Quranic Ethics and Contemporary Society: Reimagining Social Justice Beyond Textual Interpretation

Abstract

Contemporary social injustice requires ethical frameworks capable of connecting normative values with changing social realities. This study examines how Qur’anic ethics can be contextualized to provide a framework for reimagining social justice in contemporary society. The study employs a library research method, analyzing the Qur’an, selected works of classical and contemporary Qur’anic interpretation, academic books, and relevant scholarly articles on Qur’anic ethics, contextual interpretation, and social justice. The analysis draws primarily on Fazlur Rahman’s double movement and Abdullah Saeed’s contextualist approach to examine the relationship between textual meaning, historical context, moral principles, and contemporary application. The findings indicate that Qur’anic ethics should not be understood merely as a collection of textual prescriptions but as a broader moral orientation encompassing justice, human dignity, equality, social responsibility, and protection of vulnerable groups. The study proposes an ethical-contextual framework that moves from Qur’anic text and historical context toward moral-ethical principles, contemporary contextualization, critical ethical evaluation, social justice orientation, and social transformation. The study argues that moving beyond textual interpretation does not mean abandoning the Qur’anic text; rather, it involves translating its moral significance into a critical framework for evaluating contemporary forms of inequality, exclusion, and marginalization. This framework contributes to contemporary Qur’anic studies by connecting interpretation, social ethics, and social justice.