Welcome to the Dialogue: Islam and Ethical Studies
Hello! This section of your AQA A Level course is all about the "conversation" between the Islamic faith and the ethical theories you studied in Paper 1. Instead of looking at them separately, we are going to see how they challenge, support, or differ from one another. This is called a synoptic approach, which just means "looking at the whole picture."
In your exam, this will be a 25-mark essay. Don't worry if it feels like a lot to juggle—we will break down the key connections so you can walk into that exam feeling like an expert!
1. The Foundation: Shari'ah and Ethical Theory
In Paper 1, you learned about Natural Moral Law (NML), Situation Ethics, and Virtue Ethics. In Islam, the primary source of guidance is Shari'ah (the straight path).
One of the most important things to know for this dialogue is the five-fold classification of actions in Shari'ah. This is how Muslims decide if an action is right or wrong:
- Fard/Wajib: Obligatory (you must do it, like daily prayer).
- Mandub: Recommended (doing it is good, but not doing it isn't a sin).
- Mubah: Neutral (it doesn't have a moral weight, like choosing what color socks to wear).
- Makruh: Disliked (it's better not to do it, but it's not strictly forbidden).
- Haram: Forbidden (you must not do it, like theft or murder).
The Dialogue with Deontology (NML and Kant)
Islam often aligns with Natural Moral Law and Kantian Ethics because it emphasizes duty and absolute rules. Because the Qur'an is the literal word of Allah, its commands are seen as objective truths. This is very similar to how Aquinas thought reason could find objective moral laws.
Key Difference: While NML relies on human reason, Islam relies heavily on revelation (the Qur'an and the Sunnah). However, the Mutazili school of thought in Islam argued that reason could help understand good and evil, while the Ashari school emphasized that things are only "good" because Allah says they are.
Key Takeaway:
Islam shares the "rule-based" (deontological) approach of NML and Kant, but the authority comes from divine revelation and the Arabic text of the Qur'an rather than just human logic.
2. Life and Death: Ethical Issues
This is a big topic for the "Dialogue" essay. You need to connect Islamic teachings to issues like abortion, euthanasia, and capital punishment.
The Sanctity of Life and Tawhid
The concept of Tawhid (the oneness of Allah) is central here. If Allah is the sole Creator and Sustainer of life, then humans do not have the right to end life whenever they want. This matches the "Sanctity of Life" principle found in NML.
Abortion and Embryo Research
Islam generally views life as a gift from Allah. However, there is a dialogue with Situation Ethics here. In some Islamic traditions, "ensoulment" (when the soul enters the body) happens at a specific point (often cited as 120 days). Before this point, if the mother’s life is at risk, abortion might be permitted as the "lesser of two evils." This is a bit like Fletcher’s Situation Ethics, where love (agape) or necessity overrides a strict rule.
Euthanasia
Islam is generally very strictly against euthanasia. Why? Because of Al-Qadr (predestination). If Allah has decreed the timing of a person's death, interfering with that is seen as a rejection of Allah’s will. This contrasts sharply with Autonomy (the idea that we should have the right to choose) which is often used in secular ethical arguments.
Capital Punishment
While many modern ethical theories (and some interpretations of Virtue Ethics) might move away from capital punishment, Islam allows it for specific crimes as a matter of justice (Qisas). This is a point of tension in the dialogue with modern liberal ethics.
Did you know?
In Islam, the Barzakh is the "waiting place" or "barrier" where the soul stays after death until the Day of Judgement. This belief in an afterlife (Akhirah) makes every ethical decision high-stakes, as it impacts one's eternal fate (Qur'an 47:15 describes the rewards of paradise).
3. Meta-Ethics: Why is "Good" Good?
In Paper 1, you studied Divine Command Theory (DCT). Islam is one of the clearest examples of DCT in action.
The Big Debate:
1. The Mutazili View: Things are good or bad in themselves, and Allah commands them because they are good. (This uses reason, like Naturalism).
2. The Ashari/Hanbali View: Good and evil are whatever Allah defines them as. If Allah said lying was good, it would be good. This is a "pure" form of Divine Command Theory.
When writing your essay, you can compare these Islamic schools to Bentham’s Utilitarianism. Bentham says "good" is just what causes pleasure. An Ashari Muslim would disagree, saying "good" is only what Allah reveals in the Qur'an.
4. Free Will and Moral Responsibility
This is a tricky one, but you can do it!
If Allah knows everything that will happen (Al-Qadr), are we actually free?
If we aren't free, how can we be punished or rewarded?
- Hard Determinism: Some might argue that Al-Qadr is a form of determinism.
- Islamic Response: Most Muslims believe in a form of Compatibilism. Allah knows what we will do, but we still choose to do it. We are like actors following a script that we are writing ourselves in real-time, but Allah has already seen the movie.
This connects to the "Free Will and Moral Responsibility" topic in Ethics. Without free will, the Islamic concept of Jihad (the struggle to live a moral life) would be meaningless.
5. Animal Ethics: Stewardship vs. Use
In Ethics, you looked at Singer (speciesism) and Regan (animal rights).
Islam teaches that humans are Khalifas (stewards) of the Earth. We have been given authority over animals, but we are responsible for their welfare.
Dialogue Point: Islam allows eating meat (if Halal) and animal testing (if it saves human lives), which conflicts with radical animal rights views but aligns with a "hierarchical" view of NML.
Summary Checklist for your Essay
When you write your 25-mark "Dialogue" essay, try to include these four layers:
- The Ethical Theory: (e.g., "Natural Moral Law says we should preserve life.")
- The Islamic Teaching: (e.g., "Islam also teaches the sanctity of life because of Tawhid.")
- The Nuance: (e.g., "However, the Mutazili school might use reason differently than Aquinas.")
- The Analysis (AO2): (e.g., "This suggests that while both systems are deontological, they differ on the ultimate source of authority—reason vs. revelation.")
Quick Review Box:
Tawhid: Oneness of God – impacts all ethics because He is the law-giver.
Al-Qadr: Predestination – connects to the debate on Free Will.
Shari'ah: The 5-fold classification is the "toolkit" for Islamic moral decision-making.
Qur'an 3:85: Often used in debates about exclusivism—the idea that the Islamic path is the one accepted by Allah.
Don't worry if this seems complex! Just remember: the exam wants to see you connect the "Rules" (Ethics) with the "Religion" (Islam). Use the technical terms like Tawhid and Al-Qadr to show off your knowledge!