A reflection on the distinction between ethics and moral education from the perspective of Ayatollah Misbah Yazdi

Articles in Press

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 scholars have attempted to draw a distinction between “moral science” (ʿilm al-akhlāq) and “moral education” (tarbiyat-i akhlāqī) by appealing to the views of Ayatollah Misbah Yazdi, introducing concepts such as the “moral threshold” and the “educational threshold.” The present article adopts a critical approach to examine and evaluate these interpretations in order to determine the extent to which they align with the theoretical and ethical foundations articulated by Ayatollah Misbah. These scholars also analyze the value of moral and educational acts in his thought, arguing that certain virtuous deeds of non-Muslims, such as generosity, possess preliminary educational value, while remaining devoid of ultimate moral worth. The critiques addressed in this study include ambiguities in the precise differentiation between “moral science” and “moral education,” as well as the lack of sufficient textual evidence from Ayatollah Misbah’s works to substantiate this distinction. Moreover, it appears that attributing certain arguments and examples—such as the analysis of ethical statements or the evaluation of the value of non-believers’ actions—to Ayatollah Misbah requires a more rigorous and comprehensive investigation of his ethical principles. Accordingly, this article aims to provide a more accurate analysis of Ayatollah Misbah’s perspective on Islamic ethics and moral education, critically assesses the theories proposed in this field, and offers recommendations for revising and strengthening the underlying arguments

Keywords

• Ayatollah Misbah Yazdi
• The distinction between moral education and ethics
• Moral and educational values
• Moral threshold

Main Subjects

• Islamic Philosophy and Kalam

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