Theological Foundations of Ethics in Imam Khomeini’s Theoretical System

Abstract

One of the most important tasks of theology is to answer religious queries and strengthen the religious beliefs of the faithful. Given the special status of ethics in the paradigm of Islam, the main objective of this paper is to answer one of the most frequently asked questions in the field of ethics, i.e., the origin and foundation of ethics. In answering this question, three ethical schools have been developed, namely, deontological, consequential, and virtue ethics. Explaining Imam Khomeini's theological viewpoints, as one of the internationally well-known theologians, in answering the above question, plays a crucial role in explanation of the Islamic foundations of ethics and ethical lifestyle. The present research is an attempt to explain the theological foundations of ethics in the theoretical system of Imam Khomeini. The research method used for this purpose is thematic analysis. In the first place, the theological foundations have been studied and extracted, and, then thematic analysis has been carried out through ethical approach. The findings of the research show that according to Imam Khomeini’s viewpoints, the moral system of Islam is based on the three ethical schools, i.e., deontological, consequential and virtue ethics, while the evolutionary and legislative support of Islam of ethical lifestyle provides guarantee and meaningfulness to it. The findings also show that in order to have an ethical society, it is necessary to enrich the epistemological system of the individuals in the fields of theology, particularly the divine attributes, cosmology at the mundane and eschatological levels, anthropology as well as the explanation of the impacts of man’s ethical behavior on his destiny.

Keywords

• ethics
• theology
• theological foundations
• imam khomeini
• thematic analysis