Senarai: Journal of Islamic Heritage and Civilization
Vol. 2 No. 1 (2025): Islamic Heritage and Civilization

From Sin To Innovation: Ethical And Legal Reflections On Human Weakness In Islamic Perspective

Ekawati (Unknown)
Widuri, Andi Fika (Unknown)



Article Info

Publish Date
07 Nov 2025

Abstract

Human imperfection has long been acknowledged in Islamic moral philosophy, yet its constructive potential in shaping legal-ethical innovation remains critically underexplored. This transformative process arises from the self-reflective nature of weakness itself, as the awareness of limitation compels intellectual introspection and moral creativity. Previous studies often treat moral deviation, conceptualized as ma‘ṣiyah (sin), solely as a theological failure rather than a generative moral energy. This study aims to reconceptualize human weakness not as a liability but as a catalyst for ethical and juridical creativity within the Islamic civilizational framework. This paper does not romanticize sin, but situates it within a theological framework of repentance and ethical renewal under divine guidance. Using a qualitative and integrative methodology that combines hermeneutic analysis of classical fiqh and akhlaq manuscripts with normative reflection on contemporary digital ethics, this research develops a multidimensional model bridging theology, ethics, and law, an analytical configuration rarely attempted in previous Islamic scholarship. The findings reveal a transformative dialectic: when moral failure is internalized through repentance (tawbah): when moral failure is internalized through repentance (tawbah) and an ethical form of critical reflection (ijtihād al-nafs), it produces renewed ethical consciousness and legal adaptability (tajdīd) responsive to social transformation. As articulated by al-Ghazālī in Kitāb al-Tawbah, repentance transforms error into a moral awakening that sustains intellectual and civilizational renewal. This paper contributes a new conceptual articulation of how Islamic ethical and legal systems transform human fallibility into a driver of intellectual vitality, digital ethics, and civilizational resilience, offering an alternative epistemological foundation for understanding innovation within Islamic heritage. In doing so, this study offers a dynamic and constructive re-evaluation of human weakness in the context of contemporary digital ethics.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

senarai

Publisher

Subject

Religion Humanities Social Sciences

Description

Senarai: Journal of Islamic Heritage and Civilization (ISSN: 3089-2864) is dedicated to the scholarly examination of the intricate intersections between Islamic philosophical thought, historical development, and the rise and evolution of civilizations. The journal aims to provide a comprehensive ...