The Philosophy of Moral Obligation through the Holy Quran and the Prophet's Sunnah

Abstract

Ethical philosophies and religious conceptions are considered the primary foundation that shapes the principles and pillars upon which human behavior is built. Consequently, these principles define an الإنسان’s perspective on life and the world around them. Since the dawn of history, humans have sought the path leading to sound conduct, guided by their understanding of themselves and their surroundings. Philosophical theories emerged as a way to engage in this discussion. These theories have often varied and even conflicted, particularly regarding obligation and moral standards, as human behavior requires a regulating foundation, and it is necessary to identify the source from which the binding nature of actions is derived.

Some have argued that this obligation stems from innate dispositions implanted by nature within الإنسان, as expressed by Jean-Jacques Rousseau through the concept of conscience—though not in its religious sense. Others have considered that the benefit and pleasure resulting from an action determine its moral validity, as seen in the views of Epicurus in antiquity, and later Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill.

As for the Abrahamic religions, their understanding of the moral question differs from that of secular philosophies. Here, we limit ourselves to referencing Islam, where the means of moral obligation vary according to the diversity of its legislative sources. The primary source, the Qur'an, contains numerous foundational texts regarding actions and the sources of their obligation, as does the Sunnah, which follows the same approach. These two sources attribute obligation at times to reason and conscience, and at other times to wisdom.

From this perspective, this article will attempt to provide a brief overview of moral obligation among Western philosophers. It will then focus on the main theme, namely the forms and types of moral obligation as outlined in the Qur’an and the Sunnah, in their conception of human actions and their moral value.