Understanding Islamic ethics

Understanding Islamic ethicsBy Jonathan E. Brockopp , The Islamic tradition sees religiously sanctioned waras a positive means by which God effects change inthis world. But it also prohibits murder. It is nosurprise, then, that Muslim scholars have long arguedover the ethics of war.In ethical terms, the normal prohibition of killingcan disappear during times of war.Indeed, winning a war brings the risk of death andkilling the enemy. This suggests that war aims at somegood that conflicts with the good of human life,rendering it a means to an end.For this reason, religious traditions that place ahigh value on human life have an uneasy relationshipwith this most bloody of human endeavors.While it may surprise some people, Islam does place ahigh value on human life, and Muslim authorities alsoplace clear limits on killing in war. There are evenMuslim pacifists who reject war altogether.Major Muslim authorities have condemned the terroristattacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and the Beslan massacre asmurder and not acceptable under the rules of war.Yet, as a way to combat injustice, war can be a moralgood in Islam.This does not mean that killing in war is anundifferentiated act or that enemies are sub-human.All life is valued in Islam, and rules of war evenprotect vegetative life, such as crops and trees.Further, the Quran explicitly recognizes a commonhumanity, all of whom are "children of Adam," so thesimple state of unbelief does not cause one's life tobe forfeited.Likewise, the fact that attackers are often motivatedby politics, poverty and desperation does not explainthe use of religious rhetoric in justifying theiractions.The world wants to know how a supposedly peacefulreligion, one with a history of religious tolerance,can also be the foundation of such violence.There are at least two answers to this question,historical and structural.Historically, we can trace the meaning of the word"jihad" and its function as a central concept in theIslamic tradition.Jihad does not mean warfare, but struggle. Itsmeanings range from political action (the jihad of thepen) to warfare (jihad of the sword) to anindividual's own struggles to lead a righteous life(jihad of the soul).This last definition is known as the greater jihad andis foundational for Islamic spirituality.Historical conceptions of war are equally complex.There are several strands worth addressing, and inthis complexity we can see both the foundation forextremist acts of violence and also the basis forpeaceful coexistence.The structural answer is also important. Islam isoften considered an authoritarian system, demandingstrict adherence to Islamic law.There are several errors here. First, "Islamic law" isa poor translation of the Arabic word "sharia." Shariais better understood as the path God lays out for hisbelievers. It is not a code of law, but an ethicalsystem -- divinely ordained, yet highly flexible andsituational in its application.An example of this flexibility is the decentralizedsystem of authority.While modern nation-states such as Egypt and SaudiArabia have major religious authorities appointed bythe state, legal scholars may have independentopinions.So, instead of one authoritative response toextremists such as bin Laden, one finds a bewilderingvariety of voices.Opinions and counter-opinions battle in thenewspapers, and except in the Shiite world, noultimate authority exists to which parties can appeal.While such freedom of expression is a moral good, thelack of authoritative response seems to undercutMuslims' ability to limit terrorism.Still, despite appearances, an important conversationis happening.Since the time of the Crusades, jihad has definedIslam for many. Muslims are regularly depicted asterrorists with no regard for life. These powerfulrepresentations only succeed in blocking ourexamination of war in ethical terms.Worse, when we regard Islam as a warrior religion, wefall into the terrorists' trap. Like them, we splitthe world into black and white, evil and good.The religion of Islam can be a powerful foundation forpeace in our world. By learning about Islamic historyand the respect given to human life in Islam, we cantake a more nuanced stance and help build a foundationfor a more peaceful world.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------Jonathan E. Brockopp, an associate professor ofreligious studies and history at Penn State, recentlyspoke on this topic for the Rock Ethics Institute'sWar and Ethics Series. The opinion of the columnistdoes not necessarily reflect the viewpoint of theuniversity.