Islamic ethics is the "philosophical reflection upon moral conduct" with a view to defining "good character" and attaining the "pleasure of God". It is distinguished from "Islamic morality". Recent political and social events as well as advances in science and technology have posed challenges to the traditional Muslim discourse on ethics in South Africa. This paper will examine the emerging challenges and critically analyse the implications of emerging initiatives in political pluralism and civic culture. Consideration will be given to how the contours of public ethics in Islam may be redefined to provide shared conceptions of the good and the practically useful in pluralist societies