A Critique of Substituting Morality with Piety in the System of Religious Teachings

The relationship between morality and religion has long been a contentious issue in philosophy and theology. In recent years, the notion of inconsistency between morality and religion has gained traction, with advocates on both sides. Some argue for morality over religion, while others dismiss morality in favor of reinforcing religious practice. This article critically examines the perspective of a proponent of the latter approach, which was reflected in IRIB and other major Iranian official media. The central idea is the substitution of morality with piety (taqwa or fear of God). After analyzing various aspects of this concept, we highlight some of its major flaws, including its reliance on an inadequate conception of morality, neglect of themes within the Quran and Shiite hadiths regarding the importance of morality in religion, and disregard for the logical implications of invalidating innate and pre-religious morality. I conclude that emphasizing the inconsistency between morality and religion and proposing to replace morality with piety is not only untenable from a religious standpoint but also detrimental to attracting youths to religion.