Ma`rifat Akhlaqi

As a scholastic reading of the axiological-ethical dimension within the body of Islamic teachings, the theory of proximity to God (Qurb-e Ilāhī) possesses multiple meta-ethical and normative dimensions. A comparative study of the content of this theory in its normative part, alongside parallel theories in the field of ethics, can significantly contribute to a comprehensive and profound understanding of the golden means embedded in Islamic norms. One prominent normative theory, based on deontology, is that of David Ross. The duty-oriented perspective in the norms of this theory, together with Islam’s emphasis on the concept of servitude (ʿubūdiyyah), highlights the importance of this comparative study. Using a descriptive-analytical method, this research compares the two theories by re-examining both. Their points of convergence in the method of deriving normative principles from value theory and secondary norms from these principles include: both emphasize common moral intuitions among humans and reject the existence of cognitive priority among norms without regard to intention and situational context. In contrast, their points of divergence lie in the conceptual understanding and semantic constraints of “duty,” as well as Ross’s acceptance of pluralism versus the theory of proximity to God’s emphasis on monism. Furthermore, the object of intuition in the proximity-to-God theory concerns the meta-ethical foundations of various moral norms, whereas in Ross’s theory, the norms and duties themselves are the objects of intuition.