An Essay on Affective Strategies for Moral Education in Epistle ۳۱ of Nahj al-Balāghah

Abstract

Moral education constitutes one dimension of education, wherein the educator actively seeks to modify and rectify the learner's undesirable characteristics and conduct. Nevertheless, these pedagogical endeavours necessitate distinct methodologies. The pedagogical approaches prevalent within secular educational frameworks have undergone continuous transformation and development owing to an incomplete comprehension of the multifaceted nature of human beings. The disparities among these methodologies compel us to scrutinize more dependable approaches grounded in divine revelation and the teachings of those who have been nurtured within the school of revelation. Indisputably, the Nahj al-Balāghah, following the Holy Qur'an, stands as one of the preeminent compilations of Hadith, offering invaluable guidance for the moral education of humanity. Within the corpus of Imam ‘Alī's (p.b.u.h) teachings, Letter 31 occupies a unique position as a pedagogical charter. In this epistle, he comprehensively addresses diverse cognitive, affective, and behavioural strategies for moral education. This l inquiry, employing a descriptive-analytical methodology and relying on library-based research, concentrates exclusively on the affective dimension of moral education as delineated in Imam ‘Alī's Thirty-First Letter, endeavouring to introduce a variety of practical strategies within this domain.