Abdullatif Aljibury, Phd.
Danville, California

It is well established that the main purpose of every divine revelation is to provide the individual with a clear cut criteria of truth and falsehood of right and wrong and thus to have a well- defined basis for a moral valuation that is binding on the individual and the society. To attain such a standard, the Quran has detailed for us a moral code to mold the character of the believer that visibly distinguishes that individual with desirable assets that are, in the end, of benefit to the individual and to the society. The divinely inspired ethical message thus provides the individual with a criterion of right and wrong to assist him or her to follow an orderly behavior consistent with the value system of the heavenly revelation.

So far we have mentioned the following criteria of the character of a believer:
Be honest, trustworthy and just in dealing with others,
Maintain and serve Justice, even if against yourself or a relative:
Be truthful even if a near relative is concerned
Do not conceal the truth
Do not give false evidence
Refrain from Cheating
Do Not Steal
Do Not Give or Take Bribery
Return what you Borrow and protect what you are entrusted with including Secrets
Fulfill Your Covenants
Be patient and content with whatever happens to you
Be humble and modest
Do not slander and defame
Abstain from mockery and ridiculing others
Do not backbite (talk about people behind their back.)

What follows are the remainder of the tenants that distinguishes the character of the believer who is always in harmony with the self and the environment.

Holy Quran: Code of Ethics #25:
Avoid Suspicion

Quran: 49:12

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اجْتَنِبُوا كَثِيرًا مِنَ الظَّنِّ إِنَّ بَعْضَ الظَّنِّ إِثْمٌ ۖ وَلَا تَجَسَّسُوا وَلَا يَغْتَبْ بَعْضُكُمْ بَعْضًا ۚ أَيُحِبُّ أَحَدُكُمْ أَنْ يَأْكُلَ لَحْمَ أَخِيهِ مَيْتًا فَكَرِهْتُمُوهُ ۚ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَوَّابٌ رَحِيمٌ
O you who believe! Avoid most of suspicion, for surely suspicion in some cases is a sin,

and do not spy nor let some of you backbite others.

Does one of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? But you abhor it; and be careful of (your duty to)

Allah, surely Allah is Oft-returning to mercy, Merciful.

Ethical Code 26– Do not spy on others: See above verse

 

Holy Quran: Code of Ethics #27:
Abstain from hypocrisy; be genuine with yourself and in dealing with others

Quran 2:204

وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَنْ يُعْجِبُكَ قَوْلُهُ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَيُشْهِدُ اللَّهَ عَلَىٰ مَا فِي قَلْبِهِ وَهُوَ أَلَدُّ الْخِصَام
And among men is he whose speech about the life of this world causes you to wonder,

and he calls on Allah to witness as to what is in his heart, yet he is the most violent of adversaries.

 

Quran 9:73

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ جَاهِدِ الْكُفَّارَ وَالْمُنَافِقِينَ وَاغْلُظْ عَلَيْهِمْ ۚ وَمَأْوَاهُمْ جَهَنَّمُ ۖ وَبِئْسَ الْمَصِيرُ
O Prophet! Strive hard against the unbelievers and the hypocrites and be unyielding to them; and their abode is hell, and evil is the destination.

 

Holy Quran: Code of Ethics #28:
Practice what you preach.

Quran 2:44

أَتَأْمُرُونَ النَّاسَ بِالْبِرِّ وَتَنْسَوْنَ أَنْفُسَكُمْ وَأَنْتُمْ تَتْلُونَ الْكِتَابَ ۚ أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ
Do you enjoin men to be good and neglect your own souls while you read the Book; have you then no sense?

 

Quran 61: 2-3

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لِمَ تَقُولُونَ مَا لَا تَفْعَلُونَ {2}
كَبُرَ مَقْتًا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ أَنْ تَقُولُوا مَا لَا تَفْعَلُونَ {3}
O you who believe! Why do you say one thing and do another?
It is most loathsome in the sight of God that you should say that which you do not do.

 

Holy Quran: Code of Ethics #29:
Shun Jealousy

Quran 4:32

وَلَا تَتَمَنَّوْا مَا فَضَّلَ اللَّهُ بِهِ بَعْضَكُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ ۚ لِلرِّجَالِ نَصِيبٌ مِمَّا اكْتَسَبُوا ۖ وَلِلنِّسَاءِ نَصِيبٌ مِمَّا اكْتَسَبْنَ ۚ وَاسْأَلُوا اللَّهَ مِنْ فَضْلِهِ ۗ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمً
And do not covet that by which Allah has made some of you excel others; men shall have the benefit of what they earn and women shall have the benefit of what they earn; and ask Allah of His grace; surely Allah knows all things.

 

Quran 4:54

أَمْ يَحْسُدُونَ النَّاسَ عَلَىٰ مَا آتَاهُمُ اللَّهُ مِنْ فَضْلِهِ ۖ فَقَدْ آتَيْنَا آلَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ وَآتَيْنَاهُمْ مُلْكًا عَظِيمًا
Or do they envy the people for what Allah has given them of His grace? But indeed We have given to Ibrahim’s children the Book and the wisdom, and We have given them a grand kingdom.

 

Quran 113:1 &5

قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ ………
وَمِنْ شَرِّ حَاسِدٍ إِذَا حَسَدَ
Say: I seek refuge in the Lord of the dawn, ….
And from the evil of the envious when he envies

 

Holy Quran: Code of Ethics #30:
Be content and thankful with what you have.

Quran 14:7

وَإِذْ تَأَذَّنَ رَبُّكُمْ لَئِنْ شَكَرْتُمْ لَأَزِيدَنَّكُمْ ۖ وَلَئِنْ كَفَرْتُمْ إِنَّ عَذَابِي لَشَدِيدٌ
And when your Lord made it known: If you are grateful, I would certainly give to you more, and if you are ungrateful, My chastisement is truly severe.

 

Quran 16:27

وَاللَّهُ فَضَّلَ بَعْضَكُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ فِي الرِّزْقِ ۚ فَمَا الَّذِينَ فُضِّلُوا بِرَادِّي رِزْقِهِمْ عَلَىٰ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُهُمْ فَهُمْ فِيهِ سَوَاءٌ ۚ أَفَبِنِعْمَةِ اللَّهِ يَجْحَدُونَ
And Allah has made some of you excel others in the means of subsistence, so those who are made to excel do not give away their sustenance to those whom their right hands possess so that they should be equal therein; is it then the favor of Allah which they deny?

 

Quran 29:62

اللَّهُ يَبْسُطُ الرِّزْقَ لِمَنْ يَشَاءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ وَيَقْدِرُ لَهُ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ
Allah makes abundant the means of subsistence for whom He pleases of His servants, and straitens them for whom (He pleases) surely Allah is Cognizant of all things.

 

Quran 42:27

وَلَوْ بَسَطَ اللَّهُ الرِّزْقَ لِعِبَادِهِ لَبَغَوْا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَٰكِنْ يُنَزِّلُ بِقَدَرٍ مَا يَشَاءُ ۚ إِنَّهُ بِعِبَادِهِ خَبِيرٌ بَصِيرٌ
And if Allah should amplify the provision for His servants they would certainly revolt in the earth; but He sends it down according to a measure as He pleases; surely He is Aware of, Seeing, His servants.

 

Holy Quran: Code of Ethics #31:
Shun greed and hoarding..

Quran 89:19-20

وَتَأْكُلُونَ التُّرَاثَ أَكْلًا لَمًّا

وَتُحِبُّونَ الْمَالَ حُبًّا جَمًّا
And you eat away the heritage, devouring (everything) indiscriminately,

And you love wealth with exceeding love.

 

Quran 102:1

أَلْهَاكُمُ التَّكَاثُرُ
Abundance diverts you,

 

Quran 104:2-3

الَّذِي جَمَعَ مَالًا وَعَدَّدَهُ

يَحْسَبُ أَنَّ مَالَهُ أَخْلَدَهُ
Who amasses wealth and considers it a provision (against mishap);

He thinks that his wealth will make him immortal.

 

Holy Quran: Code of Ethics #32:
Control your anger and do not raise your voices.

Quran 3:134

الَّذِينَ يُنْفِقُونَ فِي السَّرَّاءِ وَالضَّرَّاءِ وَالْكَاظِمِينَ الْغَيْظَ وَالْعَافِينَ عَنِ النَّاسِ ۗ وَاللَّهُ يُحِبُّ الْمُحْسِنِين
The God conscious who spend benevolently in ease as well as in time of hardship, and those who restrain (their) anger and pardon men; and Allah loves the doers of good (to others).

 

Quran 31:19

وَاقْصِدْ فِي مَشْيِكَ وَاغْضُضْ مِنْ صَوْتِكَ ۚ إِنَّ أَنْكَرَ الْأَصْوَاتِ لَصَوْتُ الْحَمِيرِ
And pursue the right course in your going about and lower your voice; surely the most hateful of voices is braying of the donkies.

 

Holy Quran: Code of Ethics #33:
Do not curse or defame others.

Quran 49:11

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا يَسْخَرْ قَوْمٌ مِنْ قَوْمٍ عَسَىٰ أَنْ يَكُونُوا خَيْرًا مِنْهُمْ وَلَا نِسَاءٌ مِنْ نِسَاءٍ عَسَىٰ أَنْ يَكُنَّ خَيْرًا مِنْهُنَّ ۖ وَلَا تَلْمِزُوا أَنْفُسَكُمْ وَلَا تَنَابَزُوا بِالْأَلْقَابِ ۖ بِئْسَ الِاسْمُ الْفُسُوقُ بَعْدَ الْإِيمَانِ ۚ وَمَنْ لَمْ يَتُبْ فَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الظَّالِمُونَ
O you who believe! No men shall deride
(curse) other men, it may well be that those whom they derided are better than themselves, and no women shall deride other women, for it may well be that those women whom they derided are better than themselves; and neither shall you defame one another, nor insult one another by inappropriate epithets; evil is all imputation of inequity after having attained faith, and those who become guilty and do not repent- it is they who are evildoers.

 

Holy Quran: Code of Ethics #34:
Avoid frivolous talk and chatter

Quran 23:3

وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ عَنِ اللَّغْوِ مُعْرِضُونَ
Who turn away from all frivolous talk?

 

Quran 25:72

وَالَّذِينَ لَا يَشْهَدُونَ الزُّورَ وَإِذَا مَرُّوا بِاللَّغْوِ مَرُّوا كِرَامًا
And they who never bear witness to what is false, and when they pass by people who are engaged in frivolity, they pass on with dignity.

 

Holy Quran: Code of Ethics #35 :
Be congenial and kind in your discussions

Quran 2:83

وَإِذْ أَخَذْنَا مِيثَاقَ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ لَا تَعْبُدُونَ إِلَّا اللَّهَ وَبِالْوَالِدَيْنِ إِحْسَانًا وَذِي الْقُرْبَىٰ وَالْيَتَامَىٰ وَالْمَسَاكِينِ وَقُولُوا لِلنَّاسِ حُسْنًا وَأَقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَآتُوا الزَّكَاةَ ثُمَّ تَوَلَّيْتُمْ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا مِنْكُمْ وَأَنْتُمْ مُعْرِضُونَ
And when We made a covenant with the children of Israel: You shall not serve any but Allah and (you shall do) good to (your) parents, and to the near of kin and to the orphans and the needy, and you shall speak to all people in a kindly way and keep up prayer and be constant in charity. Then you turned back except a few of you and (now too) you turn aside.

 

Quran 2:263

قَوْلٌ مَعْرُوفٌ وَمَغْفِرَةٌ خَيْرٌ مِنْ صَدَقَةٍ يَتْبَعُهَا أَذًى ۗ وَاللَّهُ غَنِيٌّ حَلِيمٌ
A kind word and forgiveness is better than charity followed by abuse; and Allah is Self-sufficient, Forbearing.

 

Quran 16:125

ادْعُ إِلَىٰ سَبِيلِ رَبِّكَ بِالْحِكْمَةِ وَالْمَوْعِظَةِ الْحَسَنَةِ ۖ وَجَادِلْهُمْ بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ ۚ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَنْ ضَلَّ عَنْ سَبِيلِهِ ۖ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِالْمُهْتَدِينَ
Call to the way of your Lord with wisdom and goodly exhortation, and argue with them in the best manner; surely your Lord best knows those who go astray from His path, and He knows best those who follow the right way

 

Quran 17:53

وَقُلْ لِعِبَادِي يَقُولُوا الَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ ۚ إِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ يَنْزَغُ بَيْنَهُمْ ۚ إِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ كَانَ لِلْإِنْسَانِ عَدُوًّا مُبِينًا
And say to My servants (that) they speak that which is best; surely Satan sows dissensions among them; surely the Satan is an open enemy to man.

 

Holy Quran: Code of Ethics #36:
Greet pleasantly and return salutations with better or equal manner.

Quran 4:86

وَإِذَا حُيِّيتُمْ بِتَحِيَّةٍ فَحَيُّوا بِأَحْسَنَ مِنْهَا أَوْ رُدُّوهَا ۗ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ حَسِيبًا
And when you are greeted with a greeting, greet with a better (greeting) than it or return it; surely Allah takes account of all things

Thus, we must attest that whoever surrenders his or her whole being to God and follow His admonitions and take hold of the most unfailing support of the Almighty, and then he or she is assuredly serving God, the self and the community. This is God’s intent in His creation. The mold and the character of the Muslim are, thus, in keeping with the Grand design of the Universe.