THE SIMPLE
PRINCIPLE OF MORALITY

The simple principle of morality in Islam is: ‘you should want for others what you want for yourself. You should like for others what you would like for yourself.’

The way one person behaves with another in daily life must be governed by a set of moral principles, commonly referred to as ethics.

What should be the first principle of morality? This principle is simply that – you should want for others what you want for yourself. You should like for others what you would like for yourself.

Everyone knows that he likes to hear good words. So everyone ought to use good words, kind words when they speak to others. No one wants to have any problems created for him, therefore everyone should avoid creating problems for others.

Everyone wants to be dealt with sympathetically and cooperatively. Therefore everyone ought to behave in that way with others, that is, deal with them sympathetically, and with full cooperation.

This ethical criterion is quite simple and natural. It is so simple that everyone can understand it, whether he be educated or illiterate, whether he be blind or handicapped, and regardless of his likes and dislikes. The traditions of the Prophet have laid down a moral yardstick which no one will find difficult to understand. In this way, Islam, in terms of personal experience, has made it clear to everyone what their behaviour with others should be and how they should deal with others, and also how not to behave with others.

The Prophet once said that the best of people are those whose morals are the best. Accordingly, becoming a good human being has nothing mysterious about it. There is a simple formula for this and that is, a person should save himself from having double standards. In doing so, he will set an example of superior human morality.