The two main values that encompass the responsibility and moderation are a direct consequence and manifestation of the reality of the Oneness of God. It is God, who in His infinite wisdom has chosen us to be His representatives on earth. “And when your Lord said to the angels, I am going to place in the earth a vicegerent (representative.) Quran 2:30.

This choice has placed on each individual a hefty responsibility to live up to, which is to be the care-takers of God’s creation on this earth. This implies not only being responsible for ourselves, our family members, our fellow human beings, but also the fauna and flora and the rest of the environment on this Earth. This is a tall order that we need to put in perspective from the first time that we become conscious of our existence as human beings and for as long as we are alive.

We have to work hard to improve ourselves and the environment around us. God has created us at a point in time so that we can keep up with the changing world. Since we are His trustees, we must, therefore, do our utmost to, at least, keep the trust and better, yet, improve upon it so that we are worthy of the trust that God has put in us.
Since the world we live in is a dynamic one, we must adjust ourselves and our thinking to be compatible with this dynamism. We have come to realize that our world is a dynamic and an expanding world; hence our stance would be to find a balanced approach to keep up with the changing world. God has instructed us, quite rightly so, to move responsibly at a steady and moderate pace.

Quran 2:143

وَإِنْ جَنَحُوا لِلسَّلْمِ فَاجْنَحْ لَهَا وَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ ۚ إِنَّهُ هُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ
And if they incline to peace, then incline to it and trust in Allah; surely He is the Hearing, the Knowing.

Henceforth, we have been instructed to be a community that keeps an equitable balance between extremes in all aspects of our existence. To wit, we must be moderate in our physical as well as our spiritual activities. God does not want us to dedicate our time to live like monks in His worship. Nor does He like us to place too much emphasis on the physical and material aspects in our daily lives.

We are instructed to keep a balance between the spiritual and the physical which is a direct consequence of the oneness of God. All laws of nature, stemming from the same source, attest to the unity of God and His Creation. This balanced approach, upon reflection, permeates the entire creation. Water is essential to our existence. We must drink water to stay alive. As an example, we know that, in order for us to stay healthy, we need to drink moderate amounts of water. If we take too little we get dehydrated and if we take too much, then it is deadly. This balanced and moderate attitude guides the believers to all aspects of Islamic life that is shaped by the divine code of ethics.

 

Holy Quran: Code of Ethics #48:
Be Kind and improve the environment

Quran 7:56

وَلَا تُفْسِدُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ بَعْدَ إِصْلَاحِهَا وَادْعُوهُ خَوْفًا وَطَمَعًا ۚ

إِنَّ رَحْمَتَ اللَّهِ قَرِيبٌ مِنَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ
Do not spread corruption on earth after it has been so well ordered. And call onto Him with Fear and Longing;

verily God’s grace is ever near the doers of good..

 

Quran 29:36

وَإِلَىٰ مَدْيَنَ أَخَاهُمْ شُعَيْبًا فَقَالَ يَا قَوْمِ اعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ وَارْجُوا الْيَوْمَ الْآخِرَ وَلَا تَعْثَوْا فِي الْأَرْضِ مُفْسِدِينَ
And to Madyan we sent their brother Shuaib, so he said: O my people! Serve Allah and fear the latter day and do not act corruptly in the land, making mischief.

 

Holy Quran: Code of Ethics #49:
Be kind to animals

Quran 6:38

وَمَا مِنْ دَابَّةٍ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَا طَائِرٍ يَطِيرُ بِجَنَاحَيْهِ إِلَّا أُمَمٌ أَمْثَالُكُمْ ۚ مَا فَرَّطْنَا فِي الْكِتَابِ مِنْ شَيْءٍ ۚ ثُمَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِمْ يُحْشَرُونَ
And there is no animal that walks upon neither the earth nor a bird that flies with its two wings but (they are) genera like yourselves; We have not neglected anything in the Book, then to their Lord shall they be gathered.

 

Quran 24:41

أَلَمْ تَرَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يُسَبِّحُ لَهُ مَنْ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَالطَّيْرُ صَافَّاتٍ ۖ كُلٌّ قَدْ عَلِمَ صَلَاتَهُ وَتَسْبِيحَهُ ۗ وَاللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ بِمَا يَفْعَلُونَ
Have’nt you seen that Allah, He it is Whom all who are in the heavens and the earth do praise, and the birds in their flight? Of each He knows verily the worship and the praise; and Allah is Aware of what they do.

 

Holy Quran: Code of Ethics #50:
Be moderate in your actions and avoid extremes

Quran: 2:143

وَكَذَٰلِكَ جَعَلْنَاكُمْ أُمَّةً وَسَطًا لِتَكُونُوا شُهَدَاءَ عَلَى النَّاسِ وَيَكُونَ الرَّسُولُ عَلَيْكُمْ شَهِيدًا ۗ وَمَا جَعَلْنَا الْقِبْلَةَ الَّتِي كُنْتَ عَلَيْهَا إِلَّا لِنَعْلَمَ مَنْ يَتَّبِعُ الرَّسُولَ مِمَّنْ يَنْقَلِبُ عَلَىٰ عَقِبَيْهِ ۚ وَإِنْ كَانَتْ لَكَبِيرَةً إِلَّا عَلَى الَّذِينَ هَدَى اللَّهُ ۗ وَمَا كَانَ اللَّهُ لِيُضِيعَ إِيمَانَكُمْ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ بِالنَّاسِ لَرَءُوفٌ رَحِيمٌ
And thus we have willed you to be a community of the middle way so that, with your lives, you might bear witness to the truth before all mankind and that the Apostle might bear witness to it before you…..

 

Holy Quran: Code of Ethics #51:
Enjoin and encourage good deeds and discourage bad deeds

Quran: 3:104

وَلْتَكُنْ مِنْكُمْ أُمَّةٌ يَدْعُونَ إِلَى الْخَيْرِ وَيَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ ۚ وَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ
And from among you there grows out a community that invites unto all that is good and enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and it is they who attain to a happy state.

 

Quran: 3:110

كُنْتُمْ خَيْرَ أُمَّةٍ أُخْرِجَتْ لِلنَّاسِ تَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَتَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ وَتُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ ۗ وَلَوْ آمَنَ أَهْلُ الْكِتَابِ لَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَهُمْ ۚ مِنْهُمُ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَأَكْثَرُهُمُ الْفَاسِقُونَ
You were indeed the best of the communities ever brought forth for mankind; you enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and believe in God; and if the followers of the Book had believed it would have been better for them; some of whom are believers and most of them are transgressors.

 

Quran: 5:2

وَتَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْبِرِّ وَالتَّقْوَىٰ ۖ وَلَا تَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْإِثْمِ وَالْعُدْوَانِ ۚ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ ۖ إِنَّ اللَّهَ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ
and help one another in goodness and piety, and do not help one another in sin and aggression; and be careful of (your duty to) God; surely God is severe in requiting (evil).

 

Quran: 9:71

وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتُ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَاءُ بَعْضٍ ۚ يَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ
وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ وَيُقِيمُونَ الصَّلَاةَ وَيُؤْتُونَ الزَّكَاةَ وَيُطِيعُونَ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ ۚ أُولَٰئِكَ سَيَرْحَمُهُمُ اللَّهُ ۗ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ
And (as for) the believing men and the believing women, they are guardians of each other; they enjoin good and forbid evil and are constant in prayer and render the purifying dues, and obey God and His Messenger;, It is they upon whom God will bestow His mercy ; surely Allah is All Mighty and Wise.

 

Quran: 22:41

الَّذِينَ إِنْ مَكَّنَّاهُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ أَقَامُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَآتَوُا الزَّكَاةَ وَأَمَرُوا بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَنَهَوْا عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ ۗ وَلِلَّهِ عَاقِبَةُ الْأُمُورِ
Those who We firmly establish them in the land, will keep up prayer and give charity and enjoin good and forbid evil; and to God reverts the outcome of all events.

 

Quran: 31:17

يَا بُنَيَّ أَقِمِ الصَّلَاةَ وَأْمُرْ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَانْهَ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ وَاصْبِرْ عَلَىٰ مَا أَصَابَكَ ۖ إِنَّ ذَٰلِكَ مِنْ عَزْمِ الْأُمُورِ
O my son! Keep up the prayer and enjoin the good and forbid the evil, and bear patiently that which befalls you; surely these acts require fortitude;

 

Holy Quran: Code of Ethics #52:
Hasten to good deeds and do not delay them

Quran: 2:148

وَلِكُلٍّ وِجْهَةٌ هُوَ مُوَلِّيهَا ۖ فَاسْتَبِقُوا الْخَيْرَاتِ ۚ أَيْنَ مَا تَكُونُوا يَأْتِ بِكُمُ اللَّهُ جَمِيعًا ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ
For every community faces a direction of its own to which it should turn, therefore hasten to (do) good deeds; wherever you are, God will bring you all together; surely God has power over all things.

 

Quran: 5:48

فَاسْتَبِقُوا الْخَيْرَاتِ ۚ إِلَى اللَّهِ مَرْجِعُكُمْ جَمِيعًا فَيُنَبِّئُكُمْ بِمَا كُنْتُمْ فِيهِ تَخْتَلِفُون
Therefore hasten to virtuous deeds; to Allah is your return, of all (of you), so He will let you know that in which you differed;

 

Quran: 23:60-61

وَالَّذِينَ يُؤْتُونَ مَا آتَوْا وَقُلُوبُهُمْ وَجِلَةٌ أَنَّهُمْ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِمْ رَاجِعُونَ

أُولَٰئِكَ يُسَارِعُونَ فِي الْخَيْرَاتِ وَهُمْ لَهَا سَابِقُونَ
And those who give what they give (in alms) while their hearts are full of fear that to their Lord they must return,

It is they who vie with one another to do good deeds and it is they who outperform others and hasten in attaining them.

 

Holy Quran: Code of Ethics #53:
Bear the responsibility to be God’s representatives on Earth

Quran: 2:30

وَإِذْ قَالَ رَبُّكَ لِلْمَلَائِكَةِ إِنِّي جَاعِلٌ فِي الْأَرْضِ خَلِيفَةً ۖ قَالُوا أَتَجْعَلُ فِيهَا مَنْ يُفْسِدُ فِيهَا وَيَسْفِكُ الدِّمَاءَ وَنَحْنُ نُسَبِّحُ بِحَمْدِكَ وَنُقَدِّسُ لَكَ ۖ قَالَ إِنِّي أَعْلَمُ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ
And when your Lord said to the angels, I am going to place in the earth a vicegerent (representative,) They said: What! Will Thou place in it such as shall make mischief in it and shed blood, and we celebrate Thy praise and extol Thy holiness? He said: Surely I know what you do not know.

It is God’s will to entrust the human beings, and not the angles, to be the custodians of His Kingdom on earth. The reason that God has endowed the human beings with the power of logic and the faculty of reasoning so that they are well equipped to maintain and care for God’s kingdom on earth. Whereas, the angles are totally obedient to God and are not capable of independent thinking and reasoning that are necessary for decision making in carrying out the tasks of maintain order and universal balance.

 

Holy Quran: Code of Ethics #54:
Seek knowledge and Wisdom.

Quran: 2:269

يُؤْتِي الْحِكْمَةَ مَنْ يَشَاءُ ۚ وَمَنْ يُؤْتَ الْحِكْمَةَ فَقَدْ أُوتِيَ خَيْرًا كَثِيرًا ۗ وَمَا يَذَّكَّرُ إِلَّا أُولُو الْأَلْبَابِ
He grants wisdom to whom He pleases, and whoever is granted wisdom, he indeed is being granted wealth in abundance. But none bears this in mind save those that are endowed with insight.

 

Quran: 2:129

رَبَّنَا وَابْعَثْ فِيهِمْ رَسُولًا مِنْهُمْ يَتْلُو عَلَيْهِمْ آيَاتِكَ وَيُعَلِّمُهُمُ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ وَيُزَكِّيهِمْ ۚ إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ
Our Lord! And send to them a Messenger from among them who shall recite to them Your messages and teach them the Book and the wisdom, and purify them; surely Thou art the Mighty, the Wise.

 

Quran: 2:151

كَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا فِيكُمْ رَسُولًا مِنْكُمْ يَتْلُو عَلَيْكُمْ آيَاتِنَا وَيُزَكِّيكُمْ وَيُعَلِّمُكُمُ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ وَيُعَلِّمُكُمْ مَا لَمْ تَكُونُوا تَعْلَمُونَ
Even as We have sent among you a Messenger from among you who recites to you Our messages and purifies you and teaches you the Book and the wisdom and teaches you that which you did not know.

 

Quran: 20:114

فَتَعَالَى اللَّهُ الْمَلِكُ الْحَقُّ ۗ وَلَا تَعْجَلْ بِالْقُرْآنِ مِنْ قَبْلِ أَنْ يُقْضَىٰ إِلَيْكَ وَحْيُهُ ۖ وَقُلْ رَبِّ زِدْنِي عِلْمًا
God is supremely exalted, the Ultimate Sovereign, the Ultimate Truth, and do not approach the Quran with haste as it has been revealed in full, but say : O my Lord ! Make me grow in knowledge.

 

Quran: 35:28

وَمِنَ النَّاسِ وَالدَّوَابِّ وَالْأَنْعَامِ مُخْتَلِفٌ أَلْوَانُهُ كَذَٰلِكَ ۗ إِنَّمَا يَخْشَى اللَّهَ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ الْعُلَمَاءُ ۗ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ غَفُورٌ
And of men and beasts and cattle are various species of many hues; of all His servants who are endowed with innate knowledge stand in awe of God; They alone comprehend that surely God is All Mighty, much Forgiving.

 

Quran: 39:9

أَمَّنْ هُوَ قَانِتٌ آنَاءَ اللَّيْلِ سَاجِدًا وَقَائِمًا يَحْذَرُ الْآخِرَةَ وَيَرْجُو رَحْمَةَ رَبِّهِ ۗ قُلْ هَلْ يَسْتَوِي الَّذِينَ يَعْلَمُونَ وَالَّذِينَ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ ۗ إِنَّمَا يَتَذَكَّرُ أُولُو الْأَلْبَابِ
Do you deem yourselves equal to to those who devoutly worship God throughout the night prostrating themselves or standing in prayers, and who are mindful of the life to come and hoping for His grace! Say: Can those who know and those who do not know be deemed equal? Only they who are endowed with insight keep this in mind.

 

Holy Quran: Code of Ethics #55:
You are responsible for your actions

Quran: 6:164

قُلْ أَغَيْرَ اللَّهِ أَبْغِي رَبًّا وَهُوَ رَبُّ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ ۚ وَلَا تَكْسِبُ كُلُّ نَفْسٍ إِلَّا عَلَيْهَا ۚ وَلَا تَزِرُ وَازِرَةٌ وِزْرَ أُخْرَىٰ ۚ ثُمَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكُمْ مَرْجِعُكُمْ فَيُنَبِّئُكُمْ بِمَا كُنْتُمْ فِيهِ تَخْتَلِفُونَ
Say: What! Shall I seek a Lord other than God? And He is the Lord of all things; and no soul earns (evil) but against itself, and no bearer of burden shall bear the burden of another; then to your Lord is your return, so He will inform you of that in which you differed.

Quran: 17:15, 35:18, 39:7, and 53:38 all emphasize the important declaration that” no bearer of burden shall bear the burden of another.” It is very clear that a sin or a bad deed, minor or major, cannot be absolved or carried by another person, no matter who, whether a prophet or a saint, except by God on the Day of Judgment.

Quran: 41:4

مَنْ عَمِلَ صَالِحًا فَلِنَفْسِهِ ۖ وَمَنْ أَسَاءَ فَعَلَيْهَا ۗ وَمَا رَبُّكَ بِظَلَّامٍ لِلْعَبِيدِ
Whoever does what is just and right, does it for his own good and whoever does evil, does so to his own detriment. Your Lord is never unjust to His servants.-

 

Holy Quran: Code of Ethics #56:
Choose good friends

Quran: 9:119

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَكُونُوا مَعَ الصَّادِقِينَ
O you who believe! Be mindful of (your duty to) God and associate with the true ones.

 

Holy Quran: Code of Ethics #57:
Do not argue about what you have no knowledge of.

Quran: 49:6

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِنْ جَاءَكُمْ فَاسِقٌ بِنَبَإٍ فَتَبَيَّنُوا أَنْ تُصِيبُوا قَوْمًا بِجَهَالَةٍ فَتُصْبِحُوا عَلَىٰ مَا فَعَلْتُمْ نَادِمِينَ
O you who believe! If an iniquitous person comes to you with a slanderous tale, look carefully into it, lest you harm people unwittingly, then afterwards you fall into remorse for what you have done.

 

Quran: 31:20

أَلَمْ تَرَوْا أَنَّ اللَّهَ سَخَّرَ لَكُمْ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَأَسْبَغَ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعَمَهُ ظَاهِرَةً وَبَاطِنَةً ۗ وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَنْ يُجَادِلُ فِي اللَّهِ بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ وَلَا هُدًى وَلَا كِتَابٍ مُنِيرٍ
Do you not aware that God has made subservient to you what is in the heavens and what is in the earth, and has lavished upon you His blessings both outwardly and inwardly? And yet among men there are many who argue about God without having any knowledge of Him and without His guidance, and without any enlightening revelation.

 

Holy Quran: Code of Ethics #58:
Work and earn a living

Quran: 62:10

فَإِذَا قُضِيَتِ الصَّلَاةُ فَانْتَشِرُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَابْتَغُوا مِنْ فَضْلِ اللَّهِ وَاذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ كَثِيرًا لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ
And when the prayers is ended, then disperse over the earth and seek to obtain from God’s bounty, and remember God often so that you may succor.

 

Quran: 9:105

وَقُلِ اعْمَلُوا فَسَيَرَى اللَّهُ عَمَلَكُمْ وَرَسُولُهُ وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ ۖ وَسَتُرَدُّونَ إِلَىٰ عَالِمِ الْغَيْبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ فَيُنَبِّئُكُمْ بِمَا كُنْتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ
And say: Work; so God will behold your deeds and (so will) His Messenger and the believers; and you shall be brought before Him who knows all that is beyond the reach of a created being’s perception as well as all that can be witnessed by a creatures perceptions. He will make you understand what you haqve been doing.

 

Holy Quran: Code of Ethics #59:
Be discrete and do not seek worldly rewards for good deeds

Quran: 2:264

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تُبْطِلُوا صَدَقَاتِكُمْ بِالْمَنِّ وَالْأَذَىٰ كَالَّذِي يُنْفِقُ مَالَهُ رِئَاءَ النَّاسِ وَلَا يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ ۖ فَمَثَلُهُ كَمَثَلِ صَفْوَانٍ عَلَيْهِ تُرَابٌ فَأَصَابَهُ وَابِلٌ فَتَرَكَهُ صَلْدًا ۖ لَا يَقْدِرُونَ عَلَىٰ شَيْءٍ مِمَّا كَسَبُوا ۗ وَاللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الْكَافِرِين
O You who believeh! Do not render your good deeds worthless by stressing your own benevolence and hurting the feeling of others as he who spends his wealth only as to be seen and praised by men and not believe in God and the Last Day…..

 

Holy Quran: Code of Ethics #60:
Be punctual and Conscious of time;

Quran: 4:103

فَإِذَا قَضَيْتُمُ الصَّلَاةَ فَاذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ قِيَامًا وَقُعُودًا وَعَلَىٰ جُنُوبِكُمْ ۚ فَإِذَا اطْمَأْنَنْتُمْ فَأَقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ ۚ إِنَّ الصَّلَاةَ كَانَتْ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ كِتَابًا مَوْقُوتًا
Then when you have finished the prayer, remember Allah standing and sitting and reclining; but when you are secure (from danger) keep up prayer; surely prayer to the believers is a sacred duty linked to particular times (of the day).

 

Quran: 17:34

وَلَا تَقْرَبُوا مَالَ الْيَتِيمِ إِلَّا بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ حَتَّىٰ يَبْلُغَ أَشُدَّهُ ۚ وَأَوْفُوا بِالْعَهْدِ ۖ إِنَّ الْعَهْدَ كَانَ مَسْئُولًا
And do not touch the property of the orphan except to improve upon it and until he comes of age. Fulfill your covenants (promises); surely you will be called upon to account for all the promises you made..

Time is of essence. A believer is enjoined to be appreciative of the time and that he or she are made of aware of constantly in keeping their daily prayers within their assigned times. Believers are enjoined to keep up their promises. What is more important than to keep ones promised to be on time or to deliver on time? Life has taught us that time is of essence and that those who respect time and keep their promises are the ones who are successful in their endeavors and who gain the respect and admiration of those who deal with them.