Imam Ghazali says: "The main constituent factors of morality are: 1) wisdom, 2) courage, 3) chastity, 4) justice. Any other factors are only ramifications of these.

About the objectives of the prophet's mission on earth, Allah (SWT) says: "We have not sent thee save as a mercy unto to all beings." (Al Anbya'a [The prophets]: 107) And: Your mercy and Your knowledge embrace all things" (Al Ghafer [The forgiving one] : 6)

The mission, then, aims to bring about mercy and equity to all people: no one outranks another except through piety. "You all are traced back to Adam who is made up of a lump of earth. An Arab outranks a non-Arab only if he is more pious and has a record of more good deeds." All Muslims are brethrens: no one should wrong the other or oppress him. A Muslim desires for his brethrens what he desires for himself. He can never accept to sleep with full stomach while his neighbor is famished. Islam even calls upon a Muslim to be merciful to himself and advises against overcharging oneself with unbearable tasks. Allah says: "Allah does not charge a soul with more than it can bear. It shall be requited for whatever good and whatever evil it has done." (Al Baqara [The Cow] : 285)

In Islam, mercy is not confined to man; it extends to shade animals as well. The prophet (PBUH) is reported as saying: "A woman was destined to Hell because of a cat that she had locked up until it died: she neither fed it nor released it to feed itself on whatever vermin it might have come by."

The prophet (PBUH) instructed us to have mercy on cattle when he said: "When you slaughter, do it properly."

A Muslim should also be willing to forgive and waive a right to which he is entitled dropping any claims when deemed morally necessary to do so. Allah (SWT) says: "Opt for forgiveness, and bid to what is honourable, and turn away from the ignorant." (Al-A'raaf [The Heights] :199) And says: "Yet that you should remit is nearer to God-fearing." (Al-Baqara [The Cow]: 237)

As for the forces of wrath and lust, they are good to the extent that their liberty and restraint are under the full control of wisdom, mind and legality. Full liberty or full restraint are the two objectionable extremes; a middle course is preferable.

The force of justice is the main factor in determining the amount of control required of wisdom. Justice has no extremes; it only has an antithesis: one is either just or unjust.

Brotherhood in Islam is a kind of relationship that seeks nothing but God's pleasure. It is not based on self-interest or ambitions. In one of the Prophet's Traditions we read: "Seven categories of people will be shaded by God on the Day of Resurrection when nothing protects save God's shade….among these are two men who only sought the face of God in forging their brotherly relationship."

About virtue, which is one of the main pillars on which Islamic morals are founded, Ibn-Maskaweh says it occupies a middle positions between two contradictory things both of which are vices. Hence, Islamic concept of the right conduct cautions against extremism and calls upon Muslims to be moderate. Ibn-Maskaweh goes on to say that sages have unanimously agreed that virtue fundamentally consists of: wisdom, chastity, courage and justice; whereas the four basic constituents of vice are: ignorance, evil, cowardice and injustice.

Ibn-Hazim says that man wrestles with urges and instincts which he has in common with all other creatures in the animal kingdom. He either completely succumbs to them, bringing about his own downfall, or gets the upper hand by responding to them with the moderation expected of a higher being endowed with perception and reason. Moderation comes to man's rescue and paves the way for adherence to the ideals derived from Islamic Sharia. This borne out by what Allah (SWT) says: "But as for him who feared the station of his Lord and forbade the soul its caprice, surely Paradise shall be the refuge." (Al-Nazi'aat [The Pluckers]:39-40)

Ibn-Hazm referred, likewise, to some types of vice and their corresponding types of virtue. He started with greed that leads to self-humiliation and drives a person to use every possible means in pursuit of what he covets even if that costs him his human dignity and esteem.

Greed, therefore, is at the root of man's humiliation and distress. The antithesis of greed is integrity which is a compound trait comprising readiness to help in an emergency or crisis, hospitality and understanding. Greed is at the root of humiliation because it leaves the door wide open for pursuing sensual desires, turning man into an insatiable sensuous animal, which seriously blemishes his image as a rational human-being. Every type of depravity and viciousness is the result of greed and coveteousness. A person who covets money so much may attempt to lay his hands on it through such illegal and unhonourable means as stealing, swindling, monopolizing or exploiting others. That is why uprightness and integrity come at the top of all virtues.

As for love, it is said to be the road to happiness. But genuine happiness, according to Imam Ghazali, is that attained in the` Hereafter by those who love God and love for God. With this kind of sublime love, one can do without anything else. Moreover, this kind of love is closely linked to all moral values. Allah (SWT) says: "Surely the pious shall be in bliss, and the libertines shall be in a fiery furnace." (Al-Inftaar [The Splitting]: 13-14) And: "Yet there be men who take to themselves compeers apart from God, loving them as God is loved; but those that believe love God more ardently." (Al-Baqara [The Cow]: 165)

About this divine love, Galaluddin Al-Rumi says:"Love is the medicine for treating our maladies of pride and conceit. It is the doctor required for all sorts of our weakness. The one whose heart is brimful of this divine love tends to love all people because they are God's creation. So this exalted love becomes the source of all virtuous acts. The prophet (PBUH) says: "Allah the Supreme says on the Day of Judgment: Where are those who are joined by the bond of love for My Sublimity. Today I protect them with My shade, for this is the Day when there is no other shade but Mine"

The prophet (PBUH) says: "By God, you shall not enter Paradise until you believe, and you do not believe until you love each other. Shall I show you something that can make you love one another? Spread peace among yourselves."

Justice is a grand virtue. It is one of the 99 attributes of God. Linguistically, it is defined as economy in doing things, i.e. it is a middle course between the two extremes of excess on the one hand and complete laxity on the other. Justice is a human necessity that leads to moral virtues. It is akin to good deeds, piety and charity. Allah (SWT) says: "Surely, God bids to justice and good-doing and giving to kinsmen; and he forbids indecency, dishonour and insolence, admonishing you so that haply you would remember." (Al Nahl [The Bee] : 90)

God Almighty has associated justice with trustworthiness in performance. This could mean that the believer is entrusted with administering justice and preserving it. On this point, the Quran says: "God commands you to deliver trust back to their owners, and when you judge between the people, that you judge with justice." (Al Nissa' [Women] : 58)

In a Hadith Qudsi, Allah (SWT): "Oh mankind I have ordained that injustice be prohibited unto Me. I have made it prohibited amongst you."

Al Ghazali defines justice as a condition whereby the three forces (wisdom, courage and chastity) are arranged into the required proportionate structure of superiority and submission. Therefore, justice is not a portion of virtues, it is the grand total of all the virtues. In contradistinction to justice there are not two vices but only one injustice; for there is not a middle course between arrangement and disarrangement of the three forces constituting justice.

It was mentioned above that justice is a combination of all virtues. By the same token it can be said that injustice is a combination of all vices. Justice is a religious duty a Muslim has to fulfill, even if others do not. This is confirmed by the Quran where it says: "Let not detestation for the people move you not to be equitable; be equitable - that's nearer to God-fearing." (Al Ma'eda [The Table] : 8)

God has promised to punish and destroy the unjust: "Then did their Lord reveal unto them: We will surely destroy the evil- doers." (Ibrahim : 13) And "And then a herald shall proclaim between them: God's curse is on the evil-doers." (Al A'raf [The Heights] : 44)

Performance of good deeds is a high Islamic value associated by God with justice and with giving due rights to kinsmen, the orphans, the meek and wayfarer. We are enjoined not only to establish justice among them but also to do good deeds for them. Allah (SWT) says: "Surely, God bids to justice and good-doing and giving to kinsmen; and he forbids indecency, dishonour and insolence, admonishing you so that haply you would remember." (Al Nahl [The Bee] : 90)

The prophet (PBUH) says: "Allah has ordered that every deed should be performed well. So if you slay, do it right; and if you slaughter, do it right: one should sharpen the knife to spare the slaughtered cattle as much pain as possible." He also says: "Kindness beautifies, but cruelty uglifies." Allah (SWT) says: "Opt for forgiveness, and bid to what is honourable, and turn away from the ignorant." (Al-A'raaf [The Heights] :199)

The prophet (PBUH) says: "Shall I tell you who will be rendered immune against [the punishment of] fire: the one who is easy to communicate and deal with."

The prophet (PBUH) was once asked about good-doing. He said: "Worship Allah as if you could see Him; for if you can't see Him, He can see you." A close reading of the Hadith will reveal that it is expressed in the imperative. This requires of every Muslim to observe God in whatever deed he is performing, no matter how small.

This was a brief account of the fundamentals of Islamic morals or "the grand principals of morals" as Al Ghazali called them. The limited space of this introduction does not allow detailed description of many other attributes such as patience, generosity, chivalry, fidelity, etc.

Quotations in this account come from the Quran, Hadith and writings by Islamic eminent scholars, if only to prove that Islam has a lot to say about ethical rules which, combined, can be considered an Islamic constitution capable of leading mankind from darkness to light; from injustice to justice and from depravity to chastity.