Investigating the Principles and Methods of Moral Education in the Narratives of Imam Riḍā (as)

Moral education of Muslims is one of the basic goals of Quranic and Hadith teachings. Extracting these teachings and explaining them in a methodical way in the form of principles and methods of moral education provides the basis for the knowledge of the moral system in Islam. Among the narratives of Imams (as) and the narratives left by Imam Riḍā (as), there are many statements and reports on the subject of ethics. This research, using a descriptive and analytical method, seeks to answer the question, what are the principles and methods of moral education in the narratives of Imam Riḍā (as)? To answer the research question, his hadiths were extracted, categorized and analyzed. The research findings indicate that the principles of moral education are: Change in outward behavior, inner transformation, continuity and protection of action, modification of conditions, responsibility, grooming, grace, justice, dignity and wisdom. The realization of these principles, methods such as indoctrination to the self, imposing on the self, giving insight, calling to faith, creating duties, reckoning with self, contextualization, change of position, pattern making, facing the consequences of actions, incitement of faith, troubles and trials, beautifying the appearance, embellishment of speech, repentance, evangelize, exaggeration in reward, task as much as possible, warning, punishment in the amount of the fault, neglect, cleanliness and purity of the soul, teaching the wisdom have been identified as a method of getting rid of and treating vices.