On the Distinction between Ethics and Moral Education from the Perspective of Ayatollah Misbah Yazdi

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Hossein Hajizadeh ¹

hasan mohiti ordkani ²

¹ PhD student in the field of Islamic Education, Islamic Ethics, Qom University of Islamic Education

² Assistant Professor, Qom University of Islamic Studies, Iran

10.22067/epk.2025.92307.1418

Abstract

Some researchers have attempted, based on the views of Ayatollah Misbah Yazdi, to distinguish between the science of ethics and the science of moral education, employing concepts such as the minimum ethical threshold and the minimum threshold of moral education. Adopting a critical approach, the present article examines and evaluates these interpretations in order to determine the extent to which they accord with Ayatollah Misbah's theoretical and ethical foundations. These researchers have also analyzed moral and educational values in his thought and argued that certain virtuous acts performed by non-Muslims, such as generosity, possess a preparatory educational value, while lacking ultimate moral value in the absolute sense. The criticisms advanced against these interpretations include the lack of a clear distinction between the science of ethics and the science of moral education, as well as the absence of sufficient documentary evidence from Ayatollah Misbah's works to substantiate such a distinction. Furthermore, the attribution of certain arguments and examples—such as the analysis of ethical propositions and the moral value of the acts of non-believers—to Ayatollah Misbah appears to require a deeper and more precise examination of his ethical foundations. Accordingly, this article seeks to provide a more accurate analysis of Ayatollah Misbah's views on Islamic ethics and moral education through a critical evaluation of the existing interpretations and by offering suggestions for revising and strengthening their arguments.

Keywords

Ayatollah Misbah Yazdi

Distinction between Ethics and Moral Education

Moral and Educational Values

Minimum Ethical Threshold

Subjects

• Islamic Philosophy and Kalam

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Authors retain the copyright and full publishing rights. This is an open access article distributed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0)

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