ETHICS IN ISLAM

BHM 4053
Chapter One:
Islamic Worldview

By
DR. NIK SAFIAH NIK ABDULLAH
FMKI, KUIPs
 The Meaning of Worldview
‘Worldview’ is an English translation of the German
term “Weltanschauung”.
It is rendered in Arabic as “Ru’yatul al-Islam li al-
wujud" .
According to HAMKA: pandangan/ falsafah hidup
Islam
A philosophical way of looking at life and the purpose of
the human existence.
Analogically explained:

A worldview is like a lens through which we look at the

world and our position (as human beings) in the
 The Definitions of Worldview
 A set of attitudes on a wide range of fundamental
matters.
 A comprehensive set of propositions about various
aspects of the world.
 A unified and comprehensive view of the world around
us and man’s place within it.
 Basic assumptions and images that provide a more or
less coherent, though not necessarily accurate, way of
thinking about the world.
 A worldview is a profile of the way the people within a
specified culture live, act, think, work and relate.
 A guide or a map toward realizing one’s religious,
 The Definition of Islamic Worldview
 A metaphysical survey of the visible as well as the invisible
worlds including the perspective of life as a whole.
 Islamic worldview encompasses the issues of universe,
creator, prophethood, society, man, and hereafter.
 It is not a worldview that is formed merely by amalgamation
or historical concoction of various cultural values. Rather, it is
a well established framework derived from the revelation and
interpreted by Muslim scholars throughout Islamic history.
 This frame of reference provides us with correct and
consistent answers to the ultimate questions pertinent to the
issues of God, unseen, man, universe, and life. It also guides
man as a vicegerent of Allah to the correct belief system,
shari‘ah, and ethical values.
 Cont….
 The worldview of Islam encompasses both ad-dunia and
al-akhirah in which the dunia aspect must be inextricably
linked to the akhirah aspect, and in which the akhirah
aspect has ultimate and final significance.
 Islamic worldview is not a worldview that is formed
merely by the gathering together of various cultural
objects, values and phenomena into artificial coherence.
 Nor is it one that is formed gradually through a historical
process of philosophical speculation and scientific
discovery, which must of necessity be left vague and
open ended for future change and alteration in line with
paradigms that change in correspondence with changing
circumstances.
The Objectives of Islamic Worldview
To provide the Muslims with the true
knowledge and explanation about the world,
seen and unseen, as they are explained in the
Qur`an.
To teach people the way and method how to
achieve the main values of Islam in life
To establish the fundamental ethical precepts,
such as justice, freedom, trust, and dignity of
human life and existence.
Source of Islamic Worldview
Al-Qur’an
The Sunnah
Interpretation of the Muslim scholars
It is not the cultural product of the
Muslims
Unlike the philosophical and scientific
worldviews which go through paradigm
shifts, the IWV does not change with the
passing of time.
 The Main Elements of the Islamic
Worldview
God
Revelation
Prophethood
God’s Creation
Man and the psychology of human
soul
Kknowledge
Religion
Freedom
Values and virtues

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Hereafter
 Characteristics of the Islamic Worldview

 Al-Rabbaniyyah (Divine origin)

 Al-Thabat (The Permanent Realities)
 Al-Shumul (Comprehensive)
 Al-Tawazun/ Al-Wasatiyyah
 Al-Waqiyyah (Realism)
 Al-Ijabiyyah (Dynamism)
 Al-Tawhid (the Oneness of Allah)

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 Poverty
 Illiteracy
 Disunity
 Sectarian Violence & War
 Foreign Occupation
 Materialism, Secularism, Liberalism, etc.
 Terrorism & Extremism
 Substance Usage
 Mismanagement at all level
 Environmental Degradation, etc.
 IWV should be taught at all levels of education.
 We don’t need ‘Reformation of Islam’, but
definitely ‘Reformation of the Muslim
Mind’
 Muslims have to reevaluate their thoughts and
actions, and align them in the true spirit of the
Qur’an & Sunnah.
 We have to accept our differences, but we must
stay united “United We Stand, Divided We Fall”
 Live a balanced life between “Dunia &
 Syukran
Jazilan Terima
Kasih Thank
you

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