The Principles of Thought and Educational Approach of Imam Musa al-Sadr Based on the Consistency of Theory and Practice

Abstract

In the past two decades, many researchers have explored the principles of thought and the educational approach of Imam Musa al-Sadr, focusing on the consistency between his theoretical views and practical actions. Each study has produced different educational principles. This research, using a descriptive-analytical method, combines the results from various perspectives on the impact of educational principles in Imam Musa al-Sadr's thought and conduct. To achieve this objective, it draws on educational findings from various studies conducted over the past two decades regarding his theoretical and practical biography. The studies used in this research include dissertations and research projects from universities and different research centers, as well as numerous Persian sources, such as the Imam Musa al-Sadr Cultural-Research Institute, the Center for Historical Document Studies, the Jihad Daneshgahi of the country (SID), the Iranian Journal Database (Magiran), the Noormags Islamic Sciences Research Center, the Humanities Studies Database (ensani.ir), and reputable English-language databases such as Scopus, ISC, and interviews with Imam Musa al-Sadr's close associates and field observations in Lebanon. This article, conducted using a descriptive and qualitative content analysis approach, highlights some of the educational principles reflected in Imam al-Sadr's speeches and messages, which reveal his thought and conduct. The educational principles that Imam Musa al-Sadr has narrated as a precise and solid foundation for understanding his intellectual strategies and the core of his educational thought and approach include: faith in God and reliance on His divine wisdom, alignment with human nature’s inclination towards seeking God and religion, physical education combined with spiritual education, inherent human dignity, self-awareness, responsibility, adherence to justice and human rights, peaceful coexistence, social bonds, and ethical dialogue (emphasizing the social foundation of ethics), national identity formation, action based on reflection, freedom of thought for the advancement of individuals and society, dynamism, environmental purification, and more.