The Role a
The
Role and Position of Ethics in Politics: In View of Islam and Islamic Scholars
Ehsan Mirzahosseini 1,
Ebrahim Yaghobi 2
1. Assistant and
Faculty member of Islamic Azad
University, Ilam Branch, ,Iran
2.Professor of Islamic Azad
University, Ilam and Bahktar Branch, Farhangian University,
Ilam, Iran and PhD Student of Yerevan
State University, Armenia
Abstract: This
article examines the view of Islam on the role and position of ethics in
politics. It offers lexical definitions of ethics and politics. It briefly
explains the relation of religion and ethics before entering into detailed
discussions of the four logical relations between ethics and politics, namely,
homogeneity, incongruity, inclusivity, and severability. This paper explains
what’s and why's of the relation between ethics and politics based on the
existing theories offered by the scholars of both fields. The theories included
are: the separation of ethics and politics, adherence of ethics and politics,
duality of ethics, and unity of ethics and politics. These theories are
examined in details as a pretext to open the substantiated discussions for the
political and ethical principles of Islam. Further discussions include Moslem
scholars' views and theories of how ethics and politics relate to each other.
By extending ethics into politics as subscribed by Islam, this paper concludes
that association and agreement between ethics and politics have always been
considered throughout the history. Early political scholars believed that
politics had significant direct relation with the virtue and purpose of ethics
which ensure bliss in life and afterlife. In spite of inverse interpretations
offered by some misguided erudite, Islam subscribes to appropriate politics as
the proper and expedient governance of social functions based on ethical
principles and values. As ethics is flawed without a strong belief in God and
God's revelations, a binding association between politics and ethics can
guarantee a balanced material and moral progress, driving societies toward the
ultimate accomplishments.
[Ehsan
Mirzahosseini, Ebrahim Yaghobi. The Role and Position of Ethics in
Politics: In View of Islam and Islamic Scholars. Life
Sci J 2013;10(1):1561-1570] (ISSN: 1097-8135). http://www.lifesciencesite.com.
Keywords: Ethics, Politics, Islam, Governance, Ethics versus Politics
