RKUD 3020 : ISLAMIC ETHICS KIRKHS, IIUM

1. CULTIVATION OF VIRTUES
-acquisition of these virtues is identified by al-Ghazali with the
prosperity of the inward self, with the enlightenment of soul and with
making it beautiful
-without acquiring them no one can attain nearness to God n entitled
to the highest happiness

2. • -these virtues are to be acquired for the special purpose of
attaining proximity to God
• -these virtues are not of the same grade and importance
• -they are of 2 division
i) those which are means
ii) those which are ends
• -the latter are sought for their own sake and not for any other
virtues; they will remain in the soul eternally after death
• -the means function is to help the novice acquire the ends virtues

3. • -al-ghazali presents these virtues in the form of a gradually
ascending order
• -He puts repentance at the bottom and love at the top
• -all the means n the ends virtues that are below love are thought to
be those which prepare one for it
• - when one acquiring one virtue, passes to another, one concern
with it is not finished, rather one must cultivate it through out one’s
life, what is finished is one’s mortification and self training
Each station consisting of 3 elements
1) Knowledge
2) Disposition
3) Action
= when knowledge is present, disposition produced in the soul, when
disposition is created, certain action proceed from it

4. 3 ELEMENTS
1) KNOWLEDGE - which forms the cause of the virtue concerned with the
benefit of that virtue in the hereafter n with the evils of its opposite
2) HAL(DISPOSITION) - is a quality of the soul that is fixed and established
quality
3) ACTION - proceeds from disposition is of 2 kinds;
i) that of the bodily members
ii) that of the soul
= When KNOWLEDGE is present, DISPOSITION produced in the soul,
when disposition is created, certain ACTION proceed from it.
• if the disposition is produced in the soul, it must give rise to action, n
the action will leave its influence upon the soul as a result of which
the quality will be strengthen, all actions for the benefit of the soul

5. • Repentance
-it is of 3 elements
1) Knowledge - man’s awareness of the harm of sin, of the fact that it
produces veil between him and that he loves. When he knows this,
pain for his isolation from his beloved, owing to sin, is roused in his
soul, this state is known regret
2) Disposition - regret, there hastens to it resolution for action.
Knowledge causes regret, in turn causes resolve to act
3) Action

6. • Repentance
-it is of 3 elements
1) Knowledge - man’s awareness of the harm of sin, of the fact that it
produces veil between him and that he loves. When he knows this,
pain for his isolation from his beloved, owing to sin, is roused in his
soul, this state is known regret
2) Disposition - regret, there hastens to it resolution for action.
Knowledge causes regret, in turn causes resolve to act
3) Action