The Ethical Dimension of Sustainable Development: A Maqasid-Based Perspective

Abstract

This study aims to demonstrate the essential role of ethical foundations in achieving sustainable development through a Maqasid-based perspective that links Islamic values to modern development frameworks. To achieve this purpose, two methodological approaches were employed: the descriptive-analytical method, used to examine the conceptual foundations of ethics, Maqasid, and sustainable development, and the comparative method, applied to analyze the alignment and divergence between Islamic ethical principles and the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The study reached several key findings: ethics in Islamic jurisprudence constitute a binding framework rather than a complementary element; the core objectives of sustainable development closely correspond to the higher objectives of Sharia, particularly in preserving life, wealth, family, intellect, and the environment; and the absence of a strong ethical dimension in global development models reduces long-term sustainability. The research concludes that integrating moral values into development policies is a fundamental requirement for achieving genuine and lasting sustainability.

This research consists of three main sections. The first section deals with the conceptual framework of the ethical dimension and sustainable development by explaining the legal concept of the ethical dimension and its dimensions in Islamic jurisprudence, in addition to clarifying the contemporary concept of sustainable development and its overall goals. The second section deals with the features of the relationship between Islamic ethics and sustainable development, by highlighting the points of convergence between ethical values ​​and development principles, and explaining the manifestations of divergence between the Islamic perspective and the international perspective, while looking forward to the prospects of integration between them. As for the third section, it is concerned with establishing the correlation between the ethical dimension and sustainable development, by explaining the purposive basis of this correlation, and highlighting its practical applications in various fields of development.