Moral Principles as the Basis of Islamic Culture — Page 19
integrity in commercial transactions. A seller is bound to djsclose af. y defect in goods or articles offered for sale which may not be known to the buyer. Nothing may be sold in bulk without ~scertainment of jts weight or measurement. Goods and commodities must he allowed to ·come into the market so that the owner becomes aware of ruling pri(es before a bargain is struck. Prices must be uniform for all buyers, and no discrimination is permis. sible except in the case of some person- al ~lationship between the seller and 'the buyer, for in. stance, wh<. 'fl the buyer is a relative, teacher, friend, neighbour or fell ow trader of the seller. Islam has also laid down rules. for the regulation ot tbe- relation·· ship between iandlord and tenant which aim :it securin/~ 'lil <. "iilitahle distributiQn of the produce between the two. Dcvices ;111d practices which would operate unfairly are prohibited. The most valuable contribution made hy tsbm in the ndtuu! sphere is through the definition of moral vah1e<; :rnd ,tanJ;mls. To begin with, Islam has abolished all privilehe and dass distinc· tions. Righteous conduct is the only badge of honoltr. The Quran says: "W. e ·have divided yo11 intr; tribe1 rmd nations for greater f. uility of identification and intercomse, but the most honou,. ed amtJng yo11 in the sigi!t of God is he who leath the purest and most ,-ighteou. r life. " (C. . h. XLIX, v. 13) Islam teaches that natural instinct~ and tendencies are not in themselves good or bad, moral or immoral; it is their use and applica- tion that make them good or bad. The proper use and application of natural instincts and tendeocie~. that is to say, their operation within their proper and respective spheres with a good and pure motive makes them moral. Their abuse or irnprPpcr use' makes them immoral. Islam goes on to ct'1·~sify rJ•Oi:lls &'! beirii; of t•-. ·o kinds: those that relate to acts of the mind and thoge that relate to :1cts of the body. It pwhibits evils of both kinds. For inst:lnce, the Quran says: rrAppn;ach not et•il. manifest or hidden'' (Ch. VI, v. 151) and again, "Whetht!r yuu 111. 1. ~e ehat manifest which i. r in _your minds (that i. r to J. ty, wheth;?r you act in accordance with it) or 1. t•hether yott keep it secret (tb,tt ir to s. :1y, wb111her yo11 kPep ii 'olf/i*" lo yoilr 111ind. r a11d do ;1nt m1. 11J!ate it into actio_,. ,) God will &1111 Jort tD. '1cen:mt for i!. " (Ch. H, v 284). It _,o. .