The global Islamic tourism and hospitality industry has witnessed an impressive rise in recent years, reflecting the growing awareness among Muslim travelers about the importance of living and traveling in accordance with their religious beliefs. This transformation is not merely economic but also cultural, as Muslim consumers increasingly demand products and services that are consistent with their faith-based ethics, lifestyle, and identity [1]. The steady growth of this segment has reshaped the global hospitality landscape, prompting many service providers to adapt their business models to cater to the Muslim market while maintaining global standards of professionalism and service excellence.

The establishment of Shariah-compliant hotels marks a significant milestone in this development. These hotels are designed to ensure that their services and facilities conform to Islamic principles by providing halal-certified food, prohibiting alcohol and gambling, ensuring privacy and modesty, and creating spaces conducive to worship. However, while such operational compliance is essential, it often focuses on outward conformity rather than the deeper spiritual and ethical dimensions of Shariah. The emphasis on legal form sometimes overshadows the intended moral and spiritual purposes, thereby creating a gap between technical compliance and genuine spiritual fulfillment [2].

To bridge this gap, it is essential to revisit the foundational objectives of Islamic law, known as Maqasid Shariah. Maqasid Shariah offers a comprehensive framework for understanding the higher intentions of divine law, emphasizing the preservation of religion (din), life (nafs), intellect ('aql), lineage (nasl), and property (mal). These five essentials, or daruriyyat, represent the pillars of human welfare and moral order. Integrating these objectives into hospitality design ensures that services do not merely avoid what is forbidden but actively promote values such as compassion, justice, and balance in the experience of guests [3].

The Quran serves as the ultimate source of these values, providing timeless guidance that governs every aspect of human interaction, including trade and hospitality. Quranic principles such as cleanliness (taharah), moderation (wasatiyyah), trust (amanah), and mercy (rahmah) form the ethical foundation of Islamic service. When these principles are incorporated into hotel management, they transform service provision from a transactional activity into an act of devotion and moral responsibility. Thus, the hospitality industry becomes an avenue for manifesting Islamic ethics in daily operations and customer relations.

Malaysia presents a particularly relevant context for the integration of Quranic and Maqasid-based frameworks in hospitality. As a leading Muslim-majority country and a global hub for halal tourism, Malaysia has established numerous policies and certification systems that support the implementation of Shariah-compliant practices [4]. Despite these efforts, many hotels still interpret Shariah compliance in a narrow sense, emphasizing external attributes such as the absence of alcohol or the availability of prayer rooms. The deeper ethical and spiritual aspirations of Islam-such as justice, transparency, and sincerity in service-remain underexplored in practice.

In recent years, scholars have increasingly emphasized that the sustainability of Islamic hospitality depends on integrating the philosophical spirit of Maqasid Shariah into business ethics and service innovation. This perspective recognizes that true Shariah compliance is not only about following legal prohibitions but also about embodying Quranic values that foster social harmony, customer well-being, and moral accountability [5]. Hotels guided by this holistic understanding can enhance not only customer trust but also employee integrity and institutional reputation.

Moreover, the alignment of Maqasid Shariah with contemporary sustainability principles offers a unique opportunity for Malaysia to position its hospitality sector as both ethically grounded and globally competitive. Quranic teachings on stewardship of the earth, moderation in consumption, and fairness in economic dealings resonate strongly with modern frameworks such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Hence, the integration of Maqasid-based ethics into hotel service design contributes not only to religious authenticity but also to environmental responsibility and social inclusiveness.

Therefore, this study aims to examine the Quranic foundations of Maqasid Shariah and explore how these principles can be applied in the design of Islamic-compliant hotel services in Malaysia. It seeks to identify key Quranic values that correspond to the five domains of Maqasid Shariah and demonstrate how these values can be operationalized within modern hospitality practices. By linking divine guidance with service design, the study aspires to develop a conceptual framework that enhances both the spiritual integrity and service quality of Shariah-compliant hotels, ultimately supporting Malaysia’s vision of becoming a global leader in Islamic tourism.

The study of Shariah-compliant hospitality has evolved significantly in recent years as scholars seek to clarify the conceptual distinctions between halal tourism, Islamic tourism, and Shariahcompliant hotel operations. Early studies primarily focused on the economic, regulatory, and certification aspects of halal compliance, positioning Shariah-compliant hotels as establishments adhering to Islamic prohibitions such as the exclusion of alcohol and pork, gender segregation, and the assurance of halal-certified food [6]. While these works provided an important foundation for understanding Islamic tourism as a specialized market, they often neglected the deeper spiritual and ethical dimensions that define hospitality in Islam.

Subsequent research expanded the scope of discussion by emphasizing the importance of incorporating Islamic moral values into service design and guest experience. [18] argued that the concept of Shariah compliance should not be restricted to operational conformity but should instead embody the ethical spirit of Islam through fairness, honesty, and transparency in management practices. Similarly, [14] proposed Maqasid Shariah as a comprehensive evaluative framework for Islamic hospitality that combines legal adherence with moral purpose. Their framework illustrates how the preservation of religion, life, intellect, lineage, and property can guide the development of ethical business decisions, staff conduct, and customer relations within Islamic hotels.

From a theoretical perspective, [5] reinterpreted Maqasid Shariah as a dynamic system that promotes human welfare, contextual adaptability, and moral balance. His approach inspired later scholars such as [4], who explored how Maqasid Shariah principles could shape innovation, integrity, and accountability within contemporary organizational behavior. Within the context of hospitality, this paradigm shift encourages institutions to move away from rule-based compliance towards value-based management, ensuring that Islamic ethics underpin all dimensions of service design and delivery.

The intersection between Maqasid Shariah and sustainability has also gained considerable scholarly attention. [19] observed that Islamic hospitality frameworks rooted in Maqasid Shariah naturally correspond with global sustainability goals, as both prioritize social justice, environmental responsibility, and ethical consumption. The Quran promotes principles such as moderation, empathy, and respect for creation, all of which align with sustainable development objectives. Maqasid Shariah, therefore, provides a unique platform that connects spiritual values with universal sustainability concepts, positioning Islamic hospitality as an ethical model that harmonizes religion with global best practices.

In addition to these theoretical contributions, other scholars have emphasized inclusivity as a defining characteristic of effective Islamic hospitality. [17] and [10] noted that the long-term success of Shariah-compliant hotels depends on their ability to appeal to both Muslim and non-Muslim guests by communicating Islamic values through professionalism, empathy, and genuine care. Quranic virtues such as cleanliness, compassion, and trust resonate across cultural boundaries, suggesting that an ethically grounded service model can embody Islamic principles while maintaining global relevance.

Empirical studies conducted in Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Middle East have further demonstrated that Muslim travelers place strong importance on religious facilities, halal food assurance, and an Islamic atmosphere. Despite these positive developments, many researchers have identified a persistent gap between customer expectations and actual hotel practices. While tangible elements such as halal certification and prayer facilities are well implemented, intangible aspects, including ethical communication, modest staff behavior, and guest privacy, are often inconsistent [7]. This gap indicates the absence of a holistic framework that embeds Quranic and Maqasid values throughout the management and service systems rather than limiting them to physical compliance.

Several studies have also reaffirmed the role of the Quran as the ultimate source of ethical and moral principles in Islamic service industries. [16] conducted a thematic analysis of the Quran and identified justice, mercy, and trust as essential values that govern human relationships and organizational conduct. Their research underscores that the Quran provides not only legal injunctions but also ethical guidance that remains relevant in contemporary contexts. In the hospitality sector, these values serve as moral anchors for developing practices that ensure both spiritual fulfillment and operational excellence.

Overall, the reviewed literature reveals a growing consensus that the evolution of Islamic hospitality requires a transformation from symbolic compliance to value-based implementation. Integrating Maqasid Shariah into hotel design and management presents a comprehensive approach that unites religious authenticity with professional efficiency. However, most existing studies remain conceptual or descriptive and have not yet systematically connected specific Quranic teachings to practical service applications. This study, therefore, addresses this gap by conducting a thematic analysis of Quranic texts to identify the foundational values of Maqasid Shariah and by illustrating how these values can be applied to the design and management of Shariah-compliant hotels in Malaysia.

This study adopts a qualitative research design to explore the Quranic foundations of Maqasid Shariah and their relevance to the design of Islamic-compliant hotel services in Malaysia. The qualitative approach is appropriate for this research because it allows for an indepth exploration of meanings, values, and ethical principles derived from the Quran. Rather than relying on statistical measurement, qualitative analysis emphasizes interpretation and understanding, which are essential in examining the moral and spiritual dimensions of Islamic hospitality.

The study employs thematic analysis as its main analytical strategy. This approach enables the researcher to identify, analyze, and interpret patterns of meaning within textual data drawn from Quranic verses and classical commentaries. Thematic analysis is particularly suitable for this study as it allows the development of conceptual themes that reflect the five essential objectives of Maqasid Shariah, namely the preservation of religion, life, intellect, lineage, and property. Through this process, the study systematically connects scriptural guidance with practical implications for hotel service design.

The primary data source for this research is the Quran, which serves as the foundation of Islamic law and ethics. Selected verses were identified based on their relevance to the five domains of Maqasid Shariah. These verses were further interpreted through reference to authoritative tafsir works such as Tafsir al-Mazhari, Tafsir al-Munir, and Tafsir Ibn Kathir. The interpretations were used to contextualize the Quranic messages and to ensure that the derived themes accurately reflected the spirit and objectives of Shariah.

In selecting the verses, a purposive sampling method was used to focus on those that explicitly or implicitly convey values applicable to hospitality and service ethics. Keywords such as amanah (trust), rahmah (compassion), taharah (cleanliness), wasatiyyah (moderation), and 'adl (justice) guided the identification process. These keywords represent core values embedded in Maqasid Shariah and were used to ensure comprehensive coverage of all five essential objectives. Cross-referencing with contemporary scholarly works and previous thematic studies further validated the selection of verses and ensured the reliability of interpretation.

Data analysis followed the six phases of thematic analysis as proposed by [7], which include familiarization with data, generation of initial codes, identification of potential themes, review of themes, definition and naming of themes, and final reporting. Each identified theme was aligned with one of the five Maqasid domains and then translated into corresponding implications for hotel service design. For instance, themes derived from the preservation of religion were linked to facilities that support worship and spirituality, while themes related to the preservation of property were associated with financial ethics and transparent management practices.

To ensure the credibility and trustworthiness of the findings, triangulation was employed at several levels. First, multiple tafsir sources were consulted to cross-verify interpretations of each verse. Second, previous academic works on Islamic hospitality and Maqasid Shariah were reviewed to ensure consistency with established scholarship. Third, the thematic framework and preliminary findings were reviewed by two Shariah experts who provided critical feedback to refine the conceptual alignment between the Quranic themes and their practical applications in hospitality.

Ethical considerations were also taken into account throughout the research process. As the study deals with sacred texts, interpretations were conducted with scholarly rigor and respect for traditional methodologies. The researcher maintained transparency in interpreting the data by acknowledging existing commentaries and avoiding subjective extrapolation beyond the established principles of Quranic exegesis.

In summary, the methodology of this study combines textual analysis, thematic interpretation, and expert validation to ensure that the identified Quranic values are both theologically sound and practically relevant. This methodological framework not only strengthens the reliability of the findings but also provides a model for future research that seeks to bridge Islamic revelation with contemporary applications in ethical management and hospitality design.

This study concludes that the Quranic foundations of Maqasid Shariah provide a complete ethical and spiritual framework for shaping Islamic-compliant hotel services in Malaysia. Through a thematic analysis of selected Quranic verses, five essential domains were identified, namely religion, life, intellect, lineage, and property. Each of these domains offers moral guidance and operational insight that can be translated into hotel management practices reflecting the balance between Shariah compliance, professionalism, and social responsibility. The findings affirm that Maqasid Shariah does not merely prescribe legal boundaries but also promotes moral consciousness and holistic well-being in hospitality management.

The analysis revealed that the preservation of religion and life represents the most emphasized values in the Quranic context, signifying the importance of faith, health, and safety in Muslim-friendly services. Nevertheless, the preservation of intellect, lineage, and property remains equally crucial to achieving comprehensive Shariah compliance. When applied effectively, these principles ensure that hotel operations integrate ethical discipline, intellectual development, family values, and financial integrity, all of which are essential to building trust and sustainability in the hospitality industry.

This study also emphasizes that Islamic hospitality should not be perceived as a limited religious niche but as a universal service model grounded in compassion, fairness, and integrity. The findings highlight the potential of Malaysia to position itself as a global reference for Maqasid Shariah-based hospitality, where Quranic ethics become a competitive advantage that enhances both service quality and spiritual authenticity. By aligning business practices with divine objectives, hotels can cultivate a culture of sincerity, justice, and care that benefits both Muslim and non-Muslim guests.

The integration of Maqasid Shariah into hotel service design also contributes to national aspirations for sustainable and value-based tourism. It supports the development of ethical business ecosystems that prioritize human dignity, social balance, and environmental care. In this sense, the Quranic approach to hospitality serves not only as a model of faith-based excellence but also as a pathway toward achieving the global goals of responsible and inclusive tourism.

In conclusion, this study provides a foundation for policymakers, hotel managers, and Shariah scholars to enhance the ethical depth of Islamic-compliant services. The proposed conceptual framework demonstrates how Quranic principles can be embedded in every aspect of hospitality operations, transforming hotels into institutions that reflect the moral and spiritual values of Islam. Future studies may explore empirical evidence on guest satisfaction, employee attitudes, and operational outcomes to validate and expand this model across different cultural and geographical contexts.

Siti Nur Husna Abd Rahman, Rafidah Mohd Azli: Conceptualization, Methodology, Writing – review & editing, Supervision, Project administration. Nursafra Mohd Zhaffar: Methodology, Writing – review & editing, Investigation. Siti Nadiah Binti Babge: Conceptualization, Methodology, Writing – review & editing, Investigation.

The authors would like to express their sincere appreciation to Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) for providing institutional support throughout the completion of this research. Special thanks are also extended to Person One, Person Two, and an anonymous reviewer for their valuable insights and constructive feedback that greatly contributed to the refinement of this manuscript.

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

This research did not receive any financial support.