Section D: 2.1 Ethics of Judaism and Islam



All religious traditions have specific moral visions. They outline what constitutes the good life, and how to live our lives responsibly and ethically. Both Judaism and Islam are monotheistic faiths – committed to belief in one God. They believe that God, through the process of divine revelation had given instructions on how to live our lives.


Past Exam Question
Outline the principles of the ethical systems of two non-Christian religious traditions


In Judaism morality is part of a person’s relationship with God. The God that is portrayed in the Hebrew Scriptures is a God who seeks repentance and desires justice. The God of Justice is a powerful theme in scripture: personal and social injustices are condemned as sinful, in the psalms we hear a cry for justice in the community, and God is concerned for the powerless – suggesting that the community must take care of the poor. The Torah (which comprises the first five books of the Bible) tells of God’s actions for the people and sets out how the people must respond. 

Characteristics of Judaic Ethics

Freedom - Jews as a people have valued freedom since the experience of the Exodus, and their continued persecution throughout history, right up to the ghettos of European cities in the twentieth century, has highlighted this. Personal freedom is valued and seen as the right of individuals to shape their own destiny.

Justice - Judaism has a passion for justice and righteousness. Belief in the kinship of all peoples should express itself in charity, compassion and kindness. Acts of inhumanity are an affront to a God of justice.

Reverence for Life - Life is considered to be sacred. For instance, should someone’s life be in danger, every single law in the Torah, except for three, can be broken to save that life. Those three are idolatry, murder and sexual immorality. On euthanasia, the teaching is that the dying patient’s end should not be hastened. The Talmud states that he who shoots a man as he falls off a cliff is guilty of murder, even though the man was going to die anyway. 




For the Muslim, all life is under the authority of God, and the person has a responsibility to live according to the will of God. An action is commanded or forbidden by God. The Qur’an contains the ultimate criterion for good and evil. For Muslims, the prophet Muhammad is the highest example of human virtue. The Ethics of Islam is based on the Qur’an and the traditions of Muhammad, known as the hadith. The Sunna is a major Islamic text based on the sayings, actions and approvals of Muhammad.

The Qur’an and the Sunna contain specific ethical teachings. The virtues and vices are listed: virtues, if allowed flourish, lead to goodness, vices if unchecked, lead to evil. Justice, sincerity, wisdom, mercy and compassion, courage, love, hope and patience are included as virtues. The list of vices include pride, slander, strong anger, gluttony, excess in sexual relations, cursing, excessive speech, envy and love of wealth

The central beliefs of Islam are summed up in what are called the Five Pillars of Faith. The most interesting Pillar from an ethical viewpoint is the practice of Zakat, the giving of alms. The word ‘Zakat’ means purification and growth. Possessions are purified by setting aside a certain percentage for those in need.
All aspects of life are regulated by the Sharia, which means ‘clear path’. This is a body of religious laws that governs belief, worship, and social and individual morality. 

Conclusion

Both religions establish a moral vision founded on divine laws with a strong social dimension. If followed they foster the establishment of fair, equitable societies, where human dignity and moral action is prioritised.

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