Özet:

Chastity means such as honor, purity, cleanliness, is one of the four cardinal virtues that are generally accepted by philosophers. This virtue is obtained as a result of keeping the desire power (al-quwwah al-shahwiyyah) of the human soul at the level of moderation and acting under the control of the intellect. Iffah was used as the correspondence of word of sôphrosûne in Ancient Greek, which often meant temperance. It is translated as "temperance" or "moderation" in English although not an exact correspondance. Temperance is also seen as an aristocratic virtue and emerges that people don’t use while they can be abused their power. With this virtue, one can control his/her passion and restrain himself. It is also seen as a feminine virtue by the Greeks and it is mentioned that there is a power that is praised as a partner. Together with Socrates, it found a place in the moral philosophy. Together with Plato, it began to be counted as the cardinal virtues. It is seen as a rein that restrains desires and passions by Plato. With this virtue which is also identified as self-restraint, the person is able to control his/her bad side with good side. It is a virtue that must be seen at all levels of society in the eye of Plato. It is necessary to establish the order of society. In short, Plato considers temperance as a virtue belongs to both human being and the state. Aristotle, on the other hand, prefers to define temperance as the moderation of the willer part of the person, especially as touching desire, rather than the social dimension. When it comes to Islamic moral philosophy, this virtue is expressed as the term of iffah (chastity). Kindi sees chastity as a virtue that helps restricting passions originate from sexual intercourse, eating and drinking, and for over-valuation something. According to him, adultery, glutony, excessive jealousy, and ambition are vices which emerge as a result of the absence of virtue of chastity. In addition to giving similar thoughts, Farabi distinguishes between one who is chaste and one who restricts every/his desires. He expressed that who is chaste makes acting in peace but others feel pain when becomes chaste. Ibn Miskeveyh, the leading name of moral philosophers, points out the constructive direction of this virtue in the society’s establishment by giving place to twelve virtues under chastity (embarrassment, serenity, patience, generosity, being free, satisfaction, tender-mindedness, regularity, good situation, pacifism, dignity, avoidance of evil). Although Ibn Sînâ gets together on Ibn Miskeveyh at some points, he increases the number of sub-virtues to sixteen. With making additions, Ibn Sina brings the virtue of chastity regulative dimension in the social relations into forefront in this classification. In addition to this, he treats vices which arise from the absence of the virtue of chastity (insolence, extravagance, stinginess, two facedness, babbling, fawning, etc.) in detail. While Ibn Sînâ points out ways to get rid of vices, he also stated how to the virtue of chastity implicitly. Ghazali, on the other hand, by benefitly from both Ibn Miskeveyh and Ibn Sinâ to express his views on the chastity. The main points of action of the Islamic scholars in addressing this virtue is keeping the pleasures under the control of the intellect to catch moderation. In this study, the comparison of the virtue of chastity from the Ancient Greek to the Islamic thought in the process of history will be revealed by referring to the basic works of the leading philosophers and scholars. In addition, it will be tried to determine the scope of this virtue by pointing out the similarities and differences between the thoughts of philosophers and scholars about chastity. Also it is touched on the significance of addressing the chastity which has been narrowed in the frame of meaning nowadays in the way that it was processed by the Islamic scholars and becoming a skill in the field of practice. Understanding correctly this virtue which dominates the direction of onlooking at social relations, has an important place considering the vices that occur in the absence of chastity in the construction of a healthy society. Just as many philosophers say, it is not enough to have the knowledge of virtue, it is necessary to perform virtuous behaviors. Starting from the thought that one will be virtuous when he goes on behaving virtuous, individuals with the virtue of chastity and sub-virtues may be raised. At this point, the determinations of Islamic moralists can be taken as the main starting point. As a matter of fact, many social problems arise from vices that were born the excess and deficiency of power of desire. Therefore, the solution of these problems may also be possible by placing the virtue of chastity in society. For this reason, it is important to present the basic framework of this virtue in detail. A virtuous society can be constructed if the knowledge dimension of virtue is set on a strong ground.

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