Spiritual Intelligence as Moral Infrastructure: An Islamic-Transpersonal Model for Organizational Ethics

Abstract

This article develops an integrative conceptual framework linking spiritual intelligence (SQ) and organizational ethics through an Islamic-transpersonal perspective. Drawing upon literature from transpersonal psychology, organizational behavior, ethical leadership, and Islamic intellectual traditions, the study examines how spiritual intelligence can function as a moral foundation for ethical organizational culture. The article reviews major conceptualizations of SQ, including the models proposed by Emmons, King, Wigglesworth, and Zohar and Marshall, and explores their relevance to organizational settings. It further analyzes key Islamic ethical principles, including tawḥīd (unity), taqwā (God-consciousness), ʿadl (justice), iḥsān (excellence), amānah (trust), shūrā (consultation), and maqāṣid al-Sharīʿah (higher objectives of Islamic law), and synthesizes them into a coherent framework for ethical leadership and organizational governance.Using thematic and integrative analysis of scholarly literature and Islamic sources, the study proposes an Islamic-transpersonal model  of spiritual intelligence and outlines practical mechanisms through which organizations may cultivate ethical cultures. The article also presents an illustrative organizational case, “Barakah Foods,” to demonstrate the potential application of the proposed framework in leadership development, cultural transformation, governance structures, and ethical performance measurement. Additionally, a conceptual measurement architecture is proposed, integrating established instruments such as SISRI-24, SQ21, the Islamic Work Ethic Scale, and Kaptein’s Corporate Ethical Virtues model. The study contributes a theoretically grounded and practice-oriented framework that advances understanding of the relationship between spiritual intelligence and organizational ethics and offers directions for future empirical research.