The Art of Cultivating Noble Character: A Translation of Rāghib al-Iṣfahānī’s Kitāb al-Dharīʿa ilā Makārim al-Sharīʿa (The Path to the Noble Virtues of the Divine Law)

Author: Rāghib al-Iṣfahānī
Translator: Emeritus Professor Yasien Mohamed
Reviewed by: Abubakr Karolia
Publisher: White Thread Press, London, UK, 2024 — 303 pages.
ISBN-10: 1933764236
ISBN-13: 978-1933764238

In an age starved of moral clarity, The Art of Cultivating Noble Character, an annotated translation by Yasien Mohamed, revives one of the most profound and methodical texts in Islamic virtue ethics: Kitāb al-Dharīʿa ilā Makārim al-Sharīʿa by Rāghib al-Iṣfahānī. This translation is not merely a scholarly contribution but a spiritual offering. It presents a Qur’anically grounded framework of human excellence that speaks directly to the contemporary ethical vacuum.

Iṣfahānī’s work is a distinguished contribution to Islamic moral philosophy. While it draws inspiration from the classical Greek virtues of wisdom, temperance, courage, and justice, he reorients them toward a Qur’anic purpose. Iṣfahānī appreciate the civic ideals of Greek philosophy, but extend them toward a higher spiritual telos: cultivating noble character to know the self and, through that inner awakening, to know and serve God. In his ethical vision, the refinement of the soul is not simply a social virtue but a sacred obligation. The end of ethics is not civic harmony, but divine nearness.

Structured across seven chapters, the treatise begins by establishing the theological and psychological foundations of character development. Human beings, as vicegerents (khulafāʾ) of God, are called to this station not by birthright but through tazkiyat al–nafs, the purification of the lower self. Iṣfahānī’s ethical framework draws on a model of the human psyche developed by earlier scholars such as Miskawayh (d. 1030 CE), author of the seminal Islamic ethical work Tahdhīb al-Akhlāq (Refinement of Character). This model divides the soul into three faculties: rational (ʿaql), concupiscent (shahwa), and irascible (ghaḍab). Moral excellence arises from the disciplined harmonisation of these faculties through intellectual rigour and submission to divine guidance.

Chapters two through five provide a deep examination of the cardinal virtues. Iṣfahānī presents these virtues not as isolated traits but as dimensions of an integrated spiritual psychology. The intellect gives rise to faculties such as contemplation, discretion, eloquence, and inspiration. Wisdom (ḥikma) is not speculative knowledge but practical insight that results in righteous action and reflects divine attributes. Temperance governs desire and moderates the senses. Courage is the disciplined resistance to fear and impulse.

Justice (ʿadl) stands at the centre of Iṣfahānī’s ethical system. It harmonises the internal faculties of the soul and brings balance to society. It mirrors the order God has established in the cosmos and, when sincerely embodied, becomes the highest expression of moral integrity. Justice integrates and perfects the other virtues, ensuring equilibrium within the self and the world.

Throughout these chapters, Iṣfahānī insists that noble character is not merely a set of ideals. It is the pathway to God. These virtues already exist within the human soul in potential form. Revelation is the light that awakens them. Iṣfahānī anchors each ethical trait in verses of the Qur’an and deepens the discussion with Hadith, demonstrating how the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings upon him) exemplified these virtues. Revelation, in his view, is not only the source of ethical knowledge but the very catalyst of moral and spiritual transformation.

Man, Iṣfahānī explains, has been created to resemble all that exists in the world; he is a small world – a microcosm of the greater cosmos. His ethical purpose, therefore, is not only to refine his soul but to reflect the divine order woven into creation. The primary aim of al-Dharīʿa is to cultivate these noble characteristics, guiding the human being toward knowledge of the world, the self, and ultimately the Creator. This process is not theoretical but lived and embodied. It demands the full alignment of reason, intellect, and revelation through righteous action, conscious ethical conduct, and inner discipline.

Chapters six and seven shift from inner cultivation to outward conduct and practice. Chapter six focuses on the ethics of livelihood and social interaction, showing that virtue must extend into professional and public life. Chapter seven considers the metaphysical relationship between human striving and divine decree, affirming that moral responsibility is embedded within the oneness of God (tawḥīd).

For Iṣfahānī, what distinguishes the human being is the divine gift of intellect. This capacity to reflect, discern, and choose the good qualifies humanity to carry the sacred trust of vicegerency (khilāfa) on earth. Noble traits such as humility, forbearance, generosity, courage, wisdom, and justice are not standalone attributes but deeply interwoven qualities that bring the soul into harmony with divine intent. A person who cultivates these virtues lives in moral awareness, spiritual dignity, and social responsibility, fulfilling the purpose of creation as a steward of God.

This vision of virtue resonates with Alasdair MacIntyre’s (d. 2025) critique of modern moral philosophy in his influential book After Virtue (1981). MacIntyre argues that contemporary moral discourse, shaped by utilitarianism and Kantian ethics, has become fragmented, and detached from meaningful moral traditions. He calls for a return to Aristotelian ethics, rooted in community, tradition, and the pursuit of human flourishing (eudaimonia). Iṣfahānī’s treatise, though authored centuries earlier, anticipates this ethical renewal. His vision is rooted in lived tradition and spiritual discipline, where virtue is rationally understood but realised through revelation.

Yet there is a critical distinction. MacIntyre’s project is philosophical and secular, emphasising moral traditions that evolve within human communities without appealing to divine revelation. Iṣfahānī’s ethics, on the other hand, are thoroughly theological. They place divine revelation and the oneness of God at the centre. The telos of Iṣfahānī’s ethical project is not simply human flourishing but nearness to God, which is achieved through obedience, worship, and purification of the nafs, a dimension that is absent in MacIntyre’s secular framework.

Mohamed’s translation is a major scholarly accomplishment. It is the first complete English edition of Kitāb al-Dharīʿa, the product of over two decades of sustained engagement. Mohamed provides not just a translation but extensive commentary and philosophical insight, making the work accessible to students, scholars, and spiritual seekers alike. His command of Arabic and Islamic philosophy, paired with a sensitivity to contemporary ethical concerns, makes this edition an indispensable resource.

Throughout this work, we see how Iṣfahānī elevates ethics from theoretical speculation to spiritual formation. His moral framework is grounded in revelation and tradition. True virtue, in his view, is not merely known through reason but realised through divine instruction and embodied righteous action. Human success is not measured by status or intellect alone, but by one’s proximity to God through devotion, service, and the cultivation of noble character.

Iṣfahānī’s personal life gives moral weight to his teachings. Known for his asceticism and humility, he refused public office and worldly recognition. His ethical teachings were matched by his character. That Abū Ḥāmid al-Ghazālī (d. 1111), the renowned Shāfiʿī scholar and polymath, memorised al-Dharīʿa is testimony to the work’s lasting scholarly and spiritual significance.

The book is situated within the Sunni tradition, especially the Shāfiʿī school of law and Ashʿarī theology. A significant contribution of Iṣfahānī is his distinction between aḥkām al-sharʿiyya (legal rulings) and makārim al-akhlāq (noble character). The former governs external behaviour; the latter refines the soul. This makes the work both legally relevant and spiritually indispensable.

This is not just a philosophical treatise. It is a manual for ethical living. It offers profound insight for scholars of theology and philosophy, students of ethics, educators, and anyone seeking moral clarity in an age of confusion. Mohamed has reintroduced a classical treasure to the modern world, offering a luminous guide to those who seek to walk the path of virtue.

Al-Dharīʿa is far more than a scholarly text; it is a manual for human flourishing. It calls for the active use of the intellect to cultivate noble character, to connect to the soul, and to purify the heart on its journey toward its highest purpose: to live in remembrance, in devoted service, and to attain nearness and love of God. Mohamed’s masterful translation restores this classical work to its rightful place as a timeless source of moral clarity and spiritual guidance for our time.

Reviewer Bio: AbuBakr Karolia, M.A. (with distinction) in Semitic Culture and Language, University of Johannesburg. Founder of the Movement for a United South Africa (MUSA) — musa.org.za.

Al-Ghazali: The Censure of Wealth and Miserliness (Book 27 of The Revival of the Religious Sciences)

Author: Abu Hamid al-Ghazali
Translator: Nancy Roberts
Publisher: Fons Vitae
ISBN-10: 1941610722
ISBN-13: 978-1941610725

“The Censure of Wealth and Miserliness” is Book 27 of the “Revival of the Religious Sciences”, which is al-Ghazali’s magisterial compendium consisting of 40 volumes on 40 different aspects of Islamic belief, practice, ethics, and worldview. 

Al-Ghazali writes that wealth is the principal pillar of this world, and the more wealth we have, the more engaged we become with the world. 

In this volume, al-Ghazali explains the subtle connection between one’s inner relationship with wealth and one’s outward actions and lifestyle. He roots his treatment of the subject in the Quranic passages, hadith, and traditional accounts which relate to wealth and the love of it. He covers such topics as the proper uses of wealth according to the obligations of both the law and social graces as well as the vices of miserliness, greed, covetousness, and avarice.

Ghazali also discusses the virtues of generosity, open-handedness and their highest expression, altruism, in which there is no thought of self.  “For whosoever is greedy for thanks and commendation is a merchant…essentially purchasing praise with their wealth.”  When there is trust in God, one shouldn’t worry about some hypothetical future hardship which may never come to pass.  Ghazali quotes Abu Hazim who said, “That which belongs to someone else could never be mine, just as that which belongs to me could never belong to someone else. So why should I fritter my life away in pursuit of either of them?”

Ghazali comments, “There is no end to the paths our minds can go down when we fret over our worldly affairs; those who have enough for the day are safe.” Earthly harms endured by the wealthy include fear, grief, the hardship of retaining wealth and acquiring it.  “What do you possess of your wealth other than what you have consumed and is therefore gone? Or what have you dressed yourselves in which is now worn out? Or is it, in fact, only what you have given away in charity that is lasting?”  Wealth is its own enemy; it consumes itself until it is gone.

Besides making us aware of subtle details regarding wealth and greed, al-Ghazali offers advice on: acquiring a disposition of satisfaction, ways to uproot miserliness, responding to the initial higher impulse to help and not hesitate, and consistently forcing ourselves to be open-handed.

This book serves as a humbling mirror for any readers on a personal spiritual journey by presenting the many subtle ways in which the inner life is being greatly harmed by lack of awareness of the fundamental dangers of wealth and greed, which has been viewed in all the great religious traditions as an enormous detriment to the soul and to spiritual aspiration.

Meanings of the Glorious Qur’an

Author: Muhammad Marmaduke Pickthall
Revised and Annotated by: Muhammad Isa Waley
Publisher: Turath Publishing
ISBN: 978-1-915265-24-1

Muhammad Marmaduke Pickthall’s classic The Meanings of the Glorious Koran was the first English interpretation by a British Muslim. First published in 1930, it has never since been out of print. But Pickthall’s ‘Biblical English’ is archaic and sometimes hard for today’s readers to understand. This  revised version uses clearer, more modern language. Without altering the basic character of the original translation, it seeks to convey more of the rhythm and rhetorical force of the Arabic. Also included are a new general introduction; additional introductions to each Sūrah; and footnotes explaining references, divergences from Pickthall’s rendering, and other points. These enhancements make Meanings of The Glorious Qur’an a valuable addition to the available literature on the Book of Allah.

Soulful Sexual Health for Muslims: A Developmental Guide for Individuals and Clinicians

Author: Sameera Qureshi, MS OTR
Publisher: Routledge
Purchase Link: Buy from Routledge
ISBN 9781032663470

Across Muslim communities, sexual health is frequently spoken of only in terms of marriage, reduced to rules about sex and silence about desire. Yet sexual health is far more expansive than this — it is part of the soul’s journey, unfolding alongside the body, the emotions, and the spirit, and offering a pathway through which intimacy and longing can become means of nearness to God. When viewed in this light, sexual health is no longer a topic to be hidden or diminished, but a sacred dimension of life that can be lived with compassion, accountability, and spiritual depth.

Soulful Sexual Health for Muslims uses a transformative approach to sexual health for Muslims – one that does not fragment the human being into body versus spirit but instead embraces sexual health as an integral part of well-being and faith. Drawing deeply from Islamic traditions, it reframes the often-stigmatized conversations around sexuality into a soulful dialogue about compassion, responsibility, and spiritual connection. By weaving together the physical, emotional, and spiritual dimensions, it opens up a way of seeing sexual health not merely as a private matter or an uncomfortable topic, but as an essential part of one’s relationship with God.

At its heart lies the Soulful Sexual Health Model, a framework through which Muslims are guided to navigate challenges across the lifespan and across the unfolding stages of the soul. This model rests on four values: compassion, which softens harshness toward oneself and others and invites the possibility of beginning again; self-accountability, which grounds us in honest reflection without collapsing into shame; the journey of the soul, which reminds us that we are constantly in motion, always in the process of becoming; and inseparability from Allah, which anchors us in the truth that God is present in every moment of struggle, longing, and healing. Through this model, sexual health is restored to its rightful place as a sacred trust and an opportunity for nearness to the Divine.

The book unfolds across a wide spectrum of topics, beginning with the foundations of anatomy, physiology, and puberty. Here, puberty is not simply described as a biological stage, but as a moment of profound spiritual accountability when young Muslims are called to embrace new responsibilities of prayer, fasting, and self-awareness. Compassion is emphasized as central during this tender transition, allowing young people to integrate their changing bodies into their spiritual lives without fear or shame. From this foundation, the narrative moves into empowered abstinence before marriage, where the familiar religious guidelines are revisited not as rigid rules, but as a lived journey of intention, struggle, and renewal. Abstinence is explored as an ongoing practice that may involve difficulty and repeated effort, reminding readers that God’s compassion is vast and that striving itself is part of worship.

Marital intimacy is treated with equal depth, reframing it as far more than physical obligation or expectation. Instead, intimacy is described as a soulful meeting, a tender act of vulnerability and connection through which couples can experience joy, comfort, and spiritual growth. Intimacy within marriage is presented as one of God’s signs, a sacred trust that points toward His mercy and companionship. The book also turns toward parenting, offering parents practical and spiritual guidance to speak openly with their children about bodies, boundaries, and sexual development. In doing so, it challenges patterns of silence and secrecy that have long left Muslim children unprepared, and instead offers a vision where families can nurture both faith and honesty side by side.

The realities of sexual trauma, pornography use, infertility, and sexual dysfunction are addressed with sensitivity and care, recognizing the deep wounds that these experiences leave on both body and heart. Rather than bypassing these struggles, the book offers pathways for healing that draw on therapeutic wisdom as well as Islamic traditions of patience, prayer, and resilience. These chapters remind readers that even in pain and uncertainty, there is space for growth, hope, and reconnection with God. Reflective questions, personal narratives, and practical activities are interwoven throughout, inviting readers not only to learn but also to engage with their own experiences and integrate the material into their daily lives.

This work is designed for a wide audience: Muslims seeking a holistic understanding of sexual health, parents who want to raise their children with honesty and faith, couples yearning for deeper intimacy, and professionals — from educators and therapists to imams and community leaders — who support Muslims in their journeys. It bridges contemporary knowledge with Islamic frameworks, creating a resource that is at once practical, spiritual, and deeply human.

Ultimately, this book is an invitation to see sexual health as inseparable from the journey of the soul. It is a call to move beyond silence and shame, to engage with compassion and accountability, and to embrace intimacy and desire as part of one’s relationship with God. By grounding sexual health in the Soulful Sexual Health Model, readers are reminded that every aspect of their being — body, heart, and spirit — can be lived in alignment with the Divine. This book offers not only information and guidance, but also a vision of healing and growth that honors the whole person and situates sexual health as a sacred part of life’s unfolding journey.