Islamic Ethics and Values: Character in Action
The Akhlak section tests character as a system of obligations and dispositions: toward Allah, oneself, parents, neighbours, and society. Expect definitions, evidence from Quran and hadith, and practical application, not a list of virtues.
Core framework
- Akhlaq is the stable disposition (malakah) that produces actions easily; it is acquired and trained, not merely inherited.
- The Prophet’s mission is described as completing noble character (makārim al-akhlaq); Quran 68:4 praises his “great character”.
- Key virtues: sidq (truthfulness), amanah (trust), ‘iffah (modesty), hilm (forbearance), shukr, and ihsan (excellence in worship and dealings).
- Key vices: ghibah (backbiting), namimah (tale-carrying), hasad (envy), riya’ (showing off), and ghashsh (deception in trade).
- Akhlaq is not separate from law: a valid contract can still be unethical if it conceals defect.
Worked example
A trader sells a used phone without disclosing a faulty battery. Reasoning: concealment of a known defect is ghashsh; the hadith “Whoever deceives is not of me” (Sahih Muslim) condemns it. The sale may be legally reversible under the option of defect (khiyar al-‘ayb), and the trader owes disclosure and possible compensation. The answer should connect the hadith to a commercial ruling, not just call it bad manners.
Traps
- Treating akhlaq as optional courtesy rather than religious obligation.
- Quoting a weak hadith when a sahih one exists.
- Ignoring niyyah: the same act can be virtuous or ostentatious.
- Applying cultural custom as if it were an Islamic norm.