A comparative study of parenting styles with Imam Ali parenting style in letter 31 of Nahj-ol-balagha

Parenting is the first and most basic stage in training and socialization process of children in society. All this process is based on Parents’ believes values and ideals. The purpose of this study is finding some answers for questions on parenting styles by using Nahj-ol-balagha. The study methodology is descriptive method based on context analysis. Using this methodology we try to find answers for questions from Nahj-ol-balagha text. The study findings show Imam Ali denying authoritarian، permissive (indulgent) and neglectful parenting styles. He don’t take these parenting styles suitable for training children at all. There are some similarities in authoritative parenting style with Imam Ali perspective on training children such as revering children، responsibly treating to children and having control and supervision on children. There is a distinctive difference too between Imam Ali’s parenting style and authoritative one which it gives us a different parenting style called Alavi parenting style. This new parenting style has some foundations، values، goals، rules and priorities which make Alavi parenting style a different style as compared to authoritative parenting one. It is better to name Alavi parenting style a responsible parenting – according to some thinkers – which can be a good and suitable name for Islamic style of parenting.