Moral System of Islam (i)

In Arabic the terms ‘Khalq’ and ‘khulq’ are from the same root, having almost same meaning with a delicate difference. Both mean ‘creation’ but ‘Khalq’ stands for the creation of any visible being while ‘khulq’ means developing inner vigor and empowering habits and moral qualities discerned by only an insight and wisdom. ‘Morality’ in English is almost synonymous of the Arabic word ‘Khulq’.
Morality [Khulq or Akhlaq (plural)] is a social standard or a touchstone to judge the rules and traits for making out right and wrong and good and bad. It influences people’s behavior, attitude and ideas and in this sense equates with Ethics. The sociologists of this time keep the opinion that every community has its own concept of Morality (Akhlaq) but according to the Islamic teachings man is created on a single Nature (Fitrah). A common and pure nature that always ascertains what is right. All that is right always conforms to man’s unpolluted nature and all that does not agree with the perfect nature is wrong.

Man is created innocent, pure and free. By his nature he is inclined to right and virtue. His creation is exactly upon the Fitrah of his Creator, Allah, all-Mighty, all-Knowing. The Quran says: “(Adhere to) the Fitrah of Allah, upon which He has created all people. No change should there be in the creation of Allah…” (Ar-Rum: 30) The natural inborn tendency of man is not to anything else but Islamic Monotheism because his nature ( Fitrah) leads him to the true religion. External influences cause him an antagonistic change in his nature. After getting it corrupted false beliefs and spurious moral standards of the environments take roots in his nature. Evil social customs, superstitions of Jahiliyyah (ignorance) stupid family traditions spoil this nature. Debased social and education system mainly have their negative impacts on the nature making it filthy. Once Fitrah (nature) is sullied man falls into heedlessness and loses discretion.

Our Prophet Muhammad, be peace and blessings of Allah upon him, is reported to have once said: “Every baby is born on pure nature (Fitrah). They are his parents (the environment in which he starts his life) who converting him from his natural faith (Islamic Monotheism) make him a Christian, a Jew or a Magus. It is as an animal child takes birth with a perfect body with their ears not incised but under the superstitions their ears are cut in size.” (Bukhari & Muslim) In another tradition the Prophet, SAW, is reported to have said: “My Lord (Allah) says: “Verily, I created all of my slaves (creatures) righteous and pure. Then the devils came to them to put them astray from their true Deen (religion), making for them prohibited all that I had made lawful and misguiding them to falsely set my associates for that I decreed no authority.” (Ahmed)

As long as man protects himself from unwholesomeness of nature his morality is safe from getting damaged but with pollution of his nature all the qualities that are particular to a healthy humanity, suffer a great ruination in his moral character. Faith and morality boost each other. The Prophet, SAW, told that the one who is the best in his moral character is deemed to gain perfection in his Faith. (Tirmidhi) Islamic Monotheism nurtures a high morality and a decline in Faith causes a huge destruction in moral attributes. At the advent of Islam in Makka, because their belief was lifting them high so not only the Prophet, SAW, himself was on exalted standard of his noble character but a difference between the moral loftiness of the companions of the Prophet, SAW, the true believers of Islamic Monotheism, was clearly evident as compared to the Polytheists of that time.

Significance of Morality in Islam

For envisaging the significance of the morality it is enough to know that one of the main objectives of commissioning Muhammad, be peace and blessings of Allah upon him, was to revive the high standards of the morality, set by his forerunner community of the prophets on the face of this earth. He is reported to have once said: “I have been sent with the mission to perfect the exaltedness of morality.” (Malik) So long as Fitrah (Nature) is secure from getting messed up Morality remains valued in this worldly life. Even the uneducated and boorish people are seen respecting the people of good moral character. Nobility is snubbed only in a society where natures are ruined and morality loses its value. In an office the officer with high morality earns much more honour than his colleague who is ill-tempered and malicious. A shopkeeper with pleasant face attracts more customers than one who is rough and rude. A polite and gentle minded supervisor gets the work more enthusiastically done by his workers than the other who deals his subordinates harshly. A kind teacher is liked by his/her students more than his/her fellow worker who is comparatively uncompassionate and hard-faced.

More than these worldly achievements morality is sure to bear fruit in the life Hereafter too. The Prophet, SAW, once said: “Nothing else than a good moral character will be heavier in the Scale on the Day of Judgment and Allah dislikes obscenities in talk.” (Tirmidhi)

On another occasion when he was asked about the people who will be great in number in the Paradise, he replied: “Those who are God-fearing and have high moral qualities.” And when asked about those who will deserve the Hellfire, he said: “Mouth and secret parts of body (who eat Haram food making earning by unfair and unlawful means) and commit adultery (to satisfy their sexual desires). (Tirmidhi)

The Prophet, SAW, said: “The one among you whom I love more and he will be seated very close to me on the Day of Judgment is he who is the best in his morality and the one whom I greatly dislike and will be far away from me on the Day of Judgment are those who prattle and those who drawl in their talks and I also hate ‘Mutafaihiqun.” The people around him said: “O! The Messenger of Allah! Who are Mutafaihiqun?” He replied: “The arrogant.” (Tirmidhi)

In short, morality is in fact the core of entire Islamic system. From man’s family life to all the social spheres of life morality proves its significance. It is a fortification defending a believer’s Faith from devilish attacks who wants to deprive him from his ideological and spiritual treasure.