A Qur’anic istikhlaf framework for the understanding of the concept of al-sa’adah

Abstract

This thesis proposes a comprehensive Qur’anic al-istikhlaf framework for examining al-sa'adah (happiness) in Islam, in response to some fragmented and reductionist approaches in both Western and Islamic scholarly traditions. While happiness is a central ethical aim across worldviews, modern secular frameworks often isolate material and psychological aspects, neglecting the moral, metaphysical, and teleological dimensions of well-being. Even within Islamic literature, discussions on al-saʿadah tend to be disjointed and hardly integrate the profound Qur’anic vision of the wholistic human being as khalifah (vicegerent) on earth. This study identifies some epistemological and ontological gaps in existing models and addresses them by proposing an integrated Qu'ranic framework grounded in the concept of al-istikhlaf. Using a qualitative and inductive methodology, it analyses Qur’anic verses, Hadith, and classical and contemporary scholarship to present a multi-dimensional model of the human being encompassing the rūḥ (spirit), qalb (heart), nafs (soul), ʿaql (intellect), bodily faculties and Fitrah (primordial nature). These are then placed in four relational domains: man’s relationship with God, with self, with others and with the universe. Findings indicated that authentic al-saʿadah, both temporal and eternal, is inseparable from fulfilling the divinely assigned role of khalifah. The Qur’anic al-istikhlaf framework reorients the discourse on happiness from a self-centred pursuit to one rooted in divine purpose, moral responsibility, and spiritual growth. It offers a cohesive alternative to prevailing psychological and philosophical models by framing human flourishing through the lens of sacred trust, ethical responsibility, and civilizational balance. This study thus contributes a spiritually grounded and epistemologically rich framework with practical implications for education, public policy, Islamic worldview renewal. It calls for further research into the application of the Qur’anic al-Istikhlaf model across diverse fields of human development and civilizational progress.