Elements of utilitarianism in al-Ghazali’s thought

Human is created as social creature. Every human who aware about himself always want to do good deed and try to be the best. In human deeds is to give a good effect for society. In modern era, advancement of technology it is not always comparable with increasing in moral field. Utilitarianism is answer about problem in making out selfishness from the view of this purpose in result of happiness for many people and make responsibilities atmosphere about attitude and action toward fellow being. In the Islamic perspective, utilitarianism in function’s view there’s been far before utilitarianism figure be familiar. There is Al-Ghazali, Sufism figure who couch utilitarianism in Maqasid Asy-Syari’ah. Al-Ghazali offers maslahah as the function of social welfare it concept which covered all of human action and make close relationship between individual and society. He explains that social prosperity in frame work of hierarchy individual-social which include dharuriyah, hajah, tahsiniyah. The aim of this research is to know about the elements of utilitarianism in al-Ghazali’s thought and this urgency to create social ethic. Method that used in researching the elements of utilitarianism in al-Ghazali’s thought is descriptive-analysis with use philosophy approach. After study data above, author conclude that the elements of utilitarianism in Al-Ghazali’s thought is five elements which contains in dharuriyah al-khamsah namely: 1) keep religion (din), 2) keep soul (nafs), 3) keep reason (aql), 4) keep descent (nasab), and 5) keep property (mal). Keyword: Utilitarianism, Al-Ghazali, maslahah, happiness, social ethic