The foundation of each person’s life is the faith they have in what they believe. Like other belief systems, there are some “ Islamic axioms”- basic principles or self-evident truths- whose acceptance is regarded as the leading entry to this religion.

The Importance of Rational Thinking

Unlike Saint Augustine’s [i] claim that says: “I believe in order to understand,” which shows a lack of reason in at least some sects of Christianity, in Islamic reasoning, rational thinking is a priori and prerequisite for the realization of faith.

In Islam, faith is nothing beyond human’s reason and understanding; in other words, the axioms of this religion are the fundamental principles that are rational by themselves and can be ascertained by people’s common sense. So stepping into the stage of this faith depends on the submission that is gained through preliminary investigation of its axioms.

Forbiddance of Imitation (Taqlid) 

Additionally, faith is not accepted in Islam unless these doctrines are freely investigated and understood by every individual either commonsensically or intellectually, so Imitation is not permitted at this stage. Consequently, the basic principles or doctrines of Islam are defined as axioms that have to be testified on the verge of converting to Islam.

The Islamic Axioms: A short definition

Monotheism (Tawhid)

One might wonder what these axioms are. The most certain and evident of them are monotheism (Tawhid), prophethood (Nubuwwah) and the afterlife (Ma'ad), which are innate in human’s nature separately. ‘Tawhid’ or monotheism is the most fundamental religious knowledge that holds God exists, is The Only One and independent of the entire creation. It declares the unity and uniqueness of God as the only creator and sustainer of the universe.

The realization of this concept (the existence and oneness of God) is before the other two (prophethood and afterlife), that is its acceptance leads to the affirmation of them rationally.

Prophethood (Nubuwwah)

Prophethood is God's blessing and favor that is bestowed on an individual chosen by Him to convey His message. Every prophet states that all he receives is from Allah and for the well-being of humanity. He confirms what was revealed before him and what may be revealed by a future prophet.

Thus the revealed message is always the same in essence and purpose, and it cannot deviate from prior or future revelations. Prophets are needed for conveying God's instructions and guidance to humankind. Without this knowledge, we would be unable to answer the fundamental questions of our existence either here in this world or the world that is to come.

Afterlife (Ma'ad)

Information about the afterlife, as the third fundamental axiom in Islamic teaching, is provided by the prophets whose truth we have testified. They have told us to have faith in the continued existence of human beings after death and that there will be a day of judgment when all humans will be held accountable for their actions and divided between the eternal destinations of Paradise and Hell.

In brief, Islam is the religion of rational thinking that encourages its followers to individually investigate and question the truth of its doctrines before accepting them, to reach firm belief through common sense or intellect; this makes them submit to God’s commands willingly and contently.

Notes:

[i]. An early Christian theologian and philosopher. 

Morality includes ethics or moral philosophy, and offers human beings the proper way to spend their lives. These etiquettes suggest the ideals and principles we should aim to achieve, morally commendable actions, and what is considered immoral. Religion may be described as a belief system that elevates people's lives and affirms the presence and ultimate dominance of a spiritual, supernatural, omnipotent divinity that transcends the material realities of day-to-day life. Ethical principles and religious tenets share some ground but do not correspond exactly. Most – but not all – faiths give their adherents ethical instruction. Much, but not all, moral philosophy has its origins or linkages in religious belief.

What do we mean when we refer to religion?

It is challenging to provide a specific definition of "religion" since the term "religion" is susceptible to various interpretations and understandings. On the other hand, religion may be seen as an organized body of ideas and rituals rooted in a common worldview.
This worldview often consists of a consensus on a set of moral principles and an understanding of the meaning of various religious texts. A feeling of connection and identity may also be provided to those who subscribe to a particular religion.
In addition, religion may be understood as the belief in and worship of a superhuman, governing authority, most prominently a personal deity  or gods. This is one comprehensive definition of religion. It is often connected with rites, and it may also entail the reading of holy books. 

What exactly is ethics?

The subject of how a person ought to conduct their life is at the center of the study of ethics, a subfield of philosophy. It seeks to give a framework for ethical decision-making by posing the question, "What is the proper thing to do in this specific situation?" and attempting to provide an answer.
Throughout the course of human history, a great variety of ethical theories have been proposed; nonetheless, no one response is universally accepted to all ethical concerns. Rather, various individuals are likely to arrive at different conclusions depending on the principles and ideals that are most important to them.
The ethical tradition significantly focuses on applying moral principles in everyday life. Instead of providing instruction on how to live a good life in the abstract, ethics aims to offer direction on how to live a decent life in the actual world.

Relation of Ethics to Religion

The history of the connection between religion and ethics may be told via how religion connects to applying practical experience and analytical thought to investigate morality. A significant number of people who participate in religious activities believe that they do not need to comprehend the rationale behind the moral teachings of their specific religion since all they need to know is what God considers morally acceptable. They are not concerned with the rationale behind why some actions are ethically commendable while others are disapproved by society. However, this rejection of critical thinking may impede persons who feel this way from properly knowing all of the particulars of their faith. 
Various perspectives exist on the relationship between religion and ethics, from the notion that religion is the ultimate cornerstone of ethics to the view that ethics is built on humanism principles justified primarily and often only by appealing to reason. These two extremes are often discussed in a manner that leaves little possibility for compromise or pragmatic answers to real-world problems; as the Prophet Muhammad says: " The best of you are those who have the most excellent morals."

The merciful religion of Islam

This presentation of Islam's ethical framework is made in the context of Shariah, the Islamic social and legal order. Whatever promotes one's or society's well-being is ethically desirable in Islam, whereas whatever causes harm is immoral. Islam's ethical framework is the bedrock of a society based on the religion's teachings, deemed divine and unchanging. Regarding personal relationships, business dealings, social gatherings, and public appearances, Muslims are expected to exercise extreme caution following Islamic ethics.

Who exactly is Muhammad?

Muhammad was born in Makkah in 570, while Christianity was still a relatively new religion in Western Europe. His parents had passed away before he was born, leaving him in the care of his revered Quraysh uncle. When he was older, people sought him out as an arbitrator because of his reputation for honesty, kindness, and sincerity. Historians have remarked on his equanimity and quiet demeanor.
Muhammad was a very pious man who had always disapproved of the corruption that pervaded his culture. Occasionally, he would go to the Cave of Hira, located on the slopes of Jabal al-Nur, also known as the "Mountain of Light," not far from Makkah, and meditate there.

Ethics Without Religion

Even if a significant amount of moral philosophy derives from religious belief, the history of secular ethics may be traced back to ancient times. Many philosophers throughout history have belonged to some religious belief system, and acknowledged that it is impossible to live a happy life outside the influence of religion. 

Both ethics and religion presume that the soul is immoral 

Similarly, ethics imposes the need that the soul to be eternal. Although human existence is brief and constrained, the ideal of ethics is vast and unbounded. It is unlikely that it will realize its potential in its limited lifetime. The only way to achieve one's ethical goal is to live an infinite number of lives in succession.
Single life cannot sate the unbridled need of a human being for the comprehension of truth, appreciation of beauty, and fulfillment of their potential. A person's moral behavior throughout life may show the soul's immortality.
In this manner, ethics and religion lead man along the paths of choice and emotion to the ultimate good, beauty, wisdom, and total perfection God is. Both are impressive to one another, and both are necessary for the growth of the human person.
Conclusion

There is a noticeable gap between religious beliefs and moral principles. ethics is grounded in the application of reason. In writing this article, we aimed to clarify the distinction and similarity between these two ideas. 

references

1. https://classroom.synonym.com/the-concept-of-evil-in-islam-12085675.html
2. https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/religion-morality/
3. https://www.shareyouressays.com/knowledge/what-are-the-relationship-between-ethics-and-religion-explained/113112
4. https://www.shareyouressays.com/knowledge/what-are-the-relationship-between-ethics-and-religion-explained/113112