ETHICS AND FIQH FOR

EVERDAY LIFE
(UNGS 2050)

LECTURER
SUBJECT

: BRO HABIB
: ETICHS AND FIQH FOR EVERYDAY LIFE
(ISLAMIC VALUES RELATED TO
DIFFERENT
PROFESSIONS)

COURSE CODE

: UNGS 2050

PREPARED BY: ROFISAH MOHD SADRI

DL1310644

Islamic Values Related to Different Professions

Introduction to professional ethics

Professional ethics encompass the personal, organizational and corporate standards of behaviour
expected of professionals. Professionals, and those working in acknowledged professions,
exercise specialist knowledge and skill. How the use of this knowledge should be governed when
providing a service to the public can be considered a moral issue and is termed professional
ethics.
Professionals are capable of making judgements, applying their skills and reaching informed
decisions in situations that the general public cannot, because they have not received the relevant
training. One of the earliest examples of professional ethics is the Hippocratic oath to which
medical doctors still adhere to this day.
Some professional organizations may define their ethical approach in terms of a number of
discrete components. Typically these include:

Honesty

Integrity

Transparency

Accountability

Confidentiality

Objectivity

Respectfulness

Obedience to the law

Loyalty

Implementations
Most professionals have internally enforced codes of practice that members of the profession
must follow to prevent exploitation of the client and to preserve the integrity of the profession.
This is not only for the benefit of the client but also for the benefit of those belonging to the
profession. Disciplinary codes allow the profession to define a standard of conduct and ensure
that individual practitioners meet this standard, by disciplining them from the professional body
if they do not practice accordingly. This allows those professionals who act with conscience to
practice in the knowledge that they will not be undermined commercially by those who have
fewer ethical qualms. It also maintains the publics trust in the profession, encouraging the public
to continue seeking their services.
Internal regulations
In cases where professional bodies regulate their own ethics, there are possibilities for such
bodies to become self-serving and to fail to follow their own ethical code when dealing with

renegade members. This is because of the nature of professions in which they have almost a
complete monopoly on a particular area of knowledge. For example, until recently, the English
courts deferred to the professional consensus on matters relating to their practice that lay outside
case law and legislation. Professional means a person who has a knowledge of some specific
fields.

Statutory regulation
In many countries there is some statutory regulation of professional ethical standards such as
the statutory bodies that regulate nursing and midwifery in England and Wales. Failure to comply
with standards can thus become a matter for the courts.

Example
For example, a lay member of the public should not be held responsible for failing to act to save
a car crash victim because they could not give an appropriate emergency treatment. This is
because they do not have the relevant knowledge and experience. In contrast, a fully trained
doctor (with the correct equipment) would be capable of making the correct diagnosis and
carrying out appropriate procedures. Failure of a doctor to help in such a situation would
generally be regarded as negligent and unethical. An untrained person would not be considered
to be negligent for failing to act in such circumstances and might indeed be considered to be
negligent for acting and potentially causing more damage and possible loss of life.
A business may approach a professional engineer to certify the safety of a project which is not
safe. Whilst one engineer may refuse to certify the project on moral grounds, the business may

find a less scrupulous engineer who will be prepared to certify the project for a bribe, thus saving
the business the expense of redesigning.

Separatism
On a theoretical level, there is debate as to whether an ethical code for a profession should be
consistent with the requirements of morality governing the public. Separatists argue that
professions should be allowed to go beyond such confines when they judge it necessary. This is
because they are trained to produce certain outcomes which may take moral precedence over
other functions of society. For example, it could be argued that a doctor may lie to a patient about
the severity of their condition, if there is reason to think that telling the patient could cause them
so much distress that it would be detrimental to their health. This would be a disrespect of the
patients autonomy, as it denies them information on something that could have a great impact on
their life. This would generally be seen as morally wrong. However, if the end of improving and
maintaining health is given a moral priority in society, then it may be justifiable to contravene
other moral demands in order to meet this goal. Separatism is based on a relativist conception of
morality that there can be different, equally valid moral codes that apply to different sections of
society and differences in codes between societies (see moral relativism). If moral
universalism is ascribed to, then this would be inconsistent with the view that professions can

have a different moral code, as the universalist holds that there is only one valid moral code for
all.

Student ethics
As attending school after high school graduation becomes a standard in the lives of young
people, Colleges and Universities are becoming more business like in their expectations of the
students. Although people have a differing opinion of if it is effective, surveys state that it is the
overall goal of University administrators. Setting up a business atmosphere helps students
become adjusted from the more relaxed nature of high school towards what will be expected of
them in the business world upon graduation of College.

Codes of conduct
Codes of conduct such as the St. Xavier Code of Conduct are becoming more a staple in the
academic lives of students. While some of these rules are based solely at academics, others such
as detailing the level of respect expected towards staff and gambling are more in depth than in
previous years.

Not only do codes of conduct apply while attending the schools at home, while studying abroad
schools also implement a code of conduct for international study abroad programs which carry
over many of the same rules found in most student handbooks.

As a mankind, particularly Muslims, we have been created by Allah SWT only for one
purpose, i.e. ibadat (worship) to Allah SWT. That means, the purpose of our life is only to
worship Allah SWT in every single of our life. This ultimate life purpose has substantial
implications because every thing we do, it has to be in line with the rules of Allah (Shari'ah).
This cannot be viewed as a burden, because if we do follow Allah SWT, we are not making HIM
as "a greater God", but we are making ourselves as a better human being in front of Allah SWT
or in another word, we become Taqwa. Further, as Muslims, we also believe in the life after the
worldly life (al Akhirat) that we will be responsible and be asked for everything we do in this
life, whether we are doing good things or bad things.
This has relation to the professional life of human being. Allah SWT has created us
differently from animal, because Allah SWT gives us a mental ability to think ('aql). By utilizing
the 'aql, a mankind can think, create, innovate, work with others, and do everything that animal
and other creatures of Allah cannot do. Further more, as have been mentioned earlier that Islam
is not a religion which is only applied in Masjid, but Islam is comprehensively governed every
single aspect of human's life, including human's professional life. Islam encourages us to work
and participate in all permissible profession. However, the problem nowadays is many

professions available in the working place are somewhat contradict with Islam. As being
mentioned, example, by telling lies in order to secure votes, twisting the truth in order to defend
ones client, exposing ones 'awrah (parts of the body that should be covered) in order to look
smart, professional etc; these are totally not in line with the Shari'ah.

Dealing with this issue, we are facing the dilemma of whether we just accept and tolerate
these "modernistic professional life style" or we still have to set our Islamic values in our
professions that is obviously difficult to be implemented in today's life.
As we all know, in Islam there is clear about Hallal (permissible) and Haram (forbidden).
Hallal is something good, permissible, virtue, and compliance with Shari'ah. If we do Hallal
things, it means we do observing the obligations enjoined Allah SWT and those acts
recommended by Him to be performed, and refraining from those acts and sayings that are
prohibited by Him. Whereas Haram is something bad, unlawful, evil, and against the Shari'ah.
"...He commands them what is good and forbids them what is evil; He allows them as lawful
what is good and forbids them from what is bad; He releases from their heavy burdens and from
the yokes that are upon them."(Qur'an, surah al-A'raf:157)
Regarding to this issue, obviously it is Haram to tell lies, because it means we are not
trustworthy and amanah. As The Prophet (pbuh) said: "The person who does not keep trust has
no iman (faith) and the person who does not respect his covenant (promise) has no religion."(al
Hadith). If we compete in an election, we compete to win so that we need to secure votes.
However, we should compete in the right way, i.e. just, transparent, and fair, not by telling lies to
others. If we start to hold the amanah (power and authority) by dishonesty, we will not be

trustworthy leader and might create chaos and disorder to the society. The Prohphet (pbuh) was
asked: "How will the honesty be lost?", The Prophet (pbuh) said: "When the power or authority
comes in the hands of unfit persons, then wait for the Hours (doomsday)." (Hadith).

It is also not permissible for a lawyer to twist the truth in order to defend our client,
because it means that he does not secure justice toward people, i.e. engaging ourselves in tactics
that defeat the fair administration of justice, hiding the truth, and fabricating evidence. As a
lawyer, we should defend our client to the best of our abilities with honesty and sincerity, fulfill
the contract and promises, and disclose confidential communications.
Further more, Islam encourages people to dress properly. That means, we have to cover
our 'awrah properly, that is not expose the 'awrah to others. The Prophet (pbuh) said: "A man
should not look at the 'awrah of another man, nor a woman of a woman, nor should a man go
under one cloth with another man, nor a woman with another woman," (Hadith, Muslim). Our
dress must not be transparent as well (revealing what is underneath), and it must be loose and not
tight-fitting so as to define the parts of our body. I believe, in order to look smart and
professional, we do not need to expose our 'awrah to others. Because being professional is
measured by our knowledge, skills, and abilities; not judging by our physical appearance. We
still can look smart and professional by dressing and covering 'awrah properly along with
showing our professionalism.
Finally, following what Allah has asked and avoiding what Allah has forbade will bring
benefits to us in this worldly life and Hereafter as well. As Muslims, it is our role and obligation
to be moral and ethical person in our society by setting up our Islamic values in our selves as

well as in our professional working life. Because good moral character is the spirit of Islam and
the validation of our Iman. Further more, it is also our obligation to enjoin what is right and
forbid what is evil (al-amru bil al-ma'ruf wa al-nahyu 'an al-munkar). As mentioned in the
Qur'an, "The believers, men and women, are protectors one of another; they enjoin what is right
and forbid what is evil; they observe regular prayers, practice regular charity, obey Allah and His
Messenger. On them will Allah our His mercy; for Allah is Exalted in power, Wise." (at-Taubah:
71). Therefore, whatever we do, wherever and whenever we are, we should be good Muslims by
practicing Islam in our selves, setting up Islamic values in our family, working life, and society,
and preaching (da'wah) Islam to others. "By (the Token of) Time; Verily, Man is in loss; Except
such as have Faith, and do righteous deeds, and (join together) in the mutual teaching of Truth,
and of Patience and Constancy." (Qur'an, surah al-Asr: 1-3)