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Ethical behavior is one of the most important considerations in Islam. Although it doesn’t seem to relate to sinful behavior directly, it affects one’s actions, which may lead to good and bad deeds. In this article on Islam4u, we will discuss the issue of ethical behavior in Islam, especially in Ramadan 2025.
What Is Ethical Behavior?
Ethical behavior mainly relates to one’s conduct. It involves politeness, being well-mannered, being kind and forgiving, being patient, not getting angry quickly, speaking good words, and not bad-mouthing others. The opposite of these behaviors may seem sinless, such as being very dismissive of everyone, having a short temper, or criticizing others harshly instead of constructively. However, they lead to sin in one way or another.
Anger: A Double-Edged Sword
Let’s look at anger. People who cannot manage their anger could be led to different sins. An angry person may swear, shout, beat others, or even kill someone. Anger is one of those things that Satan takes advantage of. Of course, this doesn’t mean anger is always bad. In certain situations, we must express our anger controllably at those who break Islamic laws and create serious problems for the Muslim nation.
There is a reason Allah has created this instinct in human beings. However, it must be used in the right place and time. Unfortunately, most people get angry when it is unacceptable. The worst unethical trait is anger. Nobody likes to deal with people who are always angry. Such people are avoided and do not have a good status in society. Therefore, we, as Muslims, should control and manage our anger. Let’s make Ramadan 2025 a moment where we show kindness to others and control our anger.
Being Ill-mannered
Another bad ethical trait is being ill-mannered. Being ill-mannered could mean disrespecting others, calling names, and using an impolite tone or rude words. We witness this a lot in today’s world. This is due to not being conscious of our conduct and behavior. Children and youngsters should especially be respectful toward their parents and elders. Parents and elders have a right over us; we are indebted to them. Why? Our parents brought us into this world, raised us, fed us, clothed us, sheltered us, and protected us from every harm. Naturally, we owe them our respect. Likewise, elders know more than we do; they are friendly toward us and always help us whenever they can. Having good morals and ethical behavior is extremely important. Our Prophet (s) and Imams (a) have advised us to marry those with good character over those without it. This is the extent to which akhlaq is important in Islam.
Having a Good Character and Ethical Behavior in Ramadan 2025
With each coming Ramadan, our character must improve. Good character should be consistently enhanced. It is not acceptable for a Muslim to have fluctuating behavior and mood swings. The idea of having good akhlaq is fighting one’s carnal desires instead of unleashing them. When you are in a tough situation, you have a greater tendency to exhibit bad behavior. Controlling that behavior is what brings rewards and manifests a person’s piety. When you are under pressure, whether psychological or physical, you want to show a negative reaction to relieve yourself. You feel that if you don’t express your emotions in that situation, it could cause you more harm. However, this is not always the case.
You should always keep calm and find ways to control your anger instead of suppressing it. If you suppress it when it is a good time to do so, Allah will reward you. However, the instances where we need to suppress our anger are far fewer than when we should control it instead. We must increase our capacity to forgive others. Allah states in verse 134 of Surah Āl-i ‘Imrān:
الَّذِينَ يُنفِقُونَ فِي السَّرَّاءِ وَالضَّرَّاءِ وَالْكَاظِمِينَ الْغَيْظَ وَالْعَافِينَ عَنِ النَّاسِ ۗ وَاللَّهُ يُحِبُّ الْمُحْسِنِينَ ﴿١٣٤﴾
[The Godwary are those] who spend [in the cause of Allah] during ease and hardship and who restrain anger and who pardon the people – and Allah loves the doers of good; (134)[1]
The expression kāẓimīn al-ghayẓ is not necessarily negative. It could mean a person who is less likely to get angry but is sometimes angered, yet because they have good control over their temperament, they easily swallow their anger and forgive. This also has to do with how patient a person is. We read in the Quran about Prophet Ya‘qub’s (Jacob) patience and restraint of anger:
وَجَاءُوا عَلَىٰ قَمِيصِهِ بِدَمٍ كَذِبٍ ۚ قَالَ بَلْ سَوَّلَتْ لَكُمْ أَنفُسُكُمْ أَمْرًا ۖ فَصَبْرٌ جَمِيلٌ ۖ وَاللَّهُ الْمُسْتَعَانُ عَلَىٰ مَا تَصِفُونَ ﴿١٨﴾
And they brought upon his shirt false blood. [Jacob] said, “Rather, your souls have enticed you to something, so patience is most fitting. And Allah is the one sought for help against that which you describe.” (18)[2]
Jacob was furious at his sons for failing to protect Joseph but said he would exercise infinite patience.
In Ramadan 2025, when we witness corruption, oppression, and immoral conduct, we must make an extra effort to improve our character. The recent movies, TV shows, indecencies, and immoralities that people are being exposed to on the internet all cause a great deal of emotional and psychological pressure, which leads to distress and frustration. We must not allow these external pressures to weaken our resolve and destroy our character. Ramadan 2025 should be a moment of peace, communion with Allah and His Prophet (s), and an opportunity to build ourselves for a better future. Good character is the foundation of faith and action.
What Causes Good and Bad Ethical Behavior?
Good character is affected by many things. It could be hereditary, influenced by social factors such as the environment in which a person is living, upbringing, and free will. We humans have been created with free will. Therefore, we can always change ourselves if we truly desire it. The inherent psychological and genetic characteristics of a person play a crucial role. Some people are quieter than others, while others are loud, talkative, and energetic. These factors contribute to how good or bad a person’s character is. However, human willpower and the ability to change are incredible. Some people are born calm, quiet, patient, kind, and forgiving. However, their upbringing and the society around them may cause them to develop bad character. The reverse is also true.
At the end of the day, what counts most is your desire and free will to change for the better. For some, it is easier, and for others, it is more difficult. Nevertheless, it is possible. If we practice being kind, forgiving, patient, generous, and easygoing, these characteristics will become a part of us. If we do not care, we will have bad character. In Islam, we have been advised to practice good akhlaq. We shouldn’t say, “This is who I am, and this is how I was born. I can never change, nor will I ever want to change.” If this were the case, we would all be forced to do what we’re doing, and no one would have free will. Ramadan 2025 is when the weather is still cold, which means there is less likelihood of heating up and getting angry. We should take advantage of this and avoid getting angry, as anger is the root of all evil traits. Hotheaded individuals are always less likely to achieve happiness and success in this world and the next.
The Mission of the Prophet (s) Was Cultivating Good Akhlaq and Ethical Behavior
Islam is all about akhlaq. Akhlaq is a door that is open to all good deeds and closed to all misdeeds. Building one’s akhlaq is a prerequisite to practicing Islam and taqwa. The Prophet (s) has said:
إِنَّمَا بُعِثْتُ لِأُتَمِّمَ مَكَارِمَ الْأَخْلَاقِ
Indeed, I have been sent to complete the noblest of character traits.[3]
Therefore, the primary mission of the Prophet (s) was to engender good character in people. If good akhlaq is there, every other good thing will come with it. People with good character traits tend to accept Islamic rulings more than those with bad character. A person with good akhlaq is more inclined to Allah and the fitrah He has placed in every human being. They are more likely to show patience when dealing with difficulty. They more readily accept the laws and limits of Islam because they can cope well with them. If somebody very much likes to commit sins they find enjoyable, like drinking alcohol or eating haram food when they cannot control their desires, it will be harder for them to accept Islam and obey its laws. Therefore, good character is the foundation of religion and a religious person, whereas bad character leads to corruption and disbelief.
Ramadan 2025 is the best time to cultivate good morals. Let us put aside our hatreds, grudges, pessimism, and distrust in each other. Ramadan is the month of kindness, generosity, and forgiveness. If you have broken up with your former friends, now is the time to make up. Let go of all the hard feelings. Ramadan is a month of joy, compassion, and friendship. Others should also take the initiative to reconcile their brothers and sisters in faith. The Quran says:
إِنَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ إِخْوَةٌ فَأَصْلِحُوا بَيْنَ أَخَوَيْكُمْ ۚ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ ﴿١٠﴾
The believers are but brothers, so make settlement between your brothers. And fear Allah that you may receive mercy. (10) [49:10]
Conclusion
Ramadan 2025 is the first Ramadan for many young Muslims. It is their first experience of fasting. Fasting may cause some of us to get restless, moody, tired, and grumpy. We must be careful that these things don’t negatively affect our akhlaq and character. Let us not blame everything on our emotions, upbringing, and environment. We ourselves can have control over our actions if we want to. In the end, God helps those who help themselves. He never forces anyone to believe in Him. If they don’t, they themselves must suffer the consequences of their disbelief.
[1] Quran 2:134 (Qarai).
[2] Quran 12:18 (Qarai).
[3] Ṭabarsī, Majma‘ al-Bayān, vol. 10, p. 500.
