Search

There is no separate discipline of ethics in Islam, and the comparative importance of reason and revelation in determining moral values is open to debate. For most Muslims, what is considered halāl (permitted) and harām (forbidden) in Islam is understood in terms of what God defines as right and good. There are three main kinds of values: (a) akhlāq, which refers to the duties and responsibilities set out in the shari‘ah and in Islamic teaching generally; (b) adab, which refers to the manners associated with good breeding; and (c) the qualities of character possessed by a good Muslim, following the example of the Prophet Muhammad. Among the main differences between Islamic and western morality is the emphasis on timeless religious principles, the role of the law in enforcing morality, the different understanding of rights, the rejection of moral autonomy as a goal of moral education, and the stress on reward in the Hereafter as a motivator of moral behavior. An Islamic life system cannot be conveyed only by using verbal suggestions, verbal warnings but also necessary means that can form a complete cultural network. In this regard, intense dialogue with various existing values ​​is needed to bring about a paradigm shift in thinking in the form of symbols that can be applied in local cultural life. The method of cultivating Islamic values ​​demands conditions for improving the quality and performance of Muslim humans who have these values. Islamic values ​​that are properly understood will function as a compass for the direction where and how to live a modern life full of changes in values. Islamic values ​​will still play an important role in the future, especially in providing a moral foundation for the development of science and technology. Religious teachings must be brought closer to the context of modernity.