Ethical Governance: An Islamic Perspective for Sustainable Development

Abstract

Systemic issues of inequality, institutional fragility, and a deficit of ethical grounding in governance challenge the pursuit of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In response, this conceptual study investigates the potential of the Prophetic Leadership Model of Islamic governance as a normative framework to complement the SDGs by integrating spiritual ethics with socio-political objectives. Employing an interpretive methodology, it analyses core Islamic ethical constructs, including ‘Adl (justice), Shura (consultation), and Taqwa (God-consciousness or Spiritual Accountability), and their conceptual synergy with targets under SDGs 10, 11, 16, and 17. The analysis demonstrates how these fundamental Islamic principles provide a foundation for ethical leadership grounded in Amanah (trust) and in the institutional integrity pursued through Ihsan (excellence). From this exploration, the study derives the implication that a values-based pillar, tentatively framed as SDG 18, could address the critical gap in spirituality and cultural integrity within current development policy. As a conceptual inquiry, the paper does not offer empirical findings but provides a reasoned normative framework. It concludes that Islamic governance ethics offer a coherent, culturally grounded resource for reinvigorating the quest for sustainable and just development, while acknowledging the need for further research into their practical application across diverse political contexts.