A Theory for a Virtue Ethics-Oriented Interpretation of the Qur’an

Abstract

The nature of Islamic ethics has long been a topic of debate amongst Muslim scholars. Islamic ethics was, and continues to be, instrumental in negotiating the dynamics and relation between the Muslim practitioner of the law and the values of human beings. Thus, the interpretive framework through which authoritative Islamic sources are interpreted determines or, at least, influences, the normativity and ethical outlooks gained from the texts. I propose a virtue ethics framework because it aligns with Islamic principles and values. Virtue ethics is an ethical approach that prioritizes cultivating virtuous behavior in the practitioner through engaging in certain rituals and actions. Another way of conceptualizing this is that certain rituals and actions are instrumental in cultivating virtuous dispositions in the practitioner. In this essay, I argue that a robust virtue ethics framework can be interpreted from the Qur’an because will contribute to our understanding of the aspirational nature of the Qur’an. This is done in reference to Shariah as the “path of God.” My argument is proposed by first, highlighting the concept of Shariah; what it is, and how its essence may be understood. Second, I engage in textual analysis of the Qur’an in light of virtue ethics, while substantiating that analysis with secondary material.