Preserving Life, Guarding Dignity

A Muslim Hermeneutic of Well-Being in College

Abstract

This essat argues that a Muslim hermeneutic offers a stronger account of student well-being than the thin institutional language often used in higher education. Drawing on Qur’an 2:195 and 5:32, as well as the Islamic concepts of maqasid al-shari'a, amanah, rahma, and 'adl, it treats well-being as a matter of preserving life, intellect, dignity, and moral responsibility. It contends that wellness must also be judged by whether a college community protects essential human goods, notices suffering before collapse, and orders institutional life with justice, mercy, and care for vulnerable persons.