Political morality in Medieval Islamic thought

Throughout the history of thought, the relationship between politics and morality has been one of the most fundamental areas of discussion. In modern times, the politics-morality relationship has become a complicated problem. That's why, today, there is an effort to reconstruct politics on the basis of morality, that is, to create a "political morality". The purpose of this study is to reveal the view of the medieval Islamic thought to the said politics-morality relationship and therefore to political morality. In line with this purpose, the views of medieval Islamic thinkers such as Kindi, Abu Bakr Razi, Farabi, Ibn Miskawayh, Mawardi, Ibn Sina (Avicenna), Ghazali, Ibn Rushd (Averroes), Tusi, Ibn Taymiyyah and Ibn Khaldun has been examined in this study. In the study, first of all, ethics-morality distinction has been handled, and the concept of political morality has been explained based on the politics-morality relationship. Then, in Ancient Age, Buddha and Confucius in the East, Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Stoicism and Neo-Platonism in the West; the political moral thought of Jewish and Christian philosophy in the Middle Ages has beendiscussed. Medieval Islamic thought is an original thought that emerged and developed in the line of Plato, Aristotle, as a result of the integration of the conceptual heritage acquired through NeoPlatonism with the teachings of the religion of Islam. In the thought of Islamic politics developed in connection with psychology, metaphysics and moral understanding, the virtuous state, correct politics, fair administration, virtuous administrator has been seen as a means of reaching happiness, which is determined as the highest goal for people. In this sense, according to the Islamic thought, the best administration is the one applied by considering both the world and the hereafter. According to Islamic thinkers, a spiritual power based on justice, love, virtue, morality and religion should be the basis of correct politics, not physical power. In addition, it was emphasized that the administrator placed at the center of the political system should be virtuous and perfect in all aspects. For, when administrators are virtuous, those who are governed who take them as examples become virtuous. A good social order emerges. All things become good and proper in the state. In this way people can reach happiness both in this world and in the hereafter. In this context, the thought of creating a happy individual and a happy society with an understanding of state and politics that prioritize morality, under a virtuous administrator, is dominant in the medieval Islamic thought, which established a strong connection between politics and morality. Keywords: Politics, Morality, Political Morality, Medieval Philosophy, Islamic Thought.