CHARACTERISING MORAL HABIT FORMATION IN THE DIGITAL AGE: A CRITICAL REVIEW OF IBN MISKAWAYH’S ETHICAL FRAMEWORK IN ISLAMIC EDUCATION
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35631/IJMOE.831055Keywords:
Digital Behaviour, Ethical Development, Ibn Miskawayh, Islamic Education, Malakah, Moral Habit FormationAbstract
The rapid proliferation of digital technologies has significantly reshaped behavioural patterns, raising critical concerns regarding moral development in contemporary society. Within Islamic education, repetitive digital engagement, particularly through social media and algorithm-driven content, has contributed to the formation of behavioural habits that may normalise unethical conduct. Despite growing scholarly attention to digital behaviour, the integration of classical Islamic ethical frameworks remains limited. This study aims to characterise moral habit formation in the digital age through a critical review of Ibn Miskawayh’s ethical theory, with particular emphasis on the concept of malakah (habitual disposition). Employing a qualitative conceptual inquiry through an interpretive-thematic synthesis, the study analyses classical Islamic ethical texts alongside contemporary literature on digital behaviour and moral development. The findings generated six interrelated themes: digital behaviour and moral influence; repetition and habit formation; moral psychology and behavioural imbalance; limitations of current digital ethics education; integration of Islamic ethical philosophy; and educational implications for sustainable digital civilisation. Collectively, these themes demonstrate that repetitive digital actions can become internalised as stable moral dispositions and that maintaining equilibrium among the rational, appetitive, and irascible faculties is essential for moral self-regulation in digital environments. Based on this synthesis, the study proposes a conceptual framework of digital moral habit formation that connects digital environments, algorithmic reinforcement, repetitive engagement, behavioural conditioning, malakah formation, the equilibrium of the soul’s faculties, and subsequent ethical or unethical behaviour. The study contributes a conceptually grounded Islamic perspective that bridges Ibn Miskawayh’s classical ethical philosophy with contemporary digital realities and provides a foundation for strengthening digital moral education through the intentional cultivation of ethical habits.
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