadith)
What does the Prophet saw.
43

tell us about being kind?

‫ كنا مع رسول اهلل صلى اهلل عليه‬:‫عن عبد اهلل بن مسعود رضي اهلل عنه قال‬
‫وسلم في سفر ومررنا بشجرة فيها فرخا حمرة فأخذناهما قال فجاءت الحمرة‬
‫إلى رسول اهلل صلى اهلل عليه وسلم وهي تصيح فقال النبي صلى اهلل عليه‬
“‫ فردوهما‬:‫“ قال‬.‫ ”فقلنا نحن‬:‫ ”من فجع هذه بفرخيها“ قال‬:‫وسلم‬

We were with the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) during a journey. He

went to ease himself. We saw a bird with her two young ones and we
captured her young ones. The bird came and began to spread its
wings. The Apostle of Allah (peace be upon him) came and said:
“Who grieved this for its young ones? Return its young ones to
it.” (Hadith)
 45

‫ ”عذبت امرأة في هرة سجنتها‬:‫قال رسول اهلل صلى اهلل عليه وسلم‬
‫حتى ماتت فدخلت فيها النار ال هي أطعمتها وسقتها إذ حبستها وال‬
.“‫هي تركتها تأكل من خشاش األرض‬

Allah's Messenger (s.a.w.) said: “A woman was punished

because of a cat. She had neither provided her with food
nor drink, nor set her free so that she might eat the
insects of the earth, until it died.” (Hadith)
 46

ِ ‫م َن ِباهللَِّ َوا ْليَوْم‬ َ ‫م ْن آ‬َ ‫ب َو َل ِك َّن ا ْل ِب َّر‬ ِ ‫غ ِر‬ ْ َ ‫امل‬

ْ ‫ش ِرقِ َو‬ ْ ‫ه ُك ْم ِقب ََل‬
ْ َ ‫امل‬ َ ‫ن تُوَ ُّلوا ُوجُ و‬ ْ َ ‫ْس ا ْل ِب َّر أ‬ َ ‫﴿ َلي‬
‫ع َلى حُ ب ِِّه ذَ ِوي ا ْل ُق ْربَى َوا ْليَتَامَى‬ َ ‫ال‬ َ َ ‫امل‬
ْ ‫ني َوآتَى‬ ِ ‫الئ َك ِة َوا ْل ِكت‬
َ ِّ‫َاب َوالنَّ ِبي‬ ِ َ ‫امل‬ ِ
ْ ‫اآلخ ِر َو‬
َ ‫املُوفُو‬
‫ن‬ ْ ‫الصالةَ َوآتَى الزَّ َكاةَ َو‬ َّ ‫اب َوأ َ َقا َم‬ ِ ‫ني َو ِفي ال ِّر َق‬ َ ِ‫ائل‬ِ ‫الس‬ َّ ‫الس ِبي ِل َو‬ َّ ‫ني َوابْ َن‬ َ ‫اك‬ ِ ‫س‬ َ َ ‫امل‬
ْ ‫َو‬
‫ك ا َّل ِذي َن‬َ ‫س أ ُ ْو َل ِئ‬ ِ ْ ‫ني ا ْلبَأ‬
َ ‫ح‬ ِ ‫اء َو‬ ِ ‫الض َّر‬ َّ ‫اء َو‬ ِ ‫س‬ َ ْ ‫الصا ِب ِري َن ِفي ا ْلبَأ‬ َّ ‫هدُوا َو‬ َ ‫ه ْم إِذَا عَا‬ ِ ‫ِب َعه ِْد‬
﴾‫ن‬َ ‫املُتَّ ُقو‬
ْ ‫ه ْم‬
ُ ‫ك‬ َ ‫ص َد ُقوا َوأ ُ ْو َل ِئ‬ َ

.(177 :‫)سورة البقرة‬

Righteousness is not that you turn your faces toward the

east or the west, but [true] righteousness is [in] one who
believes in Allah, the Last Day, the angels, the Book, and the
Prophets and gives wealth, in spite of love for it, to relatives,
orphans, the needy, the traveler, those who ask [for help],
and for freeing slaves; [and who] establishes prayer and gives
zakah; [those who] fulfill their promise when they promise;
and [those who] are patient in poverty and hardship and
during battle. Those are the ones who have been true, and it
is those who are the righteous.
 Conclusion Virtue/
47

Rightousness/ Goodness
1. Avoid superficial concepts and rituals, lifeless formalities and
non-effective beliefs.

2.Your Iman (faith) should be true and sincere.

3. You must be prepared to show this Iman (faith) in deeds of

charity and kindness to the relatives and fellow human beings.

4. Fulfill your religious obligations

5. Respect other people’s rights and honour one’s words

6. Be patient and unshakable in all circumstances.

 Get Together in Pairs and write a short
article that promotes doing good deeds from
an Islamic perspective (half a page) for one
of the following audiences:
1. Children age 5
2. Children age 10
3. Parents
4. Grandparents
 Al-’Amru bi al-Ma‘ruf wa al-Nahyu ‘An 48

al-Munkar
(Enjoining Good and Forbidding Evil)

‫ع ْن‬ َ ‫و‬
َ ‫ن‬ ِ ‫امل َ ْع ُر‬
ْ ‫وف َوتَنْ َه‬ ْ ‫ن ِب‬
َ ‫م ُرو‬ ِ َّ‫ت لِلن‬
ُ ْ ‫اس تَأ‬ َ ‫خ ِر‬
ْ ‫ج‬ ْ ُ ‫م ٍة أ‬ َ ‫﴿ ُكنْتُ ْم‬
َّ ُ ‫خيْ َر أ‬
﴾َِّ‫ن ِباهلل‬َ ‫املُن َك ِر َوتُؤ ِْمنُو‬ ْ

(110 :‫)آل عمران‬

“You are the best of nations raised up for (the benefit of)
men; you enjoin what is right and forbid the wrong and
believe in Allah.” (3: 110)
 49

Al-’Amru bi al-Ma‘ruf
Al-’Amr :
to invite to, to encourage, to promote, to spread, to command, to enforce

Al-Ma‘ruf: acceptable
Al-Birr, al-Khayr, virtue, goodness

Al-’Amru bi al-Ma‘ruf
Inviting people to do goodness
Spreading & promoting virtues
Enforcing goodness

Al-’Amru bi al-Ma‘ruf = Da‘wah = advice

 50

Al-Nahyu ‘an al-Munkar

Al-Nahy:

to discourage, to advise not to do something, to prevent, to

prohibit

Al-Munkar: disagreeable

evil, vice

al-Nahyu ‘an al-Munkar:

To discourage/ advise not to do

Evil/Indecency
To prevent/ combat
 52

Means and ways of

Al-’Amru bi al-Ma‘ruf wa al-
Nahyu ‘an al-Munkar

Be a Role Model = by being a model of Islamic morals & values

Verbal/ Speak Out = words of advice

Write Something = newspaper, magazine, books, novels, cartoons, etc.

Use different Media = promote virtues and goodness, and combat

evil and indecency.
 53

How to Change Munkar?

:‫ سمعت رسول اهللّ صلى اهللّ عليه وسلم يقول‬:‫عن أبي سعيد الخدري قال‬
‫ ف ِإن لم يستطع‬،‫ ف ِإن لم يستطع فبلسانه‬،‫”من رأى منكم منكرا ً فليغيره بيده‬
ِ ‫ وذلك أضعف‬،‫فبقلبه‬
(‫ )رواه مسلم‬."‫اإليمان‬

On the authority of Abu Said al-Khudri (r.a.), who said: I heard the
Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) saying: “He who amongst you sees
something abominable should modify it with the help of his hand;
and if he has not strength enough to do it, then he should do it with
his tongue, and if he has not strength enough to do it, even then he
should reject it from his heart, and that is the least of faith.” (Hadith,
Muslim)
 54

Whose duty is it to Change Munkar?

Individual & Community Duties

َ ‫ك ِم ْن‬
ِ ‫عزْم‬ َ ِ‫ن ذَل‬
َّ ِ‫ك إ‬
َ ‫صا َب‬
َ َ ‫ع َلى مَا أ‬ ْ ‫املُنْ َك ِر َو‬
َ ‫اص ِب ْر‬ ْ ‫ن‬ ِ ‫امل َ ْع ُر‬
َ ‫وف َوانْ َه‬
ِ ‫ع‬ ُ ْ ‫الص َالةَ َوأ‬
ْ ‫م ْر ِب‬ َّ ِ ‫ ﴿يَا بُنَيَّ أ َ ِقم‬
(١٧ :‫األُمُو ِر﴾ )لقمان‬ ْ

"O my son! establish regular prayer, enjoin what is just, and

forbid what is wrong: and bear with patient constancy
whatever befalls you; for this is firmness (of purpose) in
(the conduct of) affairs.” (31:17)
َ ‫املُنْ َك ِر َوأُو َل ِئ‬
ُ ‫ك‬
‫ه ُم‬ ْ ‫ن‬ِ ‫ع‬ َ ‫و‬
َ ‫ن‬ ِ ‫امل َ ْع ُر‬
ْ ‫وف َويَنْ َه‬ ْ ‫ن ِب‬
َ ‫م ُرو‬ َ ‫ن إِ َلى ا ْل‬
ُ ْ ‫خ ْي ِر َويَأ‬ َّ ُ ‫﴿ َو ْلتَ ُك ْن ِمنْ ُك ْم أ‬
َ ‫م ٌة يَ ْدعُو‬
(104 :‫ن﴾ )آل عمران‬ َ ‫املُفْلِحُ و‬
ْ

“And there may spring from you a nation who invite to

goodness, and enjoin right conduct and forbid indecency.
Such are the ones to attain felicity.” (3: 104)
 55

‫ع ْن‬ َ ‫و‬
َ ‫ن‬ ِ ‫امل َ ْع ُر‬
ْ ‫وف َوتَنْ َه‬ ْ ‫ن ِب‬
َ ‫م ُرو‬ ِ َّ‫ت لِلن‬
ُ ْ ‫اس تَأ‬ ْ ُ ‫م ٍة أ‬
َ ‫خ ِر‬
ْ ‫ج‬ َ ‫﴿ ُكنْتُ ْم‬
َّ ُ ‫خيْ َر أ‬
(110 :‫ن ِباهللَِّ﴾ )آل عمران‬ َ ‫املُن َك ِر َوتُؤ ِْمنُو‬
ْ

“You are the best of the nations raised up for (the benefit of) men; you
enjoin what is right and forbid the wrong and believe in Allah.” (3:110)

ِ ‫امل َ ْع ُر‬
‫وف‬ ْ ‫ن ِب‬ ُ ْ ‫ض يَأ‬
َ ‫م ُرو‬ ٍ ‫ض ُه ْم أ َ ْولِيَا ُء بَ ْع‬ ُ ‫ات بَ ْع‬ ُ َ‫املُؤ ِْمن‬ْ ‫ن َو‬ َ ‫املُؤ ِْمنُو‬ ْ ‫﴿ َو‬
َ ‫طي ُعو‬
ََّ‫ن اهلل‬ ِ ُ‫ن الزَّ َكاةَ َوي‬َ ‫الص َالةَ َويُؤْتُو‬ َّ َ ‫يمو‬
‫ن‬ ُ ‫املُنْ َك ِر َويُ ِق‬
ْ ‫ن‬ ِ ‫ع‬ َ ‫ن‬ َ ْ‫َويَنْ َهو‬
71( :‫ح ِكي ٌم﴾ )التوبة‬ َ ٌ‫ع ِزيز‬َ ََّ‫ن اهلل‬ َّ ِ‫ح ُم ُه ُم اهللَُّ إ‬
َ ‫سيَ ْر‬َ ‫ك‬ َ ‫سو َل ُه أُو َل ِئ‬ ُ ‫َو َر‬

“The Believers, men and women, are protectors one of another: they
enjoin what is just, and forbid what is evil: they observe regular
prayers, practise regular charity, and obey Allah and His Messenger.
On them will Allah pour His mercy: for Allah is Exalted in power,
Wise.” (9: 71)
What are the benefits of enjoining good
and forbidding evil for our society?
Please get together in groups of 4 and
discuss!
(10 Minutes)
Conclusion Enjoining Good
58

and Forbidding Evil

To protect our selves & families
The Prophet (s.a.w.) said: “The example of the people abiding by Allah's
order and restrictions in comparison to those who violate them is like the
example of those persons who drew lots for their seats in a boat. Some of
them got seats in the upper part, and the others in the lower. When the
latter needed water, they had to go up to bring water (and that troubled the
others) so they said, 'Let us make a hole in our share of the ship (and get
water) saving those who are above us from troubling them. So, if the
people in the upper part left the others do what they had suggested, all the
people of the ship would be destroyed, but if they prevented them, both
parties would be safe.“(Hadith)
People with good morality

Immoral people
To avoid Allah’s punishment
‫اص ًة‬ َ ‫ينب ا َّل ِذي َن ظَ َل ُموا ِمنْ ُك ْم‬
َّ ‫خ‬ َ َّ ‫ص‬ ِ ُ‫} َواتَّ ُقوا ِفتْنَ ًة ال ت‬
{ِ‫ش ِدي ُد ا ْل ِع َقاب‬ َّ َ ‫ع َل ُموا أ‬
َ ََّ‫ن اهلل‬ ْ ‫َوا‬

.(25 :‫)األنفال‬

“And guard yourselves against a punishment which

cannot fall exclusively on those of you who are
wrongdoers, and know that Allah is severe in
punishment.” (8: 25)
The Prophet (s.a.w.) said: "By no means, I swear
by Allah, you must enjoin what is good and
prohibit what is evil, prevent the wrongdoer,
bend him into conformity with what is right,
and restrict him to what is right… Or Allah will
mingle your hearts together and curse you as
He cursed them.” (Hadith)
 Salvation of Mankind
‫املُن َك ِر‬
ْ ‫ع ْن‬ ِ ‫امل َ ْع ُر‬
َ ْ‫وف َوتَنْ َهو‬
َ ‫ن‬ ْ ‫ن ِب‬
َ ‫م ُرو‬ ِ َّ‫ت لِلن‬
ُ ْ ‫اس تَأ‬ ْ ُ ‫م ٍة أ‬
َ ‫خ ِر‬
ْ ‫ج‬ َ ‫} ُكنْتُ ْم‬
َّ ُ ‫خ ْي َر أ‬
{َِّ‫ن ِباهلل‬َ ‫َوتُؤ ِْمنُو‬

(110 :‫)آل عمران‬

“You are the best of the nations raised up for the benefit
of mankind; you enjoin what is right and forbid the
wrong and believe in Allah.” (3: 110)
 What should we do
if people are not listening?
‫م ْهلِ ُك ُه ْم أ َ ْو‬ ُ َُّ‫ما اهلل‬ َ ‫م ٌة ِمنْ ُه ْم لِ َم تَ ِعظُو‬
ً ْ‫ن َقو‬ ْ ‫ َو إِذْ َقا َل‬...﴿
َّ ُ ‫ت أ‬
َ ‫م ْع ِذ َرةً إِ َلى َربِّ ُك ْم َو َل َع َّل ُه ْم يَتَّ ُقو‬
﴾‫ن‬ َ ‫ش ِدي ًدا َقا ُلوا‬ َ ‫عذَابًا‬ َ ‫م َعذِّبُ ُه ْم‬
ُ

(164 :‫)األعراف‬

“… a group of them said: Why do you preach to a people

whom Allah will destroy or visit with a terrible punishment?"
The preachers said : "To discharge our duty to our Lord, and
perchance they may fear Him." (7: 164)
 Is this concept against
personal freedom?
Islam allows constructive interference in personal
affairs of others to protect higher goods.

If “personal affairs” are violating the rights of:

1. Allah.
2. Society.
3. Individuals.
We have to stop them!
 66

It is no longer a “Personal
freedom” :
When you violate the rights of others.

When you injure other’s feelings.

When you commit indecency (munkar) openly.

When you encourage people to do evil.

 67

َ ‫ش ُة ِفي ا َّل ِذي َن آ‬

‫منُوا َل ُه ْم‬ ِ َ‫شيعَ ا ْلف‬
َ ‫اح‬ ِ َ‫ن ت‬
ْ َ‫ن أ‬ ِ ُ‫ن ا َّل ِذي َن ي‬
َ ‫حبُّو‬ َّ ِ‫﴿إ‬
َ ‫اآلخ َر ِة َواهللَُّ يَ ْع َل ُم َوأَنْتُ ْم ال تَ ْع َل ُمو‬
﴾‫ن‬ ِ ‫اب أَلِي ٌم ِفي ال ُّدنْيَا َو‬
ٌ َ‫عذ‬
َ

(19 :‫)النور‬

“Those who like to see scandals and indecency broadcast/

spread among the believers, will have a grievous penalty
in this life and in the Hereafter. Allah knows, and you do
not know.” (24: 19)
 68

How should we Enjoin Good

and Forbid Evil?
In an impressive & convincing manner

In a wise way. Don’t make people feel offended because

this can lead to even greater evil.
ِ ‫ج‬
‫اد ْل ُه ْم‬ َ ‫سنَ ِة َو‬
َ ‫ح‬َ ‫املَو ِْعظَ ِة ا ْل‬
ْ ‫ح ْك َم ِة َو‬ِ ‫ك ِبا ْل‬ َ ِّ‫س ِبي ِل َرب‬َ ‫ع إِ َلى‬ ُ ‫﴿ا ْد‬
َ‫هو‬ ُ ‫س ِبيلِ ِه َو‬َ ‫ع ْن‬َ ‫ض َّل‬ َ ‫ع َل ُم ِب َم ْن‬
ْ َ ‫هوَ أ‬ ُ ‫ك‬ َ َّ‫ن َرب‬ َّ ِ‫س ُن إ‬
َ ‫ح‬ ِ ‫ِبا َّل ِتي‬
ْ َ ‫هيَ أ‬
(125 :‫امل ُ ْهتَ ِدي َن﴾ )النحل‬ ْ ‫ع َل ُم ِب‬
ْ َ‫أ‬

Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and beautiful

preaching; and argue with them in ways that are best and
most gracious; for your Lord knows best, who have strayed
from His path, and who receives guidance. (16: 125)
 69

To avoid words-deeds
inconsistency
‫ن * َكبُ َر‬
َ ‫ما َال تَفْ َع ُلو‬َ ‫ن‬ َ ‫منُوا لِ َم تَ ُقو ُلو‬
َ َ ‫﴿يَاأَيُّ َها ا َّل ِذي َن آ‬
﴾‫ن‬ َ ‫ما َال تَفْ َع ُلو‬َ ‫ن تَ ُقو ُلوا‬ ْ َ ‫م ْقتًا ِعنْ َد اهللَِّ أ‬
َ

(3-2 :‫)الصف‬

“O you who believe! Why do you say that which you do

not? Grievously odious is it in the sight of Allah that you
say that which you do not.” (61: 2-3)
1. Get together in Pairs and think about one real life
example for each of the 6 Aspects of Amanah.

2. Get Together in Pairs and write a short article that

promotes doing good deeds from an Islamic perspective
(half a page) for one of the following audiences:
1. Children age 5
2. Children age 10
3. Parents
4. Grandparents

Submit before the end of Class!

 Assignment: Listen to the short lecture by Shaykh
Mufti Kamaluddin Ahmed: “D-Minus in Deen” and
answer the questions. Upload your assignment within
two weeks time on I-Ta’leem.
 WEEK 3
A Short Introductory Overview of Islamic Fiqh
 Definition of Fiqh
Linguistically:

fahm (profound and correct undestanding).

Technically:

The knowledge of detailed Shar‘i ahkam (legal rules)

pertaining to conduct derived from their specific
evidences.
 The Scope:
What does Fiqh Include?
IBADAT (Worship)

MUAMALAT (Transactions)

MUNAKAHAT (Marriage)

JINAYAT (Islamic Criminal Law)

i. HUDUD (Punishments revealed by Allah)

ii. QISAS (“revenge”)

iii. TA’ZIR (Punishments at the discretion of the Judge/ State)

 The Significance of Fiqh
Man is bound by responsibilities and duties towards his
Creator and towards his fellow creatures.

Knowledge of fiqh:

1. makes one aware of such obligations

2. guides the way how to conduct these obligations

3. helps in evaluating the validity one’s actions.

 Fiqh & Shari’ah
Shari ‘ah

A comprehensive term which includes:

i. Aqidah

ii. Fiqh

iii. Akhlaq

Shari ‘ah Fiqh

- Wider - Narrower
- Source = Qur’an - Qur’an, Sunnah & Sunnah
Ijtihad
- Unchangeable - Some parts may change
 Reflect on the Blessings Allah has
bestowed upon us by guiding us through
his perfect religion.
 WEEK 4
Ijtihad
The Emergence and Development of Fiqh
Schools of Fiqh
Ethics of Disagreement
 Ijtihad
The emergence of madhahib fiqhiyyah is the
result of practising ijtihad

What is ijtihad?
Interpretation of texts.
Deduction of ahkam (legal rulings) on new
incidents
Why Do We Need Ijtihad?
Texts which impart more than one meaning =
imply more than one interpretation.

Texts are limited in number while new incidents

are unlimited in number.

A lot of texts are in the form of general rules

and principles to embrace new incidents.
Emergence and Development
of Ijtihad
1. During the Era of Revelation

The main source of law was Revelation (the Qur’an).

Sunnah as an inspiration and guidance from Allah (s.w.t.)

to His Messenger (s.a.w.).

Ijtihad of Sahabah During Time of Revelation

There is but limited

Corrected by the Prophet (s.a.w.) or Revelation

If they disagree on any issue they refer it to the

Prophet (s.a.w.) and his decision is final
 2. Ijtihad in the Era of Sahabah

The scope is widened due to the following reasons:

Expansion of Muslim state (new people, new
customs and traditions)
Development of life (new challenges)

The result of this ijtihad:

Consensus of opinions of the ulama sahabah (ijma‘)
Disagreement (khilaf): No FINAL authority to unite
all opinions.
That was the seed of madhahib fiqhiyyah
 3. Post Sahabah (Tabi’in)

The scope became even wider

Mujtahids: scholars (who are specialized
in religious studies and mastered it)
developed their methods of ijtihad.

Madhahib (different schools) of law

started to take shape and developed
 What is a Madhab?
Emergence

A scholar’s approach of ijtihad = rules and principles

of interpretation + legal views and opinions

Development

The sum total of the scholar’s legal rulings as well as

the rulings of his students and that of all the
scholars who adhered to their approach of ijtihad.
The Work of the Mujtahid and the
Formation of the Madhab
The Mujtahid uses:
rules of interpretation + legal opinions

Students: adopt his approach + narrate &

record his legal opinions + spread those
opinions + enrich them

Those who adhere to his methodology of

ijtihad: spread the mazhab + enrich it +
formalize the mazhab.
The Four Major Madhahib
1. The Hanafi Madh-hab (Imam Abu Hanifah – Nu‘man ibn
Thabit – 703-767C.E.)

2. The Maliki Madh-hab (Imam Malik – Malik ibn Anas Amir –

717-801C.E.).

3. The Shafi‘i Madh-hab (Imam Al-Shafi‘i – Muhammad ibn Idris

Al-Shafi‘I – 769-820C.E.)

4. The Hanbali Madh-hab (Imam Ahmad – Ahmad ibn Hanbal

Al-Shaybane – 778-855C.E.)
 Schools of Fiqh
Abu Hanifah (Nu'man ibn Thabit)

born in Kufah (Iraq) in 80 A.H. and died in 150 AH

His father was a silk merchant of Persian origin.

Known as "the greatest Imam”

Met the companions of the Prophet and is counted

amongst the tabi’un (followers).

The Imam of the Iraqis and the leader of their school.

 Schools of Fiqh
Imam Malik ibn Anas

Born in Madinah 93 and died 168 A.H

The scholar of Madinah and the Imam of the people of

Hijaz.

He lived his whole life in Madinah where much of the Quran

was revealed and most of the legal practices of Islam
established.

The author of al-Muwatta.‘

Met Abu Hanifa and debated with him.

 Schools of Fiqh
Imam Muhammad ibn Idris al-Shafi'i

Born in Gaza in 150 and died in 204.

Travelled to Iraq and Hijaz and acquired knowledge

from the companions of Abu Hanifah and Malik.

Then he settled in Egypt and abandoned his old

opinions after establishing his new school.

The first to write about the legal theory (Usul al-fiqh)

 Schools of Fiqh
Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal

Born in Baghdad in 164 and died in 241.

Studied under Imam al Shafi'i.

One of the greatest memorizers and narrators of Hadith

of his time.

His school is mostly related to hadith.

The author of al-Musnad.

 Ethics of Disagreement
Ikhtilaf/ khilaf = difference/ disagreement

Difference is a universal phenomenon

“If your Lord had willed, He would have made all mankind
one single nation, but He willed it otherwise, and so they
continue to differ. ” [Qur’ān. 11:118]

Example of Disagreement among the schools of fiqh:

Journey to fight the tribe of Qurayzah: The Prophet gave an order to

Muslims not to pray 'Asr except at the tribe of Qurayzah. As the time
for 'Asr prayer arrived, some held the opinion that they should not
perform the prayer before reaching their destination, others took the
contrary opinion.

The Prophet (SAW) endorsed both opinions

 Let’s Talk About
Differences
They are positive and extremely beneficial provided that:
Differences do not exceed their limits (subsidiary not
fundamental matters),
They remain within the standard norms of ethics and
proper behavior.

Rejection of Impulsive Disagreements:

Prompted by egoistical desires to get personal,
psychological satisfaction or to achieve certain personal
objectives.
 Ethics of Differences
Early Muslims’s Ethics towards Differences:

They tried to avoid it (brotherhood transcends differences)

They remained firmly within the bounds of what is allowed
in striving to reach the truth - admit their error
They had tremendous respect for people of virtue,
knowledge, and understanding.

They regarded corrections as a form of assistance which a

person extended to his brother in faith.

They did not see it as exposing a fault.

 Get Together in Groups of 3 and develop a
schema that describes the development of the
four legal schools of law starting from the time
of the Sahabah. Submit it with your names
and student numbers at the end of class.
 WEEK 5
The Five Rulings of Islamic Law
 Five rulings of Islamic law
Hukm: judgment, judicial decision: It enjoins the mukallaf (the morally responsible
individual) to either do or refrain from an act, or gives him an option to do it or not.

1. Fard or Wajib (obligatory)

i. Fard 'ayn (personal duty)

ii. Fard kifayah (collective duty)

2. Mandub or Sunnah (recommended): Rewarded for performing, while no sin for

neglecting.

3. Haram (forbidden ):

i. Unlawful by itself. It means that the Lawgiver forbids this act from the very
beginning, such as adultery, theft etc.

ii. Unlawful due to extrinsic reason: Act that is initially obligatory, or recommended, or
permissible, but due to an extrinsic circumstance has made it unlawful. E.g. marry five
wives at the same time.

4. Makruh (discouraged): Rewarded for neglecting, while no sin for performing.

5. Mubah or Harus(permissible): Neither commanded nor prohibited

Hanafi’s Rulings of Islamic
law

Slightly different rulings in Hanafi Fiqh. For

those interested, please refer to the handout on
I-Ta’leem.
Ethical and Legal Implications
In the overall value structure of human conduct, the primary
evaluation is the religio-moral one. Thus, hukm/ law may by
classified into:

Haram: morally forbidden

Makruh: morally reprehensible in the sense that it does not

entail liability to punishment in this world or the next, but rather it
amounts to a form of moral shortcoming preventing a person
from achieving reward-able moral excellence.

Harus: Morally neutral

Sunna or mandub: Morally desirable

Wajib: Morally imperative

 Read the material uploaded on I-
Ta’leem about the different rulings in the
Hanafi school of law.
 WEEK 6
Maqāsid al-Shari'ah
Who determines what is in
man’s interest?
The lawgiver

Who is the law giver? Allah & His Messenger

Human reason (in light of texts, general principles

= should not contradict or violate the texts, nor
general principles)
 

Maqāsid al-Shari’ah: The Objectives of
al-Shari’ah
Promoting the best interests of human beings (Masālih
al-'Ibād):

To secure the interest of mankind that pertains to the

Hereafter.

To secure the interest of mankind pertaining to this

world.
 1. The Necessities (al-Daruriyyat)
Basic requirements to the survival and spiritual well-being
of individuals and societies.
Their destruction leads to seriously affecting human life
(basic human rights), demise of normal order, chaos in
society.
The Five Objectives of Shari’ah (Al-Kulliyyat al-Khams)
are protected under Necessities:
1. Religion (al-Din)

2. Life (al-Hayah)

3. Intellect/ reason (al-‘aql)

4. Lineage/ progeny/ family (al-nasl)

5. Property/ wealth (al-mal)

 2. The Needs (al-Hajiyyat)
Those interests which are needed to:
- support necessities
- remove severity and hardship
Their absence does not impose a threat to the very
survival of normal order and basic human rights

3. The Complementary
interests (al-Tahsiniyyat):
To attain perfection and refinement in human life.
 The rules of conflict and
priority:
1. The stronger interest shall prevail:

Although all the necessities should be observed,

promoted and protected, in case of conflict they
should be taken according to the following
order:

Daruriyyat have priority over the hajiyyat

Hajiyyat have priority over the tahsiniyyat.

 Examples for Rules of
Conflict and Priority
Din has precedence over life (jihad).

Religion has priority over intellect (freedom of thinking).

Religion has priority over property (spending/ haram

wealth).

Life has precedence over nasl (abortion).

Life has precedence over ‘aql (drinking wine, drugs for

medical purposes).

‘Aql has precedence over wealth (education) ...etc.

 Legal maxims (qawa’id) that govern
this rule
1. Committing the lesser of two harms.

2. Necessity dictates exception/ necessity overrules

prohibition.

3. That which became permissible by necessity is estimated by

the extent thereof.

4. Avoiding harm is prior to acquiring benefit.

5. The public interest is prior to the private

Get together in groups of 3 and try to develop
a schema that shows the interdependencies
between the different objectives of the Shari’a
and the rules of conflict and priority. Submit
after class.
How does Shari‘ah Preserve
the Five Basic Rights?
1. Affirmative measures = Establishment +
maintenance (obligations, recommendations,
permissible).

2. Protective measures = Prohibition + punishment.

1. Religion: ‫اﻟﺪﯾﻦ‬
Affirmative measures:
- Establishment: Revelation
- Maintenance: Continuous practice, da‘wah/ al-’amru bi
al-ma‘ruf
Protective measures:
a) Against insiders: Punishment for neglecting religious
obligations and apostasy, preventing evil
b) Against outsiders: Defending religion intellectually,
power and independence, Jihad.
2. Life: ‫اﻟﺤﯿﺎة‬
Affirmative measures:
- Establishment: Creation, marriage
- Maintenance: Providing sustenance, maintaining good health

Protective measures:
- Prohibition of any attack on human life without legal justification
(homicide, suicide, injuries

- Qisas.
3. Lineage: ‫اﻟﻨﺴﻞ‬
Affirmative measures:

- Establishment: Marriage

- Maintenance: Establishment of family +

responsibilities towards children.

Protective measures:
a) Against its discontinuity (demise): Prohibition of
abortion, sterilization, celibacy.
b) Against its confusion: Prohibition of adultery, false
accusation, surrogate motherhood and surrogated
fatherhood.
4. Intellect: ‫اﻟﻌﻘﻞ‬
Affirmative measures:

- Establishment: Created by Allah

- Maintenance: Education and pursuit of

knowledge - LIFE LONG LEARNING

Protective measures:

- Prohibition of intoxicants, drugs, prohibition of

believing in superstitions.
5. Property/ Wealth:‫اﻟﻤﺎل‬
Affirmative measures:

- Bounties given by Allah.

- Permission of trade and conducting business

(within the bounds of Shari’ah)

- Private Ownership.

Protective measures:

- Prohibition of violating the property of others,

extravagance, theft, misappropriation.
 Get together in groups of 3
and try to develop a schema
that shows the
interdependencies between the
different objectives of the
Shari’a and the rules of conflict
and priority. Submit after class.
 WEEK 7
Interpersonal Relations and Family Ethics in Islam
 The Rights of a Muslim
Over his Fellow Muslim
“Six are the rights of a Muslim over another Muslim:

1. When you meet him, offer him salam;

2. When he invites you to a feast accept it.

3. When he seeks your counsel give it to him;

4. When he sneezes and says: ‘alhamdulillah,’ you say

Yarhamuka Allah (may Allah show mercy to you);

5. When he falls ill, visit him.

6. When he dies go to his funeral.”

How to Behave Towards Your Co-Workers
1. Cooperation:
they have to work in collaboration with each other in good faith for the
best interests of their institution and the community as a whole.

ِ ‫﴿و َﺗ َﻌ َﺎو ُﻧوا َﻋ َﻠﻰ ا ْﻟ ِﺑ ﱢر َواﻟ ﱠﺗ ْﻘ َوى َوﻻ َﺗ َﻌ َﺎو ُﻧوا َﻋ َﻠﻰ اﻹِ ْﺛ ِم َوا ْﻟ ُﻌدْ َو‬
(2 :‫ان﴾ )اﻟﻣﺎﺋدة‬ َ
ِAnd help one another in goodness and piety, and do not help one
another in sin and aggression. (5: 2)

2. Mutual respect and avoiding interference in other’s personal affairs/

respect their right to privacy.
“It is a sign of sincere faith to avoid interfering in what does not concern
you”

3. To share knowledge and experience with others.

- It is the duty of a senior worker to pass his knowledge and experience to
his juniors.
How to Behave Towards Your Boss
1 - To obey them and observe the rule of law

(59 :‫ﺳول َ َوأ ُ ْوﻟِﻲ اﻷَ ْﻣ ِر ِﻣ ْﻧ ُﻛ ْم﴾ )اﻟﻧﺳﺎء‬ ‫﴿ َﯾﺎ أَ ﱡﯾ َﮭﺎ ا ﱠﻟذِﯾنَ آ َﻣ ُﻧوا أَطِ ﯾ ُﻌوا اﻟ ﱠﻠ َﮫ َوأَطِ ﯾ ُﻌوا ﱠ‬
ُ ‫اﻟر‬
“O you who believe! Obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in
authority from among you.” (4: 59)

There is no submission in matters involving God's disobedience or

displeasure. Submission is obligatory only in what is good (and
reasonable).

2 - To give them advice

ُ‫ﯿﺤﺔ‬
َ ‫ﺼ‬ ُ ‫ "اﻟ ﱢﺪ‬:‫ﺳﻠﱠ َﻢ ﻗَﺎ َل‬
ِ ‫ﯾﻦ اﻟﻨﱠ‬ َ ‫ﺻﻠﱠﻰ اﻟﻠﱠﮫ َﻋﻠَ ْﯿ ِﮫ َو‬ َ ‫ي أَ ﱠن اﻟﻨﱠﺒِ ﱠﻲ‬ ‫ﯿﻢ اﻟ ﱠﺪا ِر ﱢ‬ ٍ ‫روى ﻣﺴﻠﻢ َﻋﻦْ ﺗَ ِﻤ‬
"‫ﯿﻦ َو َﻋﺎ ﱠﻣﺘِ ِﮭ ْﻢ‬ ْ ‫ﺳﻮﻟِ ِﮫ َوﻷَﺋِ ﱠﻤ ِﺔ ا ْﻟ ُﻤ‬
َ ‫ﺴﻠِ ِﻤ‬ ُ ‫ﻗُ ْﻠﻨَﺎ ﻟِ َﻤﻦْ ﻗَﺎ َل ﻟِﻠﱠ ِﮫ َوﻟِ ِﻜﺘَﺎﺑِ ِﮫ َوﻟِ َﺮ‬
.(‫)ﻛﺘﺎب اﻹﯾﻤﺎن‬
The Prophet (s.a.w.) said: “‘Religion is to give honest advice.’ We
said: ‘For whom.’ He replied: “For Allah, His Book, and His Prophet
and to Muslim leaders and public.’” (Hadith, Muslim)
 How to Behave Towards Your
Subordinates
1-Consultation (shura) and getting feedback:

﴾‫ﺎو ْر ُھ ْم ﻓِﻲ اﻷَ ْﻣ ِر‬

ِ ‫ﺷ‬َ ‫اﺳ َﺗ ْﻐﻔ ِْر َﻟ ُﮭ ْم َو‬
ْ ‫ف َﻋ ْﻧ ُﮭ ْم َو‬ ْ ‫﴿ َﻓ‬
ُ ‫ﺎﻋ‬
(159 :‫)آل ﻋﻣران‬
“…So pardon them and ask forgiveness for them and consult with them
upon the conduct of affairs...” (3: 159)

:‫ورى َﺑ ْﯾ َﻧ ُﮭ ْم َو ِﻣ ﱠﻣﺎ َر َز ْﻗ َﻧﺎ ُھ ْم ُﯾ ْﻧﻔِﻘُونَ ﴾ )اﻟﺷورى‬

َ ‫ﺷ‬ُ ‫اﻟﺻﻼ َة َوأَ ْﻣ ُر ُھ ْم‬
‫اﺳ َﺗ َﺟﺎ ُﺑوا ﻟ َِر ﱢﺑ ِﮭ ْم َوأَ َﻗﺎ ُﻣوا ﱠ‬
ْ َ‫﴿وا ﱠﻟذِﯾن‬
َ
(38
“And those who answer the call of their Lord and establish worship, and
whose affairs are a matter of counsel, and who spend of what We have
bestowed on them.” (42: 38)

2- To be kind and lenient with them

‫ "اﻟـ ﱠﻠ ُﮭ ﱠم َﻣـنْ َوﻟِ َـﻲ ﻣِـنْ أَ ْﻣ ِـر أ ُ ﱠﻣـﺗِﻲ‬:‫ﺳـ ﱠﻠ َم ﻗـﺎل‬ َ ‫ﺻـ ﱠﻠﻰ اﻟـ ﱠﻠﮫ َﻋـ َﻠ ْﯾ ِﮫ َو‬
َ ‫ﺳـول اﻟـ ﱠﻠ ِﮫ‬ُ ‫ﺷ َﺔ أن َر‬ َ ‫روى ﻣﺳـﻠم ﻋـن َﻋـﺎ ِﺋـ‬
.(‫ﺎرﻓُ ْق ِﺑﮫِ" )ﻛﺗﺎب اﻹﻣﺎرة‬ َ ‫ﺷﻘُ ْق َﻋ َﻠ ْﯾ ِﮫ َو َﻣنْ َوﻟ َِﻲ ﻣِنْ أَ ْﻣ ِر أ ُ ﱠﻣﺗِﻲ‬
ْ ‫ﺷ ْﯾ ًﺋﺎ َﻓ َر َﻓ َق ِﺑ ِﮭ ْم َﻓ‬ ْ ‫ﺷ ﱠق َﻋ َﻠ ْﯾ ِﮭ ْم َﻓﺎ‬
َ ‫ﺷ ْﯾ ًﺋﺎ َﻓ‬
َ
The Prophet (s.a.w.) said: “O Allah, who (happens to) acquire some kind of
control over the affairs of my people and is hard upon them-be hard upon
him, and who (happens to) acquire some kind of control over the affairs of
my people and is kind to them-be kind to him.” (Hadith. Muslim)
 How to Behave Towards Your
Subordinates

3- To serve them honestly and sincerely

‫ِـﯾر َﯾـﻠِﻲ‬
‫ﻣ‬ َ
ٍ ‫ " َﻣـﺎ ﻣِـنْ أ‬:‫ﺳـ ﱠﻠ َم ﻗـﺎل‬
َ ‫ﺻـ ﱠﻠﻰ اﻟـ ﱠﻠﮫ َﻋـ َﻠ ْﯾ ِﮫ َو‬ َ ‫ﺳـول َ اﻟـ ﱠﻠ ِﮫ‬ ُ ‫ﺎر أن َر‬ ٍ ‫ـﺳ‬
َ ‫ـن َﯾ‬ ِ ‫روى ﻣﺳـﻠم ﻋـن َﻣ ْـﻌﻘ ِِل ْﺑ‬
َ ‫أَ ْﻣ َر ا ْﻟ ُﻣ ْﺳﻠِﻣِﯾنَ ُﺛ ﱠم ﻻ َﯾ ْﺟ َﮭ ُد َﻟ ُﮭ ْم َو َﯾ ْﻧ‬
"‫ﺻ ُﺢ إِﻻّ َﻟ ْم َﯾدْ ُﺧلْ َﻣ َﻌ ُﮭ ُم ا ْﻟ َﺟ ﱠﻧ َﺔ‬
The Prophet (s.a.w.) said: “A ruler who, having obtained control over the
affairs of the Muslims, does not strive for their betterment and does not
serve them sincerely shall not enter Paradise with them.” (Hadith,
Muslim)

4- Respect for their opinions and beliefs

How to Behave With Your Neighbors
Allah's Messenger (saw) said: “Jibril kept impressing upon me kind
treatment towards the neighbour that I thought as if he would
confer upon him the right of inheritance.”

1- To avoid causing them any kind of harm

‫ ﻻ َﯾـدْ ُﺧـل ُ ا ْﻟ َـﺟ ﱠﻧ َﺔ َﻣـنْ ﻻ َﯾـﺄْ َﻣـنُ َﺟـﺎ ُرهُ َﺑ َـوا ِﺋـ َﻘ ُﮫ" )ﺻـﺣﯾﺢ‬:َ ‫ﺳـ ﱠﻠ َم َﻗـﺎل‬
َ ‫ﺻـ ﱠﻠﻰ اﻟـ ﱠﻠﮫ َﻋـ َﻠ ْﯾ ِﮫ َو‬ ُ ‫َﻋـنْ أَ ِﺑـﻲ ُھ َـر ْﯾ َـر َة أَنﱠ َر‬
َ ‫ﺳـول َ اﻟـ ﱠﻠ ِﮫ‬
.(‫ ﻛﺗﺎب اﻹﯾﻣﺎن‬:‫ﻣﺳﻠم‬
Abu Huraira narrated that the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) observed: “He who does
not secure his neighbour from his wrongful conduct, will not enter Paradise.” (Hadith,
Muslim)

2- To help and be kind to them

The Messenger of Allah (saw) said: “He who believes in Allah and the Last Day
should either utter good words or better keep silent; and he who believes in
Allah and the Last Day should treat his neighbour with kindness and he
who believes in Allah and the Last Day should show hospitality to his guest.”
How to Behave With Your Neighbors
Abu Dharr reported Allah’s Messenger (s.a.w.) commanded me
that: “whenever you prepare a broth (meat soup), add water to it,
and have in your mind the members of the household of your
neighbours and then give them out of this with courtesy.” (Hadith,
Muslim)

‫ﺳﺎ ًﻧﺎ َو ِﺑذِي ا ْﻟﻘُ ْر َﺑﻰ َوا ْﻟ َﯾ َﺗﺎ َﻣﻰ‬ َ ‫ﺷ ْﯾ ًﺋﺎ َو ِﺑﺎ ْﻟ َواﻟِدَ ْﯾ ِن إِ ْﺣ‬
َ ‫ﺷ ِر ُﻛوا ِﺑ ِﮫ‬ ْ ‫اﻋ ُﺑدُوا اﻟ ﱠﻠ َﮫ َوﻻ ُﺗ‬ ْ ‫﴿و‬
َ
‫ﯾل َو َﻣﺎ َﻣ َﻠ َﻛ ْت‬ ِ ‫اﻟﺳ ِﺑ‬
‫ب َوا ْﺑ ِن ﱠ‬ ِ ‫ب ِﺑﺎ ْﻟ َﺟ ْﻧ‬ ِ ‫اﻟﺻﺎ ِﺣ‬
‫ب َو ﱠ‬ ِ ‫ﺎر ا ْﻟ ُﺟ ُﻧ‬
ِ ‫ﺟ‬ َ ْ
‫ﻟ‬ ‫ا‬‫و‬َ ‫ﻰ‬ ‫ﺑ‬َ ‫ر‬
ْ ُ ‫ﺎر ذِي ا ْﻟﻘ‬
ِ ‫ِﯾن َو َا ْﻟ َﺟ‬ َ ‫َوا ْﻟ َﻣ‬
ِ ‫ﺳﺎﻛ‬
(36 :‫ورا﴾ )اﻟﻧﺳﺎء‬ ً ‫ِب َﻣنْ َﻛﺎنَ ُﻣ ْﺧ َﺗﺎﻻ َﻓ ُﺧ‬ ‫أ ْﯾ َﻣﺎ ُﻧ ُﻛ ْم إِنﱠ اﻟ ﱠﻠ َﮫ ﻻ ُﯾﺣ ﱡ‬
“Worship Allah, and join not any partners with Him; and do good to: parents,
kinsfolk, orphans, those in need, neighbours who are near, neighbours who
are strangers, the companion by your side, the wayfarer (you meet), and
what your right hands possess, for Allah does not like the arrogant, the
vainglorious” (4:36).
The Institution of Family in
Islam
Family is the basic unit of society, and therefore, Islam lays great
emphasis on the family system and its ethical values.

The basis of family is marriage through a legal contract.

Islam prescribes rules to regulate family life so that both spouses

can live in tranquility, security and love.

Marriage in Islam has aspects of ‘ibadah (worship) of Allah in the

sense that it is in accordance with His commandments, where a
husband and wife should love and help each other and rear their
children to become true vicegerents of Allah on earth.

Islam considers marriage to be one of the most virtuous and

approved institutions.
 Family in Islam: Basic
Principles
Family as a Divinely-inspired institution

Marriage has been described as one of the signs of Allah’s

power and blessings:
‫س ُكنُوا إِ َليْ َها‬ ِ ُ‫م ْن أَنف‬
ْ َ‫س ُك ْم أَزْ َواجا ً ِّلت‬ ِّ ‫خ َلقَ َل ُكم‬ َ ‫ن‬ ْ َ ‫﴿ َو ِم ْن آيَا ِت ِه أ‬
﴾‫ن‬ ٍ َ‫ك َآلي‬
َ ‫ات ِّل َقوْم ٍ يَتَفَ َّك ُرو‬ َ ِ‫ن ِفي ذَل‬ َّ ِ‫ح َم ًة إ‬
ْ ‫موَ َّدةً َو َر‬
َّ ‫ج َع َل بَيْنَ ُكم‬ َ ‫َو‬
(21 :‫)الروم‬

"And among His signs is that He has created for you spouses
from among yourselves so that you may live in tranquility
with them; and He has created love and mercy between you.
Verily, in that are signs for those who reflect."(30:21)
Marriage is part of the Prophet’s Sunnah: “Marriage
is part of my Sunnah – whoever runs away from
my path, is not from amongst us.” (Hadith)
Faith constitutes the bedrock for the institution of the
family… a Muslim is not permitted to marry a non-
Muslim.
Family institution as ‘a social contract’ (nikāh means
‘aqd – contract,’ and not ‘a divine contract’ …in the
Qur`ān marriage is referred to ‘‫( ”ﻣﯾﺛﺎﻗﺎ ﻏﻠﯾظﺎ‬strong
covenant)
The only legitimate way to establish family is
through a proper marriage.
Equality of the sexes
 Measures to Avoid Intimate
Relationships Outside the Bond of
Marriage
1. Prohibition of looking with desire at the
opposite gender.
2. People should be dressed properly.
3. Prohibition of excessive beautification
4. Prohibition of khalwah (No one on one in a
closed environment!)
5. No boyfriends! No girlfriends!
 1. Prohibition of looking with
desire at the opposite gender
َ ‫حفَظُوا فُ ُر‬
*...‫وج ُه ْم‬ ْ َ‫ه ْم َوي‬ ِ ‫صا ِر‬ َ ْ‫ضوا ِم ْن أَب‬ُّ ‫غ‬ َ ‫﴿ ُق ْل لِ ْل ُمؤ ِْم ِن‬
ُ َ‫ني ي‬
َ ‫حفَظْ َن فُ ُر‬
﴾...‫وج ُه َّن‬ ِ ‫صا ِر‬
ْ َ‫ه َّن َوي‬ َ ْ‫ض َن ِم ْن أَب‬ْ ‫ض‬
ُ ‫غ‬ ْ َ‫ات ي‬ِ َ‫َو ُق ْل لِ ْل ُمؤ ِْمن‬
(31-30 :‫)النور‬
“Say to the believing men that they lower their looks
and guard their private parts; …* And say to the
believing women that they lower their looks and guard
their private parts…” (24: 30-31).
2. People should be dressed
properly
What is a proper dress?
a) It must cover the ‘awrah properly. It is prohibited
for a Muslim to expose his / her ‘awrah to others, as
it is prohibited to look at the ‘awrah of someone.

The Prophet (s.a.w.) said: “A man should not look at

the ‘awrah of another man, nor a woman at the
‘awrah of a woman, nor should a man go under one
cloth with another man, nor a woman with another
woman.” (Hadith, Muslim)
 The limits of ‘awrah:
For a man: from his navel to his knee.
For a woman:
with respect to a man who is not her mahram, it is her
entire body except her face and hands.

with respect to a man who is her mahram (except the

husband) does not include the following parts: hair,
ears, neck, upper part of the chest, arms and legs
up to knees.

Other parts from the knees to the beginning of the upper

part of the chest are ‘awrah and should not be exposed
before anyone, man or woman except her husband.
 The limits of ‘awrah:
a. Headscarf must cover the bosom

‫ع َلى جُ يُو ِب ِه َّن َوال يُب ِْدي َن‬ ِ ‫خمُ ِر‬

َ ‫ه َّن‬ ْ ‫﴿ َوال يُب ِْدي َن ِزينَتَ ُه َّن إِالَّ مَا ظَ َه َر ِمنْهَا َو ْلي‬
ُ ‫َض ِر ْب َن ِب‬
(31 :‫﴾ )النور‬... ‫ِزينَتَ ُه َّن‬

“… and do not display their ornaments except what appears thereof, and
let them wear their head-coverings over their bosoms, and not
display their ornaments…” (24: 31)

b. The Cloth must not be transparent, revealing what is underneath it.

In one Hadith the Prophet (s.a.w.) says: “I will be a witness for two types
of people who are destined for the Fire: people with whips, like the tails
of cows, who beat the people (i.e., tyrannical rulers who are the
enemies of their own people), and women who, although clothed, are
yet naked, who would be inclined (to evil) and make people incline
towards them. Their hair styled like the humps of camels inclined to one
side. They will not enter Paradise and they would not smell its odour
whereas its odour would be smelt from such and such
distance.” (Hadith, Muslim)
c) It must be loose and not tight-fitting so as to define the
parts of his / her body.

This type of clothes falls under the previous Hadith “dressed

but yet naked”.

Tight jeans and other types of trousers worn with sweaters,

sweat-shirts or T-shirts are considered un-Islamic and it is
prohibited for a Muslim woman to wear them outside even
during free time.

d) It should not be specifically designed for the opposite

gender.

The Prophet (s.a.w.) cursed women who try to resemble men

and men who try to resemble women, and prohibited women
from wearing men’s clothes and vice versa. (Hadith, Al-
Bukhari and others)

132
e. It should not be specifically designed for non-
Muslims

as required by their religion, tradition, or culture

It does not apply to those clothes which are common

among people and don’t carry any religious or
cultural specifications.

The Prophet (saw) said: “Whoever imitates a people

is one of them.” (Hadith)

f. Men should not use gold and pure silk.

g. Double Covering for men

 3. Prohibition of Excessive
Beautification
Excessive beautification excites people, e.g. heavy
make-up, (strong) perfume, and sexy clothes.

(31 :‫ني ِم ْن ِزينَ ِت ِه َّن﴾ )النور‬

َ ‫خ ِف‬ َ ‫جلِ ِه َّن لِ ُي ْع َل َم‬
ْ ُ‫ما ي‬ ُ ‫ض ِر ْب َن ِبأ َ ْر‬
ْ َ‫﴿ َوال ي‬
“…and let them not strike their feet so that what they
hide of their ornaments may be known …” (24: 31)
According to a Hadith, “when a woman puts on
perfume and goes among people so that its scent
reaches them, she is an adulteress, and any eye
which is attracted to her is that of an
adulterer.” (Reported by al-Nisai)
 4.Prohibition of Khalwah
(Privacy)
Khalwah denotes a man and woman’s being alone together
in a place in which there is no fear of intrusion by anyone
else, so there exists an opportunity for sexual intimacy.

Islam prohibits khalwah between a man and a woman who

are outside the mahram relationship.

The term “mahram” denotes a relationship either by close

blood ties or by marriage of such degree that marriage is
permanently prohibited.

A mahram is: husband, any male relative with whom

marriage is permanently prohibited (father, father in-law,
grandfather, son, brother, uncle or nephew).
 Prohibition of Khalwah
(Privacy)
The Prophet (s.a.w.) said: “Whoever believes in Allah and
the Last Day must never be in privacy with a woman without
there being a mahram (of hers) with her, for otherwise
Satan will be the third person (with them)”. (Hadith, Ahmed)

The Prophet (s.a.w.) also said: “Beware of entering

where women are’. A man from the Ansar asked: ‘O
Messenger of Allah, what about the in-law?’ He replied:
‘The in-law is death.’” (Hadith, al-Bukhari and Muslim)
 5. No Boyfriends! No
Girlfriends!
It is against the prohibition of looking with desire at the

opposite sex

It entails privacy (khalwah)

This practice is automatically accompanied by having

romance, touching the other person or even sex.

 Criteria of Selecting
Spouses
The Prophet (s.a.w.) said: “A woman is married for four
things, i.e., her wealth, her family status, her beauty, and
her religion. So you should marry a woman for her religion
or you will be a loser.” (Hadith, al-Bukhari)

The Prophet (s.a.w.) said: “When someone with whose

religion and character you are satisfied asks for your
daughter in marriage, accede to his request. If you do not
do so there will be corruption and great evil on the
earth.” (Hadith, al-Tirmidhi)
 FOUNDATION OF
MARRIAGE
1. Marriage must be as permanent as possible.

“Do not divorce women unless for genuine reason, for

Allah does not like 'tasters' (those who merely look for
new experiences). (al-Tabarani).

2. Marriage must be based on mutual consent.

A woman who has been previously married (a divorcee

or widow) has more right concerning her person than
her guardian, and a virgin' consent must be consulted
about herself, her consent being her silence. (Muslim).
 FOUNDATION OF
MARRIAGE
3. Reasonable Dowry. (and resonable spending for
ceremonies/ parties)

'Aisha reported that the Prophet said, "The most blessed

wives are those wives whose dowry is affordable.“

4. Both have similar rights of good treatments

"And they have rights similar to those against them

(rights of husband) in a just manner, and men are a
degree above them (external authority in the household)"
(the Quran, 2: 227)
The Prophet (s.a.w.) said: “Every one
of you is a guardian and every one will
be asked about his subjects... A man is
the guardian of the persons in his
household and he will be answerable
about them. A woman is the guardian
of her husband’s house and she will be
asked about her responsibility…”
(Hadith)
 Responsibility of a Child
Towards His Parents

Treat them with kindness and respect.

َ ‫ضى َر ُّب َك أ َ َّال تَ ْعبُ ُدوا إِ َّال إِ َّيا ُه َو ِبا ْل َوالِ َد ْي ِن إِ ْح‬
‫سانًا‬ َ ‫َو َق‬

“Your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him,
and to be kind to parents…” [Quran 4:36]
 RESPONSIBILITY OF A
HUSBAND
1. To provide suitable maintenance for his wife and children.

The wife of Abu Sufyan, complained to the Prophet about her husband's
miserliness in not providing her and her children with proper necessities.
The Prophet allowed that she may take from her husband's wealth what
was reasonably sufficient for their maintenance.’” (al-Bukhari).

2. To be kind, accommodating, and to treat his wife in a loving

manner.

"The most perfect believers are those who are the best-mannered
and the most tender with their wives.“ (Hadith)

“No believing man should hate a believing woman. If he dislikes one

of her characteristics, there will be others that do please
him.” (Muslim)
RESPONSIBILITY OF A
WIFE
To create a comfortable, soft and relaxing atmosphere in
the house.

To be loving and obedient to her husband.

Not going out of the house except with the husband’s

permission.

The Prophet said: If a woman prays, fasts, guards her

chastity and obeys her husband, let her enter Paradise by
whichever door she likes.
 DUTIES TOWARDS
CHILDREN
1. Selection of good parents.

2. Right to legitimacy: legitimate father and mother, prohibition of legal

adoption: to retain his original family’s name and to know his real
parents.

3. Right to life (prohibition of infanticide, abortion).

4. Right to equal life chances (no discrimination between male and

female).

5. Right to general care: material, spiritual, and educational/

intellectual care.
 Responsibility of Both -
Husband and Wife
To help each other to follow the right way and practice Islam
and safeguard him / her against evil and sins

To be kind, understanding, forgiving, and treat the other side

in a tender and loving manner.

To meet the psychological and physical needs of the other side.

Focus on positive aspects and appreciate them. Avoid focusing

on negative ones and try to tolerate them.

Every side has to avoid any extramarital intimate relationship,

or such relations that may cast suspicion on his/her behaviour.
 Ethnic Relation in Islam: Basic Principles
Humanity lives today in a “global village,” where no people or nation can live
in isolation from and indifferent to what goes on elsewhere. Our world is so
interdependent and so interrelated that peaceful dialogue has become an
imperative. The basic principles of constructing good foundations for ethnic
relation in Islam are:

1. Faith in the One Universal God

2. Allah is One and is impartial toward His creation. He provides for all,
including those who reject faith in Him or even those who defy Him.

3. Unity and universality of the core teachings of all Prophets.

4. Universal human dignity.

5. Necessity of Islamic Da’wah.

6. No coercion (force) in religion.

“Allah 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 Allah loves those
who are just. Allah 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.” (al-Mumtahinah: 8-9)
 Project
Choose a theme:
1. Enjoining Good and Forbidding Evil
2. Family Ethics
 WEEK 8
Bio-Medical Issues
 Family Planning: Birth
Control
The use of birth control methods to choose the
number and timing of children born into a family.
1. To limit the number of children to a very small
number.
2. To distance the occurrences of pregnancies for a
specific period of time.
3. To eliminate the possibility of having children.
 

Contraception
Islam encourages having many children.

Family planning due to valid reasons and recognized

necessities is allowed.

Method of contraception at the time of the Prophet was

‘azal.

Jabir reported: “We used to practise 'azl (withdrawing

the male sexual organ before emission of semen to avoid
conception) during the lifetime of Allah’s Messenger
(s.a.w.). He (s.a.w.), came to know about it, but did not
prohibit it.” (Hadith, al-Bukhari and Muslim)
 Contraception
The Prophet (s.a.w.) did not prohibit contraception but he did
not encourage it.
It would be lawful for a couple to use contraceptive methods if
they opt for it, provided that: It does not involve pregnancy
termination.
It should not be made as a general policy of a Muslim
community as it may be exploited by anti-Muslims to affect
Muslim communities and turn them to minorities.
It should not be imposed on anyone by anyone, as it is the
absolute right of everyone to have children.
It should be practised only with the consent of both sides;
husband and wife
 Sterilization
TWO TYPES:
1. Vasectomy: A surgical procedure leading to the sterilization of
man. It is a procedure that involves cutting, tying and sealing
both the tubes running sperm from testicles to the urethra and
penis.
It is a way to prevent ejaculation permanently.
2. For women, oviducts (tubes that run eggs) are surgically cut and
sealed, preventing an egg from reaching the womb or from even
coming in contact with sperm but allowing ovulation to continue.
It is a way to prevent pregnancy permanently for women.
 Rulings on Sterilization:
Sterilization is not lawful in Islam. It is against one of the
main objectives of creating the two different sexes; that is
to have children and cause the continuation of human
race.
Sa‘d bin Abi Waqqas says: “the idea of 'Uthman bin Madh'un for living
in celibacy was rejected by the Prophet (s.a.w.), and if he had been
given permission they would have got themselves castrated
(sterilized).” (Hadith, Muslim)

It may practised under cases of necessity:

When pregnancy becomes dangerous to the mother’s life (determined

by trustworthy-Muslim doctors) and when other alternatives of
contraception have been exhausted without being effective.

Marriage for two persons infected with AIDS, HIV.

 ASSISTED REPRODUCTION
METHODS
There are two different methods:

1. In vitro fertilization/ IVF (test tube babies)

This is a method of assisted reproduction in which the man’s sperm and woman’s
egg are taken and then combined in a laboratory dish, where fertilization occurs.

The resulting pre-embryo is then transferred to the woman’s uterus.

2. Artificial Insemination

A method of inducing pregnancy in a female mammal by injecting sperm into the

womb.

Both would be lawful if:

If the sperm is taken from the legal husband

In a continuing marital life (valid marriage contract)

But if the sperm used is from a third party or one who is not a legal husband or
from the husband but after divorce or his death, it will be prohibited.
 SURROGACY
An arrangement whereby a woman agrees to
become pregnant and deliver a child for a
contracted party.
Surrogate motherhood:
1. The sperm and the egg are taken respectively from a
legitimate husband and wife. The egg fertilized and then
implanted in the womb of another woman who is not the
wife of that man. (Uterus).
2. The sperm is taken from the legitimate husband but the egg is taken from
another woman who is not his legal wife. The egg is fertilized and then
implanted in the womb of his legal wife. (Egg)
 SURROGACY
3. The sperm is taken from the legitimate husband but the
egg is taken from another woman who is not his legal
wife. The egg is fertilized and then implanted in the womb
of the same woman from whom the egg was taken. (Egg
+ uterus – same woman).

4. The sperm is taken from the legitimate husband but the

egg is taken from another woman who is not his legal
wife. The egg is fertilized and then implanted in the womb
of a third woman. (Egg + uterus – different women)

These four forms are haram because in each case a

third party who is not a legitimate wife is involved.
 SURROGACY
5. The sperm is taken from a husband who have more than one
wife. The egg is taken from one wife. After fertilizing the egg
the pre-embryo is implanted in the womb of the second wife.

Regarding this case, most of Muslim scholars believe it is

unlawful too. Although the sperm is not strange to the womb
since it is the womb of his second wife, but the egg is a
stranger because it is from another woman.

Another objection is that the woman who is bearing the

embryo may conceive from her husband using her own egg
whereas the embryo implanted may fail to develop and this
may lead to confusion: to whom the foetus belongs?
 Remember!!!
Marital life is limited to its legitimate parties. Any
practice that may involve any third party (either a
man or a woman) in any form (whether in the form of
semen, an ovum, an embryo, or a womb) is unlawful.

Any interference to violate the contract of marriage

by introducing any third party (male or female) by a
normal way or a biomedical technique is violation of
Islamic law. Thus, it is forbidden.
 Remember!!!

Blood relationship is the fundamental basis of marriage

and inheritance in Islam. Any practice that may undermine
family ties or create lineage confusion is forbidden.

Destruction of the concept of motherhood.

Weakening of familial relations.

Confusion in lineage.
 WEEK 9
Adoption, Abortion, Euthanasia
 

Adoption
In Islam, legal adoption is prohibited.

“Nor has He made your adopted sons your (real)

sons” (33:4-5)

Arabs of Jahiliyyah used to add anyone they wished to

their lineage and family through adoption. Before this
practice became outlawed, the Prophet (saw) adopted
Zaid bin Harithah.

However, we can take foster children.

 LEGAL
FOSTER PARENTING
ADOPTION

1.
Take the name of Initial family name is
the new family retained

Not entitled to inheritance

because of his status as
Entitled to
2. family member – can be
inheritance given through wasiyyah up
to 1/3
3. Not Mahram
 Abortion
The expulsion of the products of pregnancy before the foetus is viable. Any interruption of
human pregnancy prior to the 28th week (6 months) is known as Abortion.

Legal Rulings:

1. After quickening (the soul breathed in the body).

Prohibited (Consensus - Ijma’). This includes cases when the fetus is a result of
unlawful sexual intercourse, rape or incest.

When is the soul breathed into the fetus? There are two opinions:
After 40 days

After 120 days

2. Before quickening (40 days / 120 days)

Few scholars: Permissible

Few scholars: Reprehensible

The majority: Prohibited!!! Only allowed for justifiable reasons (rape, incest,
genetic diseases)
Why is Abortion prohibited?
It is an assault against human life.

Harmful (mentally, emotionally, physically).

Ethical impact: It encourages adultery
especially among teens.
 Euthanasia (Mercy Killing)
People who are involved:
A patient in a persistent vegetative state who
is awake but is not aware of his self or the
environment.
Patient in terminal illness who may or may not
be subject to life-support machine.
People suffering from great pain.
 Euthanasia (Mercy Killing)
Types of Euthanasia:
a) Active Euthanasia:
An act of commission by taking action that leads to death, e.g. a
lethal injection.
This is prohibited and an act of Murder
b) Passive Euthanasia:
Letting a person die by taking no action to maintain his life, like
stopping giving medications to one whose life is dependent on it.
Withholding medical or surgical procedures and life-support systems.
Different Opinions exist here
 WEEK 10
Plastic Surgery, Organ Transplantation, LBGT
 Plastic Surgery
The surgical speciality concerned with the
treatment of structural deformity and
disfigurement. It is also involved with the
enhancement of the appearance of a person
(beauty).
There are two major types of Plastic Surgery:

1. Cosmetic Surgery

2. Reconstructive Surgery
 1. Cosmetic Surgery:
Performed to reshape normal structures of the
body to improve the person’s appearance
such as:
i. Facelift (medical operation in which the skin
of a person’s face is tightened in order to make
them look younger) and attempts to reverse the
signs of ageing
2. Surgery of breasts (to increase or decrease
the size of the breasts).
‘Abdullah reported that Allah had cursed those
women who tattoo and who have themselves
tattooed, those who pluck hair from their faces
and who have their facial hair plucked, and
those who make spaces between their teeth
for beautification changing what Allah has
created. (Hadith, Muslim)
Excessive beautification.
Entails deception.

Changing creation of Allah.

Entails dissatisfaction with one’s creation.
Pride and show-off.
Not needed/ no harm to be removed.
Concentration on carnal beauty.

Wasting of money.
 2. Reconstructive Surgery
Performed on abnormal structures of the body:
Congenital defects (defects that exist since or before
birth): Abnormally turned-out lips, split lips, twisted fingers
or toes...etc.
Developmental abnormalities: Tumours (a mass of cells
growing in or on a part of the body where they should not,
deformed teeth…etc.)
Injuries: Scars left by leprosy or other skin diseases, or
scars caused by accidents and burns…etc.
This type of surgery may be permitted because these
faults and scars usually cause physical and psychological
pain to the person inflicted with them. Moreover, operating
on them is not considered to be changing the creation of
Allah.
 Organ Donation and
Transplantation
Legal justification

َ ‫و َﻣنْ أَ ْﺣ َﯾﺎھَﺎ َﻓ َﻛﺄ َ ﱠﻧ َﻣﺎ أَ ْﺣ َﯾﺎ اﻟ ﱠﻧ‬...﴿

(32 :‫﴾ )اﻟﻣﺎﺋدة‬...ً ‫ﺎس َﺟﻣِﯾﻌﺎ‬ َ
- “… and who saved a life it would be as if he saved
the lives of all mankind.” (5: 32)
- Charity.
- Necessity dictates exception.
- Choice of the lesser evil if both can’t be avoided.
- Prohibition of sale or exchange.
 Who can be Donors?
- Children/ minors/ under guardianship
- Adults:
- Living
- Dead:

Explicit acceptance or rejection to become

donor or receipient
- No will
 Rulings Concerning Organ
Transplantation
It is permissible to transplant an organ from one place in a person’s body to another place in
the same body; expected benefits outweigh any possible harm; remove a deformity that is
causing the person psychological or physical harm.

It is permissible to transplant an organ from the body of one person to another if it is an

organ that renews itself automatically, such as blood and skin.

It is permissible to make use of organs that have been taken from the body of another
person due to sickness, such as taking the cornea from the eye of a person whose eye has
been removed due to sickness.

Haram to transplant an organ from a living person when its removal may cause an essential
function to cease, even though his life does not depend on it, such as taking the corneas of
both eyes.

Transplant from a dead after permission by:

i. The deceased before his death, or
ii. His heirs after his death, or

iii. The authorities in charge of the Muslims if the identity of the deceased is unknown or he has
no heirs.
 Trans-Sexuality
Refers to people who have a compelling
sense that their gender identity is not in
conformity with the physiological or
biological sex they are born with.
This may lead some to seek gender (or sex)
reassignment surgery to make her/his
biological or physiological sex correspond
to her/his gender identity.
 Trans-sexuality can be addressed through three
similar phenomena:
1. Hermaphrodite: An abnormal individual especially
among the higher animals or among human
beings having both male and female reproductive
organs.
2. Homosexuality: A typical sexuality characterized
by manifestation of sexual desire toward a
member of one’s own sex.
3. Transvestitism: The practice of adopting the
dress, the manner, and frequently the sexual role
of the opposite sex.
 Islam forbids trans-sexuality. This is based on the
following Ahadith:

Ibn 'Abbas has narrated that “Allah’s Prophet

cursed those men who are in the similitude
(assume the manners) of women and those
women who are in the similitude (assume the
manners) of men.” (Hadith, al-Bukhari)

Abu Hurairah narrated that “the Prophet of Allah

(s.a.w.) cursed the man who dressed like a woman
and the woman who dressed like a man.” (Hadith,
Abu Dawud)
 

LGBT

“And (remember) (Lut), when he said to his people: ‘Do

you commit the worst sin such as none preceding you
has committed in the worlds (mankind and jinn)? Verily,
you practice your lusts on men instead of women. Nay,
but you are a people transgressing beyond bounds (by
committing great sins)” [7:80-81] 
WEEK 11
Issues in ICT
 

Definition of Defamation

Prophet Muhammad SAW said: Do you know what backbiting

is?" They said, "God and His Messenger know best." He then
said, "It is to say something about your brother that he would
dislike." Someone asked him, "But what if what I say is true?"
The Messenger of God said, "If what you say about him is true,
you are backbiting him, but if it is not true then you have
slandered him. (Muslim)
 

Defamation
Lies, suspicion, back biting, slander and gossip are: totally alien
to Islam.

amongst the most destructive of major sins.

sow enmity and discord and lead to destruction.

Like eating the flesh of his dead brother (49:12)

The deed was most serious in the sight of God (24: 15)

The Prophet SAW says: When man wakes up in the morning

each day, all parts of the body warn the tongue saying, ‘Fear
God as regards us for we are at your mercy; if you are upright,
we will be upright and if you are crooked, we become crooked.
(At-Tirmidhee)
 

Plagiarism Defined
Plagiarism

Presenting someone else’s work or ideas as your own,

With or without their consent or full acknowledgement.

All published and unpublished material, whether in

manuscript, printed or electronic form.

Taking other’s words or ideas

As for using others’ thoughts by way of paraphrasing them

and mingling them with one’s own thoughts, need to cite
the original thinker or inventor.
 In Groups of 4-5 students:
Discuss the dangers of Defamation and
Slender for our societies
 WEEK 12
Environmental Issues
 “The term ‘environment’ refers to all external
conditions and factors that affect living organisms.
Here external factors mean all the things around us
such as air, water, light, animals, humans etc.”
(Miller, G. Tyler, Jr., Living in the Environment – Principles, Connections
and Solutions. (USA: Brooks/Cole – Wadsworth Thomson Learning,
12th ed., 2002), p. 3.
Categories of Environment
The environment comprises everything in our surrounding,
the living and the non-living.

It is generally classified into two broad categories: the

natural environment and the man-made or built
environment.

The natural environment has been created for the

sustenance of man and includes the sun, the moon, stars,
plants, trees, rivers, seas, oceans, valleys, mountains,
animals and countless other creatures.

The built environment is made by man in order to improve

his living conditions on earth, and includes roads, buildings,
bridges, factories etc.
The Islamic Worldview Of
The Environment
The Islamic worldview of the environment is a holistic one:

it assumes a fundamental link and interdependency

between all natural elements and bases its teachings on the
premise that if man abuses or exhausts one element, the
natural world as a whole will suffer direct consequences.

This belief is no where formulated in one concise phrase; it

is rather an underlying principle that forms the foundation of
the Quranic teachings.

These ideas are embedded in the three central concepts of

Islam: al-Tawhid (Unity), Khilafah (vicegerency) and
Amanah (trust).
 

Pollution and Global warming
Man’s greed has polluted the land, air and water by
deforestation (cutting down or burning the trees),
industrial waste spillage, release of active chemical
waste.

This resulted in global warming (an increase in the

average temperature of the earth's atmosphere,
especially a sustained increase great enough to cause
changes in the global climate.)
 

Preservation of the Ecosystem

Man’s responsibility towards the ecosystem.

The Prophet said, "Beware of the two acts that bring

curse: relieving oneself in the path of people or in the
shade (where people usually rest.) (Abu Daud).
 WEEK 13
Professional Ethics/ Business Ethics
Islam encourages people to acquire wealth
and live a prosperous life
ِ ‫اس ُك ُلوا ِم َّما ِفي األ َ ْر‬
‫ض َحالالً طَ ِّيبًا َوال تَت َّ ِب ُعوا‬ ُ َّ ‫﴿ َيا أ َ ُّي َها الن‬
(168 :‫ني﴾ )البقرة‬ ٌ ‫ان إِنَّ ُه َل ُك ْم َع ُد ٌّو ُم ِب‬
ِ َ‫الشيْط‬
َّ ‫ات‬ ِ ‫خطُ َو‬ ُ

“O you people: eat of what is on the earth,

lawful and good, and do not follow the
footsteps of the evil one.” (2: 168)
All things created by Allah are for the us to enjoy them but in a
reasonable way

﴾َ‫س ِدين‬
ِ ْ‫ض ُمف‬
ِ ‫اش َر ُبوا ِم ْن ِرزْ ِق اهللَِّ َوال تَ ْعث َ ْوا ِفي األ َ ْر‬
ْ ‫﴿ ُك ُلوا َو‬

.(60 :‫)البقرة‬

“Eat and drink of the sustenance provided by Allah, and do no

evil nor mischief on the earth.” (2: 60)
 How Should We Enjoy Our Wealth

َ ‫س ِر ِف‬
(31 :‫ني﴾ )األعراف‬ ْ ُ ‫ب ْامل‬ ِ ُ‫س ِرفُوا إِنَّ ُه ال ي‬
ُّ ‫ح‬ ْ ‫سج ِ ٍد َو ُك ُلوا َو‬
ْ ُ‫اش َربُوا َوال ت‬ ُ ‫﴿يَا بَ ِني آ َد َم‬
ْ ‫خذُوا ِزينَت َ ُك ْم ِعن ْ َد ُك ِّل َم‬

“O children of Adam! Look to your adornment at every place of worship,

and eat and drink and be not extravagant; surely He does not love the
extravagant.” (7: 31)

‫سا َد ِفي‬
َ َ‫س َن اهللَُّ إِ َل ْي َك َوال تَبْغِ ا ْلف‬ ِ ‫صيبَ َك ِم ْن ال ُّدنْ َيا َوأ َ ْح‬
َ ‫س ْن َك َما أ َ ْح‬ ِ َ‫نس ن‬ ِ
َ َ‫اآلخ َرةَ َوال ت‬ ‫ار‬
َ ‫د‬
َّ ‫ال‬ ‫هلل‬
َّ ُ ‫ا‬ َ
‫اك‬ َ ‫ت‬ ‫آ‬ ‫ا‬ ‫يم‬
َ ِ ِ‫﴿ َوا ْبتَغ‬
‫ف‬
.(77 :‫دينَ﴾ )القصص‬ ِ‫س‬ِ ْ‫ب ْاملُف‬ ُّ ‫ح‬ ِ ُ‫ض إِ َّن اهللََّ ال ي‬ِ ‫األ َ ْر‬

“But seek, with the (wealth) which Allah has bestowed on thee, the Home of
the Hereafter, nor forget thy portion in this world: but do thou good, as
Allah has been good to thee, and seek not (occasions for) mischief in the
land: for Allah loves not those who do mischief.” (27: 77)

- Don’t be extravagant

- Use your wealth to support noble principles & actions/ to secure a good position on
the Day of Judgement

- Do good to others as Allah has done good to you

- Don’t use it to create mischief on earth

 What is Zuhud?
Zuhd is an Islamic value

Zuhd ≠ poverty

A rich person may be a zahid, while a poor person may

not be zahid

A Zahid is one who puts his wealth in his hand as a means

to achieve ideals, ultimate goals, and supportive principles
in this world as well as to prepare himself for the Hereafter.

A Zahid is one who lives in this world without loving this

world
 Begging is disliked in Islam

“The upper hand is better than the

lower one” (Hadith)

Qana’a (contentment)
basic Islamic value, which
means to be happy and satisfied
with what you have after doing
your best to get the best result.
Not to look at things which are
not yours.
 Halal vs. Haram Ways of
Earning and Spending
People will not be questioned on the Day of Judgment on the amount
of wealth they accumulated. Rather, they will be questioned HOW
they got it and HOW they used it.

Although provision (rizk) is granted by Allah to people based on their work,

it is not an automatic result of men’s work. It is given by the will of Allah
and every one has a limit.

‫مذْمُومًا‬ ْ ‫شا ُء ِمل َ ْن نُ ِري ُد ث ُ َّم جَ َع ْلنَا َل ُه جَ َهنَّ َم ي‬

َ ‫َص َالهَا‬
:‫َش ُكو ًرا﴾ )اإلسراء‬
ْ ‫س ْعيُ ُه ْم م‬َ ‫ن‬
َ َ‫َاج َل َة عَجَّ ْلنَا َل ُه ِفيهَا مَا ن‬
ِ ‫ن يُ ِري ُد ا ْلع‬ َ ‫م ْن َكا‬
َ ﴿
َ ‫ك َكا‬ َ ‫مؤ ِْم ٌن فَأ ُ ْو َل ِئ‬
ُ َ‫هو‬ ُ ‫س ْعيَهَا َو‬َ ‫سعَى َلهَا‬ َ ‫خ َرةَ َو‬ ِ ‫اآل‬
ْ ‫م ْن أ َ َرا َد‬
َ ‫مدْحُ و ًرا * َو‬
َ
(19-18

Whoever desires this life, We readily grant them such things as

We will, to such person as We will. And afterward We provided
Hell for them; they will burn therein, disgraced and rejected. And
whoever desires the hereafter and he strives for it all due
striving, being a believer, they are the ones whose striving is
acceptable to Allah. (Al-Isra’: 18-19)
 Think About It!
Following a haram way will never give you, as some
people may think, an additional portion of wealth.

And following halal way will not cause you any loss
of your portion of rizk.

The principle of halal and haram applies as much to

the spending of wealth as it does to its acquisition.
 Why are some things haram?
ِ ‫خب‬
َ ‫َائ‬
‫ث‬ َ ‫ع َليْ ِه ُم ا ْل‬ ِ ‫ُح ُّل َل ُه ُم الطَّيِّب‬
َ ‫َات َويُحَ ِّر ُم‬ ِ ‫املُنْ َك ِر َوي‬
ْ ‫ن‬ِ ‫ع‬ ِ ‫امل َ ْع ُر‬
ُ ‫وف َويَنْهَا‬
َ ‫ه ْم‬ ْ ‫ه ْم ِب‬ ُ ْ ‫﴿يَأ‬
ُ ‫م ُر‬

﴾ْ‫ع َليْ ِهم‬

َ ْ‫غ َال َل ا َّل ِتي َكانَت‬
ْ َ ‫األ‬
ْ ‫ه ْم َو‬ ْ ِ‫عنْ ُه ْم إ‬
ُ ‫ص َر‬ َ ‫َوي‬
َ ُ‫َضع‬

(157 :‫)األعراف‬

“…He commands them what is good and forbids them what is

evil; he allows them as lawful what is good and prohibits
them from what is bad; he releases them from their heavy
burdens…” (7: 157)
 Benefits of Halal vs. Evils of
Haram
Halal work and the
earnings emanated
there-from are a kind of
‘ibadah for which a
Muslim will be rewarded
on the Day of Judgment.
Whatever is spent out of
halal earnings is
considered as sadaqah
(charity) even what is
spent on one’s family
Whatever is spent out of
halal earnings is considered
as sadaqah (charity) even
what is spent on one’s family
Haram earnings and
spending will rewarded
with a Punishment on
the Day of Judgement
“If anyone earns wealth
through haram means and
then gives charity from it,
there is no regard for him
and the burden of sin
remains”
+
Sadaqah will not be
accepted by Allah
“If a person earns property through haram means and then
gives charity, it will not be accepted (by Allah); if he spends
it, there will be no blessing on it; and if he leaves it behind
(after his death), it will be his provision in the Fire. Indeed,
Allah (s.w.t.) does not eliminate one bad deed with another
bad deed, but He cancels out a bad deed by a good deed.
An unclean thing does not wipe away another unclean
thing.”
 and He, therefore, accepts only that which is good. And
Allah commanded the believers as He commanded the
Messengers by saying: ‘O Messengers, eat of the good
things, and do good deeds; verily I am aware of what you
do’ (23:51). And He said: ‘0 those who believe, eat of the
good things that We gave you’ (2:172)’ He then
mentioned a person who travels widely, his hair
dishevelled and covered with dust. He lifts his hands
towards the sky and, thus, makes the du‘a: ‘O Lord, 0
Lord,’ whereas his food is unlawful, his drink is unlawful,
and his clothes are unlawful and his nourishment is
unlawful. How can then his du‘a be accepted?” (Hadith)
 Halal earnings will bring to its
possessor peace of mind and help
him to have a clear conscience

Consuming Haram:
Blessing will be lifted from it
Rejection of du’a ‫دعاء‬

Its possessor will have always a guilty

conscience
Aims of Business Ethics in Islam
1. Protecting the rights of the parties involved in the contract

2. Protecting consumer rights

3. Creating fair competition

4. Protecting the rights of workers

5. Protecting public interest/ funds

6. Leniency/ helping others

 1. Protecting the rights of
parties involved in the contract
a) Mutual consent / agreement
b) To fulfill terms and conditions
ِ ‫منُوا ْ أ َ ْوفُوا ْ ِبا ْل ُع ُق‬
(1 :‫﴾ )املائدة‬...‫ود‬ َ ‫﴿يَا أَيُّ َها ا َّل ِذي َن آ‬

“O you who believe! Fulfil your contracts and

obligations” (5: 1)

c) Muslims are bound by all the conditions they have

agreed upon, unless a contract or conditions is
against the principles of Islam in the way of making
something haram as halal or vice versa.
2. Protecting Consumer Rights
a) We have to avoid deception & fraud

“The Messenger of Allah (saw) once passed by a stock of grain. He touched it and
felt moisture inside the stock. He asked the seller what it was. The merchant said:
‘O Prophet of Allah it was affected by rain.’ The Prophet (saw) said: ‘Then why did
you not place the wet wheat over the rest of the stock, so people could see it for
themselves. Any one practicing deception has no relationship with
me’.” (Hadith)

b) We have to avoid selling defective commodities without informing the buyer

about defects contained in it.

“A Muslim is a brother of his fellow Muslim. It is not lawful for a Muslim to sell
such a commodity that has a defect, except that the defect is shown to the
buyer.”

c) We have to avoid false and misleading advertisement

d) We have to give accurate weight and measurement

The description of the weigh or measurement

should match the reality
ِ َ‫سط‬
‫اس‬ ْ ‫س ِري َن * َو ِزنُوا ِبا ْل ِق‬
ِ ‫خ‬ ْ ‫﴿أ َ ْوفُوا ا ْل َكيْ َل َوال تَ ُكونُوا ِم َن‬
ْ ُ ‫امل‬
(182-181 :‫ستَ ِقيمِ﴾ )الشعراء‬ ْ ُ ‫امل‬
ْ

“Give full measure, and be not of those who give less than
the due. And weigh with the true balance”. (26: 181-182)
e) We have to avoid hoarding essential
commodities (ihtikar)

Hoarding means to collect and keep large amounts

of food without offering it in the market in order to
create artificial scarcity to increase the price
dramatically.

This is usually practised in the periods of crises or

during holiday times.

Hoarding is a kind of business exploitation of

consumers. Thus, it is strictly prohibited by Islam.
The Prophet (saw) said: “One who hoards things for
increasing their prices for Muslims is a wrong
doer.” (Hadith)
f) Prohibition of outbidding

To offer more money than somebody else in order to

unreasonably increase the price without being a potential buyer.

g) The practice of “middleman” should be prevented to protect the

rights of consumers

Dwellers of towns may be prevented from selling the merchandises

of farmers/ villagers

Farmers may be allowed to sell there goods directly if it is necessary

The Messenger of Allah forbade the selling of things by a town

dweller on behalf of a countryside dweller (farmer); and
similarly Najash (concealment; use of fake bidders) is
forbidden.

In modern day conventional transactions, there are many actions

that fall under najash, including: pump and dump, hype and
dump, creating fake demand or supply, etc.
 3. Fair Competition
a) We have to avoid misleading advertisement
b) We have to avoid giving bribes
ِ ‫َشيَ ِفي ا ْلحُ ْكم‬
ِ ‫امل ُ ْرت‬
ْ ‫اشيَ َو‬ َ ‫ع َلي ِْه َو‬
ِ ‫س َّل َم ال َّر‬ َ ‫ص َّلى ال َّلهم‬ ُ ‫س‬
َ َِّ‫ول اهلل‬ ُ ‫ال َل َع َن َر‬
َ ‫ه َريْ َرةَ َق‬
ُ ‫ع ْن أ َ ِبي‬
َ
.(‫ كتاب األحكام‬:‫)الترمذي‬

“Allah cursed the briber and the bribed in making judgments.”

ِ َّ‫َال الن‬
‫اس‬ ِ ‫مو‬ْ َ ‫َاط ِل َوتُ ْد ُلوا ِبهَا إِ َلى ا ْلحُ َّكام ِ لِتَأ ْ ُك ُلوا فَ ِري ًقا ِم ْن أ‬
ِ ‫موَا َل ُك ْم بَيْنَ ُك ْم ِبا ْلب‬
ْ َ ‫﴿ َوال تَأ ْ ُك ُلوا أ‬
.(188 :‫ن﴾ )البقرة‬ ِ ‫ِب‬
َ ‫اإلثْم ِ َوأَنْتُ ْم تَ ْع َلمُ و‬

And do not eat up your property among yourselves by false

means, neither seek to gain access thereby to the judges, so that
you may eat up a part of the property of others wrongfully. (2:
188)

To get advantage / Privilege

Escape due punishment

Take the rights of others

c) We have to balance between competitiveness
and co-operation

d) We have to avoid entering in a transaction

another person has already entered into

Ibn Umar reported Allah's Messenger (saws) as

having said: A person should not enter into a
transaction when his brother had already entered
into but not finalized, and he should not make
proposal of marriage upon the proposal already
made by his brother, until he permits it. (Muslim)

“… and a woman should not ask the divorce of her

sister in order to deprive her of what belongs to
her.” (Muslim)
4. Protecting the Rights of
Workers
Wages and the specification of the work must be
clarified and agreed upon before starting the work.
Wages are to be determined by mutual consent.
A worker is entitled to a fair and just wage for his work.
The employee must perform his duties efficiently and
honestly and the employer must pay him his full wages.
Wages should be paid without any delay
.(‫ كتاب األحكام‬:‫ع َر ُق ُه" )ابن ماجة‬
َ ‫ف‬ ْ َ ‫ج َر ُه َقبْ َل أ‬
ِ ‫ن َي‬
َّ ‫ج‬ ْ َ ‫جي َر أ‬
ِ َ ‫عطُوا األ‬
ْ َ ‫"أ‬

“Give the laborer his wage before his perspiration

be dry.” (Ibn Majah)
 5. Protecting Public
Interest / Funds
a) Fair recruitment practices

To avoid discrimination, nepotism, and cronyism

An office or a post is a divine trust and, therefore, it should be offered only

to the deserving persons.

Responsibility should be given only to the person who is able to shoulder it

and who has the capability to do justice to the trust placed in him.

The Prophet (saw) said: “whoever has appointed an administrator through

nepotism while there was one who was more suitable to this
position than that person, then he has committed misappropriation
against Allah and His Messenger and all the Muslims.” (Hadith)
b) We have to avoid misappropriation of public funds
The Prophet (saw) said: “Whomsoever we have given some
post and he has concealed a needle or a thing smaller than
that, then it will be a misappropriated thing with which he will
have to appear on the Day of Judgment.” (Hadith - Muslim)
c) We have to avoid haram transactions
i. Avoid Riba at ALL COST!!!
‫ن َل ْم‬ ْ ‫ني * فَ ِإ‬َ ‫مؤ ِْم ِن‬
ُ ‫ن ُكنْتُ ْم‬ ْ ِ‫منُوا اتَّ ُقوا اهللََّ َوذَ ُروا مَا ب َِقيَ ِم َن ال ِّربَا إ‬ َ ‫﴿يَا أَيُّهَا ا َّل ِذي َن َءا‬
‫ن َو َال‬ َ ‫موَالِ ُك ْم َال تَظْلِمُ و‬ ْ ِ‫سولِ ِه َو إ‬
ُ ‫ن تُبْتُ ْم فَ َل ُك ْم ُر ُء‬
ْ َ ‫وس أ‬ ُ ‫ب ِم َن اهللَِّ َو َر‬ ٍ ‫تَفْ َع ُلوا فَأْذَنُوا ِبحَ ْر‬
.(279-278 :‫ن﴾ )البقرة‬ َ ‫تُظْ َلمُ و‬

“O you who believe! Fear Allah, and give up what remains of

your demand for riba (usury), if you are indeed believers. And
if you do not, then be warned of war against you from Allah
and His messenger. And if you repent, then you shall have
your capital; neither shall you make the debtor suffer loss,
nor shall you be made to suffer loss.” (2: 278-279)

ii. Avoid dealing with haram commodities (e.g. alcohol)

6. Leniency/ Helping Others
:‫ال‬ َ ‫ع َلي ِْه َو‬
َ ‫س َّل َم َق‬ َ َّ‫ص َّلى اهلل‬ َ ‫س‬
َ َِّ‫ول اهلل‬ ُ ‫ن َر‬ َّ َ ‫عنْهمَ ا أ‬
َ َّ‫ضي اهلل‬ ِ ‫عب ِْد اهللَِّ َر‬
َ ‫ن‬ِ ْ‫ع ْن جَ ا ِب ِر ب‬َ
.(‫ كتاب البيوع‬:‫َضى" )البخاري‬ َ ‫اشتَ َرى َو إِذَا ا ْقت‬ ْ ‫ع َو إِذَا‬َ ‫سمْ حً ا إِذَا بَا‬ ِ ‫" َر‬
َ ‫ح َم اهللَُّ َرجُ ال‬

“May Allah bless the person who behaves leniently

while buying, while selling, and while collecting his
dues.”

‫ن ُكنْتُ ْم‬
ْ ِ‫خ ْي ٌر َل ُك ْم إ‬
َ ‫َص َّد ُقوا‬ ْ َ ‫ْس َر ٍة َوأ‬
َ ‫نت‬ ِ َ‫ُس َر ٍة فَن‬
َ ‫ظ َرةٌ إِ َلى‬
َ ‫مي‬ َ ‫ن َكا‬
ْ ‫ن ذُو ع‬ ْ ِ‫﴿ َو إ‬
.(280 :‫ن﴾ )البقرة‬ َ ‫تَ ْع َلمُ و‬

“If the debtor is in a difficulty, grant him time till it is

easy for him to repay. And if you remit it by way of
charity, that is best for you if you only knew (the
generous reward for this).” (2: 280)
ISLAM VS. CONVENTIONAL:
BASICS PRINCIPLES

1. Prohibition of riba (usury/ interest).

2. Prohibition of gambling.
3. Prohibition of involvement in prohibited
commodities (production, sale, buy).
4. Avoidance of al-Gharar (ambiguities, uncertainty).
5. Profit and risk sharing
WEEK 14
Financial Issues
 Credit Card
A small plastic card issued to users of the credit
system after approval from a provider (bank), in
which they will be able to make purchases from
merchants supporting that credit card up to a
pre-negotiated credit limit.

When a purchase is made, the credit card user

indicates their consent to pay, usually by signing
a receipt.
 Types of Credit Given
1. Some credit card issuers offer interest-free periods.

If the balance is paid in full each month (or the stipulated period) the
interest charges will be waived. This allows the credit card to serve as a
form of revolving credit.

If the balance is not paid as stipulated by the agreement on the which the
card was issued, interest charges will be imposed on the credit card holder.

Typically, the rate of interest charges on the amount owing is much higher
than most other forms of debt.

2. Some credit providers charge interest on the amount owing from

the very beginning.
It is strictly prohibited for a Muslim/
Islamic bank to issue interest-based
credit cards.
 Debit Card
A card which physically resembles a credit
card

Used as an alternative to cash when making

purchases.

Directly withdrawn of money from the

purchaser's checking or savings account at
a bank.
 Multi-Level Marketing
Generally Multi Level Marketing (also known as network
marketing) - an alternative approach of conducting
business that involves selling of goods and services
through a network of distributors. It involves multiple
levels of distributors known as upline and downline.

Prohibited If:

1) Inflated Selling Prices: Some goods and services sold

through MLM network are traded at higher prices
compared to its market prices just to ensure the MLM
companies enjoy a higher rate of return and are able to
pay commission to their distributors.
 Multi-Level Marketing
Prohibited If:
2) Sales target as a pre-requisite for commission payment:
Usually, in addition to the membership fee, MLM companies
would set a minimum sales target for the upline if they would
like to enjoy any commission from the sales of their downline.
(opression)
3) No tangible product for sale: Some MLM schemes only require
the members to register and find more downline without the
need to sell any product. With each new member introduced,
the upline enjoy a portion of the registration fee of the
downline.
4) Does not utilize pyramid scheme i.e First In Rich Forever (FIRF)
scheme: The marketing plan should ensure that everybody has
an opportunity to get commission based on their performance
and not according to First in Rich Forever scheme.
 Get-rich Quick Scheme
A plan that offers
i. high or unrealistic rates of return for a small
investment while
ii. at the same time promising that such investment is
easy and risk -free. 
Illegal Deposit Taking Activities 



Illegal deposit taking is an act of receiving, taking or
accepting of deposits (moneys, precious metal, precious
stone, any other article etc.) from members of the public that
promises a repayment with interest or returns in money or
money's worth without a valid licence under the Banking and
Financial Institutions Act 1989 (BAFIA).