Rahman Baba’s Theory of Morals

Abstract

Rahman Baba contends that man is a social being so much so that he cannot realize his moral excellence in seclusion or solitude. In his opinion, Islam recommends that we should avoid monasticism on the one hand & hedonism on the other. We can’t detach our selves from the thicks of life. Nor can we get engrossed in worldly pleasures & ignore our moral responsibilities. In fact, when man steps into this world, he enters into multiple layers of relations, such as, his relations with his immediate family, that is, his parents, brothers, sisters, his uncles & his aunties etc. his extended family, his tribe & his nation, & eventually the humanity at large. Not only that he also holds certain relations with plants & animals, in fact, the entire ecological system. Finally he does enter into a positive (or negative) relationship with his Creator as well. How he honours these relations will determine the quality of his morals. The point to be underscored is that man can realize his moral excellence only by living in & thro’ these relations. These rights & obligations are supposed to regulate our relations & are an integral part of our social life. We can’t survive without showing respect to these principles.