Social Morality in Islam and Communitarian Philosophy: A Comparative Study

Abstract

This study comparatively examines the concept of social morality in Islam and communitarian philosophy as two ethical frameworks that emphasize the importance of collective values in social life. The study is motivated by the intensification of the social moral crisis in the modern era, in which individualism and consumerism often marginalize the common good. It aims to identify the fundamental similarities and differences between the two ethical systems and to formulate their potential integration within the context of pluralistic Indonesian society. This study employs a library research method with a qualitative-comparative approach, analyzing 13 purposively selected primary and secondary sources. These consist of three primary works on Islamic social morality by al-Ghazali, Ibn Miskawayh, and al-Mawardi; three primary works on communitarian philosophy by MacIntyre, Sandel, and Taylor; and seven supporting secondary sources. The data were analyzed using content analysis through thematic categorization and cross-source comparison. The findings reveal three main points. First, both ethical systems position the community as a foundation for the formation of individual moral character and reject the conception of human beings as atomistic individuals who independently construct their values. This is reflected in the functional parallel between the Islamic concepts of tarbiyah and uswah hasanah and the communitarian notions of narrative and dialogical self-formation. Second, a fundamental difference lies in the sources of moral legitimacy. Islamic social morality is grounded in revelation, which is considered thabit (fixed), whereas communitarianism is based on rational-historical consensus that remains open to revision. This distinction has implications for differences in the ultimate orientation of moral formation and its resilience in the face of social change. Third, the two ethical traditions are mutually complementary in addressing shared challenges, including global individualism, social fragmentation, and the limited capacity of local institutions. Islamic social morality provides a stable value anchor and a transcendent source of moral commitment, while communitarianism offers a rational-participatory framework capable of functioning within a pluralistic public sphere. This study contributes to addressing a gap in the literature, which has generally treated these two ethical traditions separately, while also offering a conceptual framework for developing social policies and character education based on the integration of religious and communitarian values in Indonesia.