Imam Ali (AS)'s Educational Efforts to Reform and Guide the Nākithīn as a Group of Internal Opponents of the Islamic Government

Etratdoost, Mohammad; Shirdel, Masoumeh

doi:10.22034/hsr.2025.51629.1037

Imam Ali (AS)'s Educational Efforts to Reform and Guide the Nākithīn as a Group of Internal Opponents of the Islamic Government

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Associate Professor, Department of Islamic Theology and Studies, Shahid Rajaee Teacher Training University, Tehran, Iran.

² Assistant Professor, Hadith and Quranic Sciences Department, Humanities Faculty, Kosar University of bojnord, Bojnord, Iran.

10.22034/hsr.2025.51629.1037

Abstract

Given that established governments in human societies have always faced internal opposition, the appropriate strategy for Islamic rulers is to emulate the practical conduct of Amir al-Mu'minin Ali (AS) in dealing with and confronting opponents. From the perspective of Imam Ali (AS), as a model of justice in the world, employing moral education, even when dealing with opponents of the Islamic government, is an important issue. Based on this, he endeavored to reform and guide opposing political and social groups to the best of his ability. The present study aims to examine a portion of his statements to internal opponents of the Islamic government, analyzing them using content analysis to uncover and identify the details of Imam's educational behaviors. The results indicated that Imam Ali's educational efforts to reform and guide internal opponents can be categorized under five strategic actions: public awareness, correcting religious beliefs and ideological perspectives, tolerance and Leniency, reprimand and threat, and finally, punishment commensurate with the circumstances. Among these, the Imam's efforts towards public awareness and correcting the religious and ideological beliefs of opponents are of paramount importance. To attract and guide opponents, he individually and specifically addressed their misconceptions, explaining the correct and true interpretation of verses from the Holy Quran and the hadiths of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

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