ETHICS

Defines as the set of moral principles that distinguish what is right from what is wrong. It is a normative field because it prescribes what one should do or abstain from doing.

Factors Influencing Ethical Behavior in Islam

1. Legal Interpretation
2. Organizational Factors
3. Individual Factors 

Legal Interpretation

In secular societies, legal interpretations are based on upon contemporary and often transient values and standards. In an Islamic society, these values and standards are guided by the Sha’riah and the collection of previous fiqh judgement.

The result of these divergent approaches is amazing; at one time, it was legal and ethical in the US to discriminate against women and minorities in hiring; now, affirmative action law makes it illegal to discriminate against these groups.

By contrast, Islam has given women permanent and unalienable rights, and has never discriminated against minorities on any basis.

Organizational Factors

This factor too can affect influence participants behavior. One of the key sources of organizational influence is the degree of commitment can be communicated through a code of ethics, policy statements, speeches, publications, etc. in general, however, organizational engaged in halal businesses can foster ethical behavior through the development of an Islamic code of ethics.

Individual Factors

Individual come to work with different values. Factors affecting ones ethical behavior include; stages of moral development, personal values and personality, family influences, peer influences and life experiences.

Stages of Moral Development

Islamic scholars have suggested that there are three stages of the development of the human soul

1.  Ammarah :         which prone to evil and if not controlled will lead to perdition.

2.  Lawwammah :    which feels consciousness of evil and resist it, asks for Allah grace and pardon after repentance and tries to amend

3. Mutma’innah :     the highest stage of all, when the soul achieves full rest and satisfaction after intellect has checked then evil tendencies of man.

Personal Values and Personality

An individual’s values and morals will also influence his and her ethical standards. A person who stresses honesty will behave very differently from another who does not respect other people property.

The locus of control of an individual affects the degree to which he perceives his behavior as influencing his life. An individual has an internal locus of control; as a result, internals are likely to take responsibility for the outcomes of their behavior. Conversely, an individual with an external locus of control believe that fate, luck, or other people affect their life.

Family Influences

Individuals start to form ethical standards as children. The implication is that if you wish your children to grow up as good Muslims, you need to start shaping them from a young age. Children are likely to develop high ethical standards if they perceive other family members as consistently adhering to high standards.

Peer Influences

As children grow and are admitted to school, the peers with whom they interact daily influence them. Thus, if a child’s friends engage in drawing graffiti, the child may imitate them. If child peers avoid such behavior, the child is likely to behave accordingly.

Life Experiences

Whether positive or negative, key events affect the lives of individuals and determine their ethical beliefs and behavior.

Situational Factors

People may behave unethically in certain situations because they may see no way out.