Identifying the Dimensions of the Interaction Between Personal Piety and Social Responsibility in Jurisprudential Teachings

Abstract

The objective of this study is to identify and explain the dimensions of the interaction between personal piety and social responsibility in Islamic jurisprudential teachings. This qualitative research was conducted using thematic analysis. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 21 professors, researchers, and seminary students specializing in Islamic jurisprudence and ethics in Tehran. Purposeful sampling continued until theoretical saturation was achieved. The collected data were analyzed using NVivo software through open, axial, and selective coding stages. The findings revealed three main themes: (1) personal piety as the foundation of social ethics, including components such as self-control, divine intention, and self-accountability; (2) the social manifestation of piety in collective behavior, including social benevolence, observance of people's rights, and participation in social reform; and (3) jurisprudence as the regulatory framework for the interaction of piety and responsibility, including transactional jurisprudence, social system jurisprudence, and dynamic ijtihad. The results indicate a reciprocal, interactive, and synergistic relationship between piety and social responsibility in Islamic teachings, suggesting that collective ethics cannot be realized without individual piety. Based on the findings, redefining and teaching piety as an active and social concept, alongside reforming jurisprudential approaches, can promote collective morality and increase social responsibility in Islamic society.