Analysis of Ethical and Educational Methods in Shaping Religious Beliefs from the Perspectives of Mulla Muhammad Astarabadi and Imam Muhammad al-Ghazali

Abstract

This study provides a comparative analysis of the ethical and educational methods of Mulla Muhammad Astarabadi and Imam Muhammad al-Ghazali in shaping religious beliefs (monotheism, prophethood, and eschatology). Confronting the intellectual challenges posed by Greek philosophy and esoteric movements, al-Ghazali proposes a mystical–rational educational approach and views purification of the soul through spiritual stages (repentance, patience, fear, hope, and self-examination) as the foundation for deepening faith. His ethical framework emphasizes gratitude, remembrance, and the control of moral vices, thereby transforming belief in divine unity into an inner experiential realization. In contrast, Mulla Muhammad Astarabadi, the founder of the Shiʿi Akhbari school in the eleventh century of the Islamic calendar during the Safavid era, grounds religious education in complete submission to the narrations of the infallible Imams without rational interpretation. His ethics are practical and tradition-centered, seeking to preserve religious beliefs through adherence to transmitted texts and fear of divine judgment. The comparison reveals that al-Ghazali conceives education as inward and experiential, whereas Astarabadi regards it as outward and preservative. Integrating these two perspectives offers a balanced framework for contemporary religious education.