Ethics

It is God, Who created humanity and has the best and most complete knowledge of each person's constitution and needs. Therefore, each person should follow the path ordained by God, Who has guided humanity since His creation of Adam (pbuh) and Eve with His Prophets and Books, and has revealed to them the values, beliefs, and code of conduct of which He approves. Those who adopt this way of life and moral code can hope to find happiness, contentment, and beauty in this life as well as the Hereafter.

Followers of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, regardless of when and where they lived, had the same moral values. Refraining from murder, theft, adultery and fornication, lying, injustice, and every kind of wrong-doing, as well as behaving in a polite and respectful manner to others, are basic values recognized by all believers. Thus, they respond in a very similar manner to events, even though there are differences in their views and practices.

This moral code is common to Christians, Muslims, and Jews. For example, members of these three divinely revealed religions are told to avoid ungratefulness, transgression, arrogance, rebellion, lies, mockery, selfishness, greed, fraud, envy, aggression, disobedience, avarice, betrayal, gossip, confrontation, tyranny, slander, lack of patience, hypocrisy, and agitation, for they are incompatible with the morality that He tells believers to follow. In fact, He clearly tells all believers to be respectful, loving, just, conscientious, compassionate, merciful, helpful, modest, honest, trustworthy, generous, grateful, selfless, gentle, obedient, and loyal.

Genuinely religious people who abide by these principles are respectable, honorable, and distinguished. They have submitted wholeheartedly to God, have deep faith and superior moral qualities, expect no reward for helping others, and desire only to earn His good pleasure. They side at all times with the right, good, true, and virtuous morality, and refrain from all kinds of evil and immorality.

Many philosophies contain teachings that contradict the morality of divinely revealed religions. For instance, those materialistic philosophies that have been so influential during the last two centuries portray individuals as selfish and unscrupulous and depict life as an arena full of people ruled by their selfish desires and thus driven to satisfy their strong desire at all costs. Since materialism rejects the existence of God's revelation, it does not recognize any absolute criteria applicable to human nature, disregards all moral values, and rejects all values introduced by the divinely revealed religions. The results of such views are clearly visible: conflict and tension; ruthless aggression directed toward a piece of land, status, or office; the ever-worsening oppression of the vulnerable and needy; and increasing injustice, immorality, and rapid degeneration in the quality of life.

In the face of this reality and for the salvation of those who have been misled by materialism, all followers of the divinely revealed religions must unite. Believing in God's existence and unity and that He has sent Prophets to guide humanity are important common points. Jews, Christians, and Muslims have much more in common with one another than with people who reject these facts.

We will study the common moral principles between the three divinely revealed religions under their respective headings. Each of these principles makes a case for an alliance between the followers of the divinely revealed religions. It must not be forgotten that a world dominated by virtue is attainable if the believers work together.

Adapted from: "A Call for Unity" by: "Harun Yahya"