ISLAM AND CONTEMPORARY ETHICAL CHALLENGES

The present article is both an analysis of the ethical theory which is inherent in Islamic teachings a meditation on how current attitudes in the living tradition of Islamic thought must be adapted to meet the needs of contemporary challenges. To achieve the first goal, the author begins with an analysis of the ethical teachings of the Qur’an. He then seeks to analyze these teachings using the conceptual distinction ‘teleological vs. deontological’ which is so important in western ethical theory, coming to the conclusion that from the Islamic perspective, “human action gets ethical acceptability if it is carried out ‘khalisatan li-wajh allah’ or ‘for the sake of God.’ Hence, Islam so beautifully reconciles the teleological standard with deontological standard.”In the second part of the paper the author presents guidelines for the future of Islamic ethical thought. These include the necessity of emphasizing the universal spirit of Islam, which is clearly present in the Qur’an but which is often underemphasized in the Islamic tradition; the need for an ethical interpretation of jihad; and the need to distinguish foundational Islamic principles from aspects of the tradition which are based on particular cultural circumstances. Additionally, the author emphasizes that the liberal and humanistic outlook which he sees to be necessary for the future of Islamic ethics has always been present in the tradition of Islamic mystical poetry. Giving many examples of this poetry, he argues that the mystical tradition must again come to the forefront. If this and his other recommendations are carried out, Islam will be able to achieve its potential to play a key role in global civilization and in developing a much needed “common morality for the global age.”