ASSIGNMENT # 3 (PROJECT)

SUBJECT: Islamic Studies

CLASS: BAF-1B

SUBMITTED BY: Parwaz Khan SP24-BAF-084

Talha SP24-BAF-108
Sheryar Shalmani SP24-BAF-101
Danyal Iqbal SP24- BAF-142
Muhammad Tausif Khan SP24-BAF-143

SUBMITTED TO: SANIA KHALID MAAM

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 (Department of Management Sciences)

CURRENT ETHICAL DILEMMAS AT THE WORKPLACE AND THEIR

SOLUTIONS IN THE LIGHT OF ISLAMIC TEACHINGS

Table of Contents
1 PRIVACY AND DATA PROTECTION............................................................2
1.1 Introduction...................................................................................................2
1.1.1 Importance of Data Protection and Privacy in Islam:.............................3
1.2 Findings and discussion................................................................................4
1.2.1 Background of challenges of data protection and privacy.....................5
1.2.2 Challenges faced by Muslims.................................................................5
1.3 Conclusion and Recommendations...............................................................7
1.3.1 Solutions to the data privacy and protection challenge with reference
from Islamic Teachings.......................................................................................7
1.3.2 Implementation.......................................................................................8

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1 PRIVACY AND DATA PROTECTION
1.1 Introduction
Privacy is a fundamental human right that underlies the freedoms of association, opinion, and
speech, as well as the right to be free from discrimination. A state in which one is not observed
or disturbed by other people.

Data protection refers to a set of tactics and practices that you might employ to ensure the
privacy, availability, and integrity of your data. It is also known as data security.

Data privacy and protection are closely related to ethical dilemmas in the workplace due to the
following reasons:

1. Trust and respect: Employees trust their employers to handle their personal and
sensitive data with care and respect their privacy.
2. Informed consent: Ethical considerations dictate that individuals should have informed
consent when it comes to the collection and use of their personal data.
3. Data security: Organizations have an ethical obligation to implement appropriate
security measures to protect employee data from unauthorized access, loss, or misuse.
4. Discrimination and bias: Data privacy and protection are closely linked to issues of
discrimination and bias in the workplace.

1.1.1 Importance of Data Protection and Privacy in Islam:

Privacy holds a crucial position among Muslim values since it ensures that individuals do not
face undue scrutiny for their beliefs or lifestyles. One hadith reports Prophet Muhammad stating:
"Whoever conceals [the faults] of a Muslim Allah will conceal his faults on the Day of
Resurrection" [4]. This highlights how concealing someone’s wrongful act is being rewarded by
God himself; thus, promoting modesty towards others. Islam gives great importance to the
fundamental human right to privacy. This is evident from some of the verses of the Holy Quran:
'Do not spy on one another (49:12); 'Do not enter any houses except your own homes unless you
are sure of their occupant’s consent’.

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The Prophet has gone so far as to tell his followers that a man should not even enter his own
house unexpectedly or secretly. Islamic Shariah strongly respects the sanctity of one's home and
private life, and there is much warning against interfering in other people's business.

Data protection is a relatively new concept, which has become important with the increasing
digitalization of personal information, data protection is important for preserving privacy,
preventing identity theft, building trust. Islamic principles emphasize the importance of
protecting oneself from harm (darar) and safeguarding one's financial assets (maal).

1.2 Findings and discussion

Privacy violation:

An employee's confidential, personal, or identifiable information may be misused or improperly

disclosed, and data protection rules with regard to employee data may be broken, violated, or not
followed. This is referred to as a privacy violation. Individuals who violate their privacy may
suffer serious consequences such as loss of control, compromised security, financial loss, harm
to their reputation, and mental pain. Many jurisdictions have laws and regulations in place to
safeguard individuals' right to privacy and to impose sanctions on those who violate those rights.
Privacy violation can occur through various means such as:

Unauthorized access: Obtaining unauthorized access to another person's private information,

such as their emails, financial records, social media accounts, or private documents.

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Data breaches: When unauthorized parties, such as hackers, get access to or steal sensitive
personal or financial information stored by an organization.

Public disclosure of private information: Exposing a person's private or sensitive information

without their authorization, maybe harming their reputation or causing them anguish.

1.2.1 Background of challenges of data protection and privacy

The challenges Muslims confront when it comes to data protection and privacy are a result of
several historical, sociopolitical, and technological advancements. Understanding the
background challenges might help clarify their effects.

 Social political factors:

Islamophobia, which is defined as fear of, hostility towards Islam and Muslims, has emerged as a
significant social problem around the world. Islamophobic attitudes can take many different
forms, such as discrimination, hate speech online, and biased laws. Due to being the focus of
hate speech, and discriminatory practices, Muslims confront difficulties with data protection and
privacy.

 Historical factors:

Historical events and geopolitical conditions have shaped how Muslims are perceived and
treated. Factors such as colonization, wars, and terrorist attacks have influenced popular opinion
and official attitudes towards Muslims. These incidents have added to Muslim stigma and
distrust, resulting in heightened surveillance and profiling.

 Technology advancements:

The rise of digital technologies, have altered the way information is accessed, shared, and
processed. While these improvements provide significant benefits, they also pose privacy and
data protection problems. Increased online surveillance, data breaches can all have serious
consequences for Muslims. These technical advancements collide with the previously described
socio-political variables, provoking the challenges Muslims confront in data protection and
privacy.

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1.2.2 Challenges faced by Muslims
Muslim people and people all around the world, especially those who practice Islam, have
serious concerns about data protection and privacy. Although Muslims suffer similar difficulties
to other people in terms of data protection and privacy, there are some distinct issues that may
have an impact on the Muslim community. These challenges can be seen in several facets of their
lives, such as their online activity, interactions with technology, and personal information
protection. Muslims all around the world deal with them, particularly in nations where there are
significant Muslim populations.

 Observation and profiling:

Governments and intelligence services have disproportionately targeted Muslims for monitoring,
particularly in the aftermath of terrorist incidents. This surveillance frequently includes the
monitoring of digital communications, social media activities, and online behavior, raising
concerns about privacy violations and the possibility of religious or ethnic profiling.

 Online Islamophobic Hate Speech:

Muslims are routinely subjected to hate speech and Islamophobic propaganda online. This not
only breaches their right to privacy, but also contributes to a hostile environment, inciting
discrimination, harassment, and, in extreme cases, violence.

 Discrimination and social stigma:

Muslims may experience societal stigmatization as a result of inaccurate perceptions about their
faith. This may lead to discrimination in a variety of spheres of life as well as exclusion from
possibilities like employment, housing, or education.

 Cross border data transfer and legal frameworks:

There may be worries about the security and privacy of Muslims' data if they live in nations with
insufficient data protection regulations or when their personal information is susceptible to cross-
border transfers. It may be impossible to guarantee that personal information is appropriately
protected if there are no strong legal frameworks or international agreements.

 Security of Personal Information:

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Targeted cyberattacks and data breaches may result from anti-Muslim prejudice. Hackers and
extremist organizations may target Muslims specially to obtain their private information. Such
breaches may lead to identity theft, harm to one's reputation, and a compromise of one's personal
safety.

These issues can have serious effects for Muslims, such as infringing on their privacy rights,
eroding trust in institutions, causing psychological suffering, and impeding their involvement in
society. They also contribute to an environment of exclusion and marginalization, making it
impossible for Muslims to freely express their religious identity or fully engage in public and
digital areas.

1.3 Conclusion and Recommendations

1.3.1 Solutions to the data privacy and protection challenge with reference
from Islamic Teachings
In the modern digital era, data privacy and protection are crucial issues. Islamic teachings place a
strong emphasis on the value of protecting individual privacy. Here are several approaches to the
problem of data privacy and protection that are based on Islamic principles and can be put
into practice:

 Respect for privacy:

To emphasize the necessity of protecting personal information and respecting the privacy of
others, emphasize the Islamic principle of "Sitra" (concealment) and the idea of "Aura" (personal
privacy).

 Honesty and trust worthiness:

Encourage individuals and organizations to handle personal data with integrity and honesty by
promoting the Islamic concept of "Amanah" (trustworthiness) and its applicability to digital
situations.

 Informed consent:

Islamic teachings place a strong emphasis on the idea of informed consent, which states that
before sharing their data, subjects should fully understand how it will be used. Before gathering,

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storing, or disclosing a person's personal information, organizations should make sure that their
data practices are transparent and have the person's full permission.

 Security measures:

Islamic teachings place a strong emphasis on the obligation to safeguard one's own safety and the
property of others. Strong security measures should be used by organizations to protect personal
data against theft, unauthorized access, and breaches. This consists of actions like encryption,
safe storage, access controls, and routine security audits.

 Accountability and Transparency:

Islamic principles encourage responsibility and transparency in all facets of life. Clear policies,
processes, and guidelines on data privacy and protection should be established by organizations
and should be held responsible for their data practices. They should be honest about how
personal data is handled and openly convey these rules to the public.

 Train employees on data protection:

Educate your staff about data protection best practices, including password hygiene, recognizing
phishing attempts, and handling sensitive data securely.

The Holy Quran honoring the sanctity of Privacy in homes states as

“O, you who believe! do not enter houses other than your own until you have asked permission
and saluted the dwellers therein; that is best for you, Allah admonishes you, so that you may
heed.”

Sayings of Holy Prophet:

" It is incumbent on you to take the permission (to enter into your own houses) from your
mothers and sisters.”

“Whosoever peeps through anyone’s house without permission and his eye is damaged; the act
will not be treated as cognizable.”

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Islam places a high value on the fundamental human right to privacy. This is evident from the
some of the verses of the Holy Quran: ‘Do not spy on one another’

1.3.2 Implementation
 Education and awareness:

Encourage Muslim communities to promote digital literacy and privacy education, emphasizing
the significance of preserving personal information and understanding online privacy dangers.

 Managing data ethically:

Encourage companies and service providers to develop data handling policies that protect users'
privacy and are consistent with Islamic values of honesty, justice, and trust.

 Collaboration:

Encourage cooperation between technology firms, decision-makers, and leaders of the Muslim
community to solve the unique privacy issues and difficulties that Muslims experience.

 Cross-cultural and interfaith dialogue:

Encourage interfaith and cross-cultural discourse on privacy and data protection in order to build
mutual understanding and collaboration in tackling privacy concerns in various religious
communities.

Implementing these methods necessitates the active engagement and cooperation of religious
leaders, technological businesses, governments, educators, civil society organizations, and the
larger Muslim community.

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 (The Data protection and privacy trends to watch out for)

References

Techslang, 2022. Data Protection and Privacy Trends to Watch Out For In 2022. [online]
Available at: https://www.techslang.com/the-data-protection-and-privacy-trends-to-watch-out-
for-in-2022/ [Accessed 27 May 2023].

Law Insider, n.d. Privacy Violation Definition. [online] Available at:

https://www.lawinsider.com/dictionary/privacy-violation [Accessed 27 May 2023]2.

Neo4j, n.d. Image. [image] Available at:

https://dist.neo4j.com/wp-content/uploads/20191015072901/CCPA-Blog-2-Top-Image.jpg?
_ga=2.189016811.1101826926.1685204668-379773546.1685204668 [Accessed 27 May 2023].

Yesmagazine.org (2023) For Muslims, the Matter of Digital Privacy Is Also Deeply Interwoven
with Fears of Government Surveillance and Islamophobia. Available at:
https://www.yesmagazine.org/social-justice/2021/06/16/app-data-collection-muslims-in-tech
(Accessed: 27 May 2023).

Zahraa, M. (2018) 'Privacy and Data Protection: An Islamic Perspective', Journal of Islamic Law
Review, 14(1), pp. 79-95.
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Hussain, S. (2016) 'Islam and Data Protection: privacy and surveillance in the digital age',
Information Communication and Society, 19(4), pp. 521-536.

Sadeq, A. M. (2009) 'Privacy and the moral right to protection of personal and sensitive
information: a comparative study of Islamic and international law', American Journal of Islamic
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