Hanif Trilogy and Social Ethics: Analysing Hamim Ilyas’s Religious Moral Thought

This study examines the progressive reconstruction of ḥanīf ethics in the thought of Prof. Dr. H. Hamim Ilyas, M.Ag., focusing on its transformation from individualistic ascetic piety toward socio‑structural morality responsive to contemporary humanitarian challenges. While existing literature often treats ḥanīf as a static theological term, this research fills a critical gap by systematically analysing the causal interconnections between the internalisation of ḥanīf character and the formation of macro‑religious morality. Employing a qualitative‑descriptive approach and library research methodology, the study traces primary sources from Hamim Ilyas's works alongside secondary literature in the sociology of religion and Islamic moral philosophy. The findings reveal that Hamim Ilyas conceptualises ḥanīf as a trilogy of interdependent pillars: upright figures (qiyādah rashīdah), an upright system (millah ḥanīfah), and an upright community (ummah wasaṭ). This framework demands absolute consistency across theological claims, systemic compliance, and socio‑moral outcomes, with ṣidq (truthfulness) functioning as the epistemic bridge linking private virtue to public legitimacy. The study demonstrates that contemporary moral schizophrenia within religious communities arises from a broken chain within this trilogy. By reorienting piety from ritual formalism toward structural engagement, Hamim Ilyas offers an axiological contribution positioning social justice as the definitive measure of religious authenticity. This research provides theoretical insights for developing Islamic moral philosophy and the sociology of religion grounded in the principles of justice and universal welfare.