Islamic Politics As An Ethical And Moral System In Modern Government
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
Islamic politics since its conception has by no means been perceived as a power game, yet as a moral tool of achievement of social good (maslahah 'ammah). Islamic politics turned into an ethical system, which links transcendental values and social agreement throughout history. This paper will attempt to unveil the ethical and moral aspects of the Islamic politics through the historical background of the religion, its normative basis, and importance to present day governance, which suffers a crisis of integrity and ethical direction. Classical thinking (Al-Farabi, Al-Mawardi, and Ibn Khaldun) and the practices of the Islamic state, since the Medina Charter to the modern dynamics of Muslim-majority countries, are reread critically-analytically. The discussion indicates that Islamic politics is not just a value system but includes theological ideals but constitutes an ethical system of governance founded on justice, trust, responsibility to the people and shura. In the contemporary world, the values have been used in the fight against corruption, maintenance of good governance and enhancement of moral authority of the state in the backdrop of findings of secularization and crisis of the confidence of the citizens. Islamic politics, thus is not opposite of modern democracy but a morally based foundation of state government which is integrally oriented on human welfare, both on spiritual, social, and political fronts.
Article Details
Section
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
References
Abbas, H., & Hassan, A. (2023). Ethical Dilemmas in Religious Pluralism: Perspectives from the Humanities. International Journal of Religion and Humanities, 1(1), 14–22. https://doi.org/https://theijrah.com/index.php/Journal/article/view/2
Abbasi, A. S., Rehman, K. U., & Bibi, A. (2010). Islamic leadership model an accountability perspective. World Applied Sciences Journal, 9(3), 230–238. https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1877599
Abdillah, M. (2015). Islam & dinamika sosial politik di Indonesia. Gramedia Pustaka Utama.
Abdullah, M. A. (2021). Nurcholish Madjid and Religious Pluralism in Indonesian Islam. Pluralism in Islamic Contexts-Ethics, Politics and Modern Challenges, 189–199.
Abdurrahman, Z. (2025). Islamic ethical governance: An integrated model for corruption prevention. Kurva: Jurnal Ekonomi Manajemen Keuangan Dan Bisnis, 2(1), 1–19. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.53088/kurva.v2i2.2245
Adler, P. S. (2023). Authoritarianism, populism, and the global retreat of democracy: A curated discussion. Journal of Management Inquiry, 32(1), 3–20. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1177/10564926221119395
Adnan, N. L., & et al. (2021). A proposed Islamic performance management model (IPMM): Towards more productive employees with better quality of work life. Advances in Business Research International Journal, 7(2), 145–160. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.24191/abrij.v7i2.4240
Adua, S. S., & Salahu, M. O. (2016). The Islamic Shura System and the Western Democratic Process: A Debate. POL. SCI. REV., 7, 97-110. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1080/00263200902917085
Ahmad, S., Abbas, M. H., & Imam, M. A. (2025). Divine Objectives and Decentralized Power: Islamic Thought, Postmodernism, and the Future of Global Ethics. South Asian Journal of Religion and Philosophy (SAJRP), 6(1), 58–70. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.58932/MULF0042
Ayogu, M. (2023). Fostering transparency and accountability enhancing statutory audits in Nigeria. Journal of Business and Economic Options, 6(1), 37–44. http://resdojournals.com/index.php/jbeo/article/view/232
Bakar, O. (2011). The Place and Role of Maqasid al-Shari’ah in the Ummah’s 21st Century Civilisational Renewal. ICR Journal, 2(2), 285–301. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.52282/icr.v2i2.649
Beekun, R. I., & Badawi, J. A. (2005). Balancing ethical responsibility among multiple organizational stakeholders: The Islamic perspective. Journal of Business Ethics, 60(2), 131–145. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-004-8204-5
Bina, O., & Vaz, S. G. (2011). Humans, environment and economies: From vicious relationships to virtuous responsibility. Ecological Economics, 7(2), 170–178. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2011.09.029
Brinkerhoff, D. W. (2017). Accountability and good governance: concepts and issues. International Development Governance, 269–287.
Burhanuddin, B., Daulay, H. P., & Sumanti, S. T. (2024). Dinamika Kebudayaan Islam Menjelang Kemunduran Kekuasaan Dinasti. MUDABBIR Journal Research and Education Studies, 4(2), 413–423. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.56832/mudabbir.v4i2.628
Burlone, N., & Richmond, R. G. (2018). Between morality and rationality: Framing end-of-life care policy through narratives. Policy Sciences, 51(3), 313–334. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1007/s11077-018-9320-x
Charney, E. (1998). Political liberalism, deliberative democracy, and the public sphere. American Political Science Review, 92(1), 97–110. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.2307/2585931
Dahlan, D. (2021). Etika politik dalam Islam (Konstruksi dan persfektif). Menara Ilmu: Jurnal Penelitian Dan Kajian Ilmiah, 15(1), 42–50. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.31869/mi.v15i1.2389
Dean, R. J. (2017). Beyond radicalism and resignation: the competing logics for public participation in policy decisions. Policy & Politics, 45(2), 213-230. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1332/030557316X14531466517034
Devi, M. F. (2025). Runtuhnya Pilar Demokrasi Akibatkan Politik Dinasti: Menelisik Jejak Hitam Nepotisme Anwar Usman. Media Hukum Indonesia (MHI), 3(2), 85–95. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15483861
Eaosinsup, D., & Kulachai, W. (2025). Decoding trust: How transparency, political stability, and leadership shape public confidence in government institutions. วารสาร การ บริหาร การ จัดการ และ การ พัฒนา ที่ ยั่งยืน, 3(1), 258–271. https://so15.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/jamsd/article/view/1596
El Syam, R. S. (2017). Prophetic leadership: The leadership model of Prophet Muhammad in political relation of social–ummah. Jurnal Pendidikan Islam, 6(2), 371–396. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.14421/jpi.2017.62.371-396
Elok, K., Hafizd, J., & Rana, M. (2025). Al-Mawardi’s Leadership Concept and Its Relevance to Indonesian Democracy. Journal of Law Justice, 3(1), 47–62. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.33506/jlj.v3i1.3607
Erwina, M. A., Erman, E., & Hasnah, R. (2025). NEGARA ISLAM DEMOKRASI SAMPAI OTOKRASI. Jurnal Multidisiplin Ilmu Akademik, 2(1), 202–210. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.61722/jmia.v2i1.3220
Fadel, M. (2008). The true, the good and the reasonable: The theological and ethical roots of public reason in Islamic law. Canadian Journal of Law & Jurisprudence, 21(1), 5–69. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1017/S084182090000432X
Faridzadeh, G. (2021). In Search of Equal Justice (al-ʿadl bis-sawiyya): The Development of “musāwāt” in the Political and Religious Language of Islamic Countries. Interdisciplinary Journal for Religion and Transformation in Contemporary Society, 7(1), 125–154. https://brill.com/view/journals/jrat/7/1/article-p125_7.xml
Fouz Mohamed Zacky, M., & Moniruzzaman, M. (2024). Islamic Epistemology’in a Modern Context: Anatomy of an Evolving Debate. Social Epistemology, 38(4), 511–525. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1080/02691728.2023.2227945
Giroux, H. (2016). Political frauds, Donald Trump, and the ghost of totalitarianism. Knowledge Cultures, 4(5), 95–108. https://www.ceeol.com/search/article-detail?id=421832
Gule, L. (2015). Ibn Khaldun: Law and justice in the science of civilisation. Contemporary Philosophy: A New Survey, Vol 12. Springer, Dordrecht., 12. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-9175-5_8
Hamzah, N., & Sulaiman, R. (2025). ETIKA ISLAM DAN FILSAFAT MORAL: PERSPEKTIF TEORI KEWAJIBAN DAN KEBAJIKAN. As-Sulthan Journal of Education, 1(3), 527–540. https://ojssulthan.com/asje/article/view/64
Hasan, M. Z., & Hanafi, Y. (2024). Perkembangan Pemikiran Politik Islam. AL-Ikhtiar: Jurnal Studi Islam, 1(4), 294–305. https://journal.salahuddinal-ayyubi.com/index.php/ALJSI/article/view/194
Hasan, S. (2023). Public Policy in the Muslim Majority Countries: A Discussion for Public Interest. Available at SSRN 4333864. https://doi.org/http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4333864
Hasaninasab, M., & Mirtabar, S. M. (2024). Explaining the desirable practical ethics of governance from the perspective of Abu Ali Miskawayh. Journal of the Socio-Political Thought of Islam, 5(2), 21–38. https://doi.org/10.22034/jspt.2025.488958.1074
Hashas, M. (2024). Religion and Politics in Morocco: Islamic, Islamist, and Post-Islamist Dynamics. Filozofija i Društvo, 35(3), 537–562. https://www.ceeol.com/search/article-detail?id=1269800
Hopper, T. (2017). Neopatrimonialism, good governance, corruption and accounting in Africa: Idealism vs pragmatism. Journal of Accounting in Emerging Economies, 7(2), 225–248. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1108/JAEE-12-2015-0086
Idrees, M., & Naazer, M. A. (2024). The Role of Al-Farabi in the Transmission and Interpretation of Plato’s Political Philosophy Within the Medieval Muslim Intellectual Tradition and its Subsequent Impact on Political Philosophy: The role of Al-Farabi in the Transmission and Interpretation . Journal Of Social Sciences, 15(1), 17–33. https://jss.gcuf.edu.pk/index.php/jss/article/view/116
Iqbal, I. (2019). Diskursus Politik dalam Khazanah Keilmuan Islam. Living Islam: Journal of Islamic Discourses, 2(1), 1–33. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.14421/lijid.v2i1.1876
Iqbal, M. A., & Mabud, S. A. (2019). Challenge of Globalisation to the Muslim Ummah. Strategic Studies, 39(3), 73–88. https://www.jstor.org/stable/48544311
Ismail, A., & et al. (2025). Sejarah Penulisan Al-Qur’an: Pembukuan Dan Pembakuannya. FIHROS: Jurnal Sejarah Dan Budaya, 9(1), 44–55. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.63915/fihros.v9i01.190
Jalili, I. (2024). Imam Al-Mawardi on Leadership: Insights for Modern Islamic Governance Through Fiqh Siyasah. Abdelhak Boudjelida Papers & Citations, 13(2), 252–272. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.29300/jpkth.v13i2.4997
Jasvi, M. A., & Rehman, A. U. (2019). Difference in Opinion in Prophetic and Caliphate Periods; Causation and Ethical Consideration. Abha’th, 4(3), 1–14.
Javed, A. (2024). IBN KHALDUN’S THEORY OF CIVILIZATION AND ITS RELEVANCE TO CONTEMPORARY ISLAMIC THOUGHT. International Bulletin of Theology and Civilization, 7(4), 137–144. https://ibtc.com.pk/index.php/IBTC/article/view/138
Kadivar, M. (2020). Democracy and ethical values from Islamic perspective. Philosophy & Social Criticism, 46(5), 563–575. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1177/0191453720909583
Kay, A. (2024). The changing traditions of Islamic public administration: observing processes of collision, absorption and adaptation. Asia Pacific Journal of Public Administration, 46(1), 13–30. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1080/23276665.2023.2275283
Kencana, A. K., Wati, S., & Syahid, A. (2025). Kepemimpinan dalam Krisis: Menilik Kesesuaian Nilai Islam dengan Praktik Kekuasaan di Indonesia. Ummul Qura Jurnal Institut Pesantren Sunan Drajat (INSUD) Lamongan, 9(1), 1–9. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.55352/uq.v9i1.1255
Kusuma, M. T. A. (2025). Kepemimpinan Dalam Manajemen Islam. Indonesian Journal of Community Engagement, 1(2), 71–83. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.70895/ijce.v1i2.28
Laadam, J. A., & Hasnaoui, Y. (2025). The Role and Impact of Islamic Jurisprudence in the Legal Framework of Morocco. Journal of Islamic Studies and Culture, 13, 1–10.
Levitt, P. (2008). Religion as a path to civic engagement. Ethnic and Racial Studies, 31(4), 766–791. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1080/01419870701784489
Madung, O. G. (2017). Liberalisme versus Perfeksionisme? Sebuah Tinjauan Filsafat Politik tentang Relasi Antara Agama dan Negara. Jurnal Ledalero, 12(2), 173–190. http://repository.iftkledalero.ac.id/203/
March, A. F. (2025). Political Islam: Theory. Annual Review of Political Science, 18(1), 103–123. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-polisci-082112-141250
Mattson, D. J., & Clark, S. G. (2011). Human dignity in concept and practice. Policy Sciences, 44(4), 303–319. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1007/s11077-010-9124-0
Mauzy, D. K., & Milne, R. S. (1983). The Mahathir administration in Malaysia: discipline through Islam. Pacific Affairs, 56(4), 617–648.
Mellanti, N. L., & Abbas, N. (2024). A Study on the Thought of Al Farabi and Intellectual Legacy. Journal of World Thinkers, 1(2), 179–188. https://journal.walideminstitute.com/index.php/jwt/article/view/186
Moaddel, M. (2002). The study of Islamic culture and politics: An overview and assessment. Annual Review of Sociology, 28(1), 359–386. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.soc.28.110601.140928
Mowlana, H. (2018). The Crisis of Political Legitimacy and the Muslim World. Invisible Crises., 185–206.
Muhamad Sori, Z., Mohamad, S., & Shah, M. (2015). Shariah governance practices in Malaysian Islamic financial institutions. Available at SSRN 2579174, 1–15. https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2579174
Muslim, M., & Mais, R. G. (2023). The Interplay between Transparency, Accountability, and Corruption: A Contemporary Discourse. Advances: Jurnal Ekonomi & Bisnis, 1(6), 332–343. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.60079/ajeb.v1i6.268
Naguib, R. (2020). Legitimacy and “transitional continuity” in a monarchical regime: Case of Morocco. International Journal of Public Administration, 43(5), 404–424. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1080/01900692.2019.1672733
Nasution, A. I., & Lutfi, M. (2025). Decolonizing Constitutional Democracy: Reconfiguring Indonesia’s Presidential Election System from the Perspective of Siyasah Syar’iyyah. Tribakti: Jurnal Pemikiran Keislaman, 36(2), 239–258. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.33367/9jf0ph27
Negara, A. S. A., & Latua, A. (2025). IBN KHALDUN. Jurnal Intelek Insan Cendikia, 2(5), 10061–10067. https://jicnusantara.com/index.php/jiic/article/view/3559
Noury, A., & Roland, G. (2020). Identity politics and populism in Europe. Annual Review of Political Science, 23(1), 421–439. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-polisci-050718-033542
Nurhayati, M. (2024). Prophetic Leadership: The Evolution of Thought. International Journal of Law, Policy, and Governance, 3(2), 112–124.
Obid, S. N. S., & Naysary, B. (2014). Toward a comprehensive theoretical framework for Shariah governance in Islamic financial institutions. Journal of Financial Services Marketing, 19(4), 304–318. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-30918-7
Oladapo, I. A., & Rahman, A. A. (2024). Maqasid Shari’ah: The drive for an inclusive human development policy. Jurnal Syariah, 24(2), https://doi.org/10.22452/js.vol24no2.5.
Omar, M. F. H. M., & Ismail, S. H. S. (2022). Servant Leadership in Malaysian Da’wah NGOS: Western and Islamic Perspective. Abqari Journal, 26(1), 1–18. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.33102/abqari.vol26no1.446
Rahman, F. Z. (2013). Determinants of democracy in the Muslim World. Polity, 45(4), 554–579. https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/abs/10.1057/pol.2013.18
Rahman, H. (2020). Toward a wise political fiqh: The perception of state in the political thought of Yusuf al-Qaradawi. Akademi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi, 7(21), 6–22.
Rahman, M. T. (2020). Agama dan politik identitas dalam kerangka sosial. UIN Sunan Gunung Djati.
Rahman, N. F. A., & Khambali, K. M. (2013). Religious tolerance in Malaysia: Problems and challenges. International Journal of Islamic Thought, 3, 81–91.
Rasheed, Z. (2024). The Caliphate of Hazrat Umar ibn al-Khattab (RA): A Historical and Analytical Study. Al Khadim Research Journal of Islamic Culture and Civilization, 5(4), 42–48. https://www.arjicc.com/index.php/arjicc/article/view/405
Rifai, S. L. (2022). Social Responsibilities and Human Welfare Developments: An Islamic Perspective. Available at SSRN. https://doi.org/http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4101304
Ruhullah, M. E., & Ushama, T. (2024). TAWHIDIC LEADERSHIP IN THE MODERN WORLD: BRIDGING ISLAMIC GOVERNANCE WITH UNIVERSAL VALUES FOR PEACE AND INTEGRITY. Al-Shajarah: Journal of the International Institute of Islamic Thought & Civilization, 29(2).
Rumadi, R. (2012). Islam dan otoritas keagamaan. Walisongo: Jurnal Penelitian Sosial Keagamaan, 20(1), 25–54. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.21580/ws.20.1.183
Salim, R., Hossain, M., & Nasser, A.-M. (2016). Distribution of wealth and resources in Islam: Restoring social justice, peace and prosperity. International Journal of Economic Research, 13(2), 571–586. https://doi.org/https://squ.elsevierpure.com/ar/publications/distribution-of-wealth-and-resources-in-islam-restoring-social-ju/
Shah, M. M. (2015). REVISITING AL-FARABI’S LEGACY: ENGAGING WITH THE CULTURE OF POLITICAL ISLAM. Journal of Central Asian Studies, 22(1), 35–50.
Shamsaei, M., & Mahmoudi, A. (2017). The Relationship between Ethics and Politics in the View of Islam and Muslim Scholars. International Journal of Environmental and Science Education, 12(5), 1391–1399. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1278128
Shavit, U. (2010). Is Shura a Muslim form of democracy? Roots and systemization of a polemic. Middle Eastern Studies, 46(3), 349–374. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1080/00263200902917085
Sulni, H. (2024). Kontruksi Masyarakat Berdasarkan Konsep Ummah dalam Piagam Madinah. Innovative: Journal Of Social Science Research, 4(6), 4363–4376. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.31004/innovative.v4i6.16762
Syamsuddin, M. (2012). Hubungan Agama dan Negara dalam Pemikiran Politik Islam. Sosio-Religia: Jurnal Ilmu Agama Dan Ilmu Sosial, 10(2), 1–22. https://digilib.uin-suka.ac.id/id/eprint/35582/
Wahab, M. A., & Ismail, Y. (2019). Masa’uliyyah and Ihsan as High-Performance Work Values in Islam. International Journal of Economics, Management and Accounting, 27(1), 187–212. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.31436/ijema.v27i1.660
Wahid, A., Nasor, M., & Basyar, S. (2025). Religious Moderation in the Era of Ali ibn Abi Talib’s Leadership. Ensiklopedia: Jurnal Pendidikan Dan Inovasi Pembelajaran Saburai, 5(1), 61–74. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.24967/esp.v5i01.4118
Wickham, G. (2010). Sociology, the public sphere, and modern government: A challenge to the dominance of Habermas. The British Journal of Sociology, 61(1), 155–175. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-4446.2009.01306.x
Yuliana, N., Rahmadani, N., & Putri, M. (2025). Kepemimpinan dalam Perspektif Siyasah Syar’iyyah: Relevansi Konsep Imamah dan Demokrasi Modern. De Quality: Jurnal Hukum Dan Sosial, 1(1), 34–40. https://ejournal.risetanakbangsa.id/jhs/article/view/13
Yunus, M. I. B. M. (2017). Good Governance According to Islamic Perspective. Fiat Justisia: Jurnal Ilmu Hukum, 11(3), 200–230. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.25041/fiatjustisia.v11no1.696