A Comparative Analysis of the Virtues of Social Ethics in the Qur’ān from the Viewpoints of Allamah Ṭabāṭabā᾽ī and Ibn ʿĀshūr

Social ethics has been a discourse that has held great importance in all eras and time periods, however, in the contemporary era it has found an even greater degree of importance. In this article, social ethics have been discussed in an analytical-descriptive manner, based upon the opinions of Allamah Ṭabāṭabā᾽īand Ibn ʿĀshūr. Allamah Ṭabāṭabā᾽ī believes that society, just like individuals, possessed certain qualities and specific potentials, such that if the desires of the individuals contrasted those of the society, it was almost certain that those of the society would envelop them. This would result in the forceful conformity of the individual to the ways of society. Ibn ʿĀshūr in his exegesis paid special attention to ethical and developmental issues. He even states that his objective in writing al-Taḥrīr wa al-Tanwīr was to explain the generalities of knowledge and religion and to thoroughly explain the matter of good moral conduct. Ibn ʿĀshūr explains that Islam is something that has been accepted by the ethical virtues of human beings. In addition, it also calls attention to ethical virtues which are confirmed and seen as good by the natural disposition of man. The most important referents of social ethics within an Islamic society, as mentioned by Allamah Ṭabāṭabā᾽ī in al-Mīzān and Ibn ʿĀshūr in al-Taḥrīr wa alTanwīr, are maintaining family ties, justice, promoting good and forbidding evil, faithfulness to agreements, charity, and reconciliation and both believe that these social ethics will lead one to felicity.