Muslim Ethics: Emerging Vistas - (review continued - chapter 1)

Muslim Ethics Emerging Vistas


Author: Amyn B. Sajoo

Published by: I. B. Tauris Publisher’s London: New York in association with the Institute of Ismaili Studies

In the first chapter, “Taking Ethics Seriously” he discusses the concept of Maslaha (human welfare) and Istihsan (equality) in relation to today’s realities, especially from the field of biomedical, ecological and developmental issues. He gave many examples such as abortion, human genetic intervention and euthanasia to give clearer reasoning for ethical understanding in those matters, especially the fine line which changes Maslaha (human welfare) into pure science with the motives of profit and publicity and touches on the very foundation of birth and death.




In his explanation of taking ethics seriously he mentioned that ethical choices are not forced by the outside agents, instead it is demanded by person himself as he/she is the part of a whole and hurting others will result in hurting himself in the end. He quotes Williams from “Ethics and Limits of Philosophy” as follows:

“Moral choices have to do with the deliberative priority that is accorded to specific courses of action, and this priority in turn relates to a whole range of possible motivations, of which obligation is only one. Ethically outstanding choices may not be a matter of obligation at all, in that they cannot be demanded or the actor subjected to blame for not doing them: instead they may be done because the actor feels there is no alternative for him personally, while recognizing that this could not be demanded of others.”