Islamic Ethics of Management: Principles, Standards and Practices

Abstract

Islam is a comprehensive religion that covers all aspects of life including ethics and morality. Islam lays rules, principles and standards directly or indirectly in all religious and human dealings. It sets code of ethics that govern all types of management which include: trustworthy, honesty, competence and accountability, etc. These principles ensure that man manages the resources that Allah bestowed upon him based on Shariah. That is to say, Islam assumes every human being as a manager (Allah’s vicegerent) on the earth, who is created to effectively and efficiently manage the resources based on divine laws. At the same time, Allah makes everyone accountable on how he/she uses the resources that are bestowed upon him. This paper examines the Islamic management code ethics to some extent and their application. It also discusses evolution of management in general likewise the management practices from Islamic point of view. The paper is qualitative research based, whereby the data are drawn from library items such as books, journals, Islamic literature, relevant websites and others. The research shows that Allah appoints man to be vicegerent on the earth and lays down some principles and standards as guidance on how to perform his duty, which he will be held accountable for and bear its consequences.