Document Type : Original Article
Highlights
Extended abstract
Objective:
This research aims to critically analyze the relationship between deontological (duty-based) and teleological (consequence-based) ethical frameworks within the ethical system of Al-Sahifa Al-Sajjadiyya (The Psalms of Islam), attributed to Imam Zain al-Abidin (AS). The primary goal is to move beyond the classical dichotomies of Western moral philosophy and propose a novel, integrative model specific to Islamic ethics. The study seeks to address a research gap by offering a philosophical reading of this sacred text and providing a solution to the perennial conflict between duty and consequence in ethical theory. Ultimately, it endeavours to elucidate the internal logic of Sajjadi ethics and articulate a systematic model where "duty" and "ultimate purpose" are harmoniously reconciled.
Methods:
The research employs a qualitative, descriptive-analytical methodology, grounded in content analysis. Data was collected through library research, focusing on the Quran, Al-Sahifa Al-Sajjadiyya, its authentic commentaries, relevant hadith sources, and Islamic philosophical texts on ethics. A purposive sampling technique was used to select relevant supplications and passages from Al-Sahifa. These selected texts were then systematically coded and analyzed based on predefined indicators derived from the two core theoretical frameworks:
· Deontological Ethics: Focusing on concepts such as duty (taklif), pure intention, obedience to divine command, and adherence to religious obligations (wajibat) over recommended acts (mustahabbat).
· Teleological Ethics: Focusing on concepts such as proximity to God (qurb), ultimate felicity (falah), divine pleasure (rida), and individual/social effects of actions.
The analysis was conducted through a comparative-ijtihadic approach, employing cross-referencing with interpretive and philosophical texts to avoid superficial or reductionist interpretations. This method aimed to reveal the coexistence of duty and purpose within the Sahifa's ethical discourse and reconstruct a cohesive Islamic ethical framework.
Results:
The analysis of Al-Sahifa Al-Sajjadiyya yields significant findings that challenge the conventional opposition between deontology and teleology:
1. Presence of a Duty-Based Framework: The text strongly emphasizes deontological elements. Acts like gratitude, forgiveness, obedience, and fulfilling religious obligations are presented as intrinsic duties mandated by divine command, their value stemming from compliance with God's will, independent of immediate worldly consequences. Examples include supplications that frame thankfulness as a guided duty (Dua 44) and demand unconditional submission to divine decree (Dua 33).
2. Presence of a Purpose-Oriented Framework: Simultaneously, the text is profoundly teleological, centering on the ultimate purpose (ghayah) of human existence: proximity to God (qurb ila Allah). This is not a superficial calculation of rewards but an existential, transformative journey. The world is viewed as a path of return to God, and human actions are meaningful only insofar as they serve as means (wasilah, dhari'ah) towards this ultimate end. Supplications express a profound yearning for this meeting, to the point where death becomes a "beloved companion" (Dua 40).
3. A Hierarchical and Integrative Relationship: Crucially, the research finds that Al-Sahifa Al-Sajjadiyya does not force a choice between these two approaches. Instead, it constructs a "hierarchical integrative model" where duty and purpose exist in a longitudinal (tuli), non-oppositional relationship.
o Duty as the Essential Path: Fulfilling one's duties (taklif) is the indispensable and unique path (sirat) for spiritual progress. Duty has intrinsic value as the manifestation of servitude (`ubudiyyah).
o Purpose as the Ultimate Perfection: The ultimate purpose of divine proximity provides direction, meaning, and perfects the act of duty. It is the soul that animates the body of duty.
o Integration of Reason and Revelation: The model bridges the gap between autonomous rationality (as in Kantian duty) and divine command theory. While the source of obligation is divine command, human intellect (`aql) is the necessary condition for understanding, accepting, and actualizing that duty. The Quran is presented as both the source of duty (the criterion) and the guide to the ultimate purpose (the light) (Dua 42).
4. The Proposed Model - "The Hierarchical Model of Duty on the Path to Proximity": The synthesis of these findings leads to the core conclusion: the ethical logic of Al-Sahifa is best captured by an integrative model where "duty" and "purpose" are unified in a single spiritual trajectory (suluk). In this model:
o The ethical agent is simultaneously deontological (acting out of obedience to God's command), teleological (oriented towards the ultimate end of divine proximity), and virtue-oriented (undergoing inner transformation through this process).
o This resolves apparent contradictions, presenting a cohesive existential path where worship, rationality, and love for the Divine converge.
Conclusions:
This systematic study of Al-Sahifa Al-Sajjadiyya concludes that the classical dichotomy between deontological and teleological ethics is transcended within its ethical framework. The research successfully formulates a novel "Hierarchical Integrative Model of Duty on the Path to Proximity."
The key conclusions are:
1. Reconciliation of Opposites: The model demonstrates that duty (taklif) and ultimate purpose (qurb) are not in inherent conflict but exist in a complementary, longitudinal relationship. Duty is the necessary means, and proximity to God is the perfecting end.
2. An Existential Spiritual Path: Sajjadi ethics is not merely a theoretical normative system but an existential journey (suluk wujudi). Through conscious commitment to divine duty, the ethical agent traverses the path towards ultimate perfection.
3. Bridging Philosophical Divides: The model offers a framework that integrates autonomous rationality (necessary for comprehending duty) with a theonomous foundation of obligation (rooted in divine command), thus proposing a third way beyond the strict opposition of Kantian self-legislation and extreme divine command theory.
4. Significant Implications: This proposed model holds substantial potential: (a) It provides a profound explanation of the internal logic of Islamic ethics. (b) It facilitates a constructive dialogue between Islamic moral philosophy and contemporary normative theories. (c) It presents a compelling response to one of moral philosophy's enduring problems: the conflict between duty and consequence.
Therefore, this research not only illuminates the ethical depths of Al-Sahifa Al-Sajjadiyya but also opens new avenues for future research in comparative philosophy of ethics, demonstrating the text's capacity to contribute to global ethical discourse.
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