Building the Islamic Personality According to Imam al-Sadiq (peace be upon him)

(Between Religious Constants and Educational Variables in the Modern Era)

Abstract

One of the most significant challenges facing humanity in the modern world is the lack of understanding of how to properly raise children through age-appropriate and progressive education. The use of social media should be guided to strengthen, not weaken, cultural and religious identity. Positive engagement with globalization is essential for learning from other cultures while preserving Islamic identity. Discipline, according to Imam al-Sadiq (peace be upon him), emphasizes gentle treatment of the first two age groups, following the example of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) and the Imams (peace be upon them) in their educational approach. This involves refining any harshness or severity that parents might exhibit towards their children when they err. Human beings naturally pass through different stages of life with varying temperaments and dispositions, and the guardian of a child must raise them according to the stages of each developmental period. This research examines the doctrinal matters that the guardian instills from a young age, the religious matters acquired from family and the mosque, and then the moral matters in the final seven years, which reflect the beliefs and ethics learned in the early stages. The Imam (peace be upon him) focused on the first three stages: foundation, formation, and companionship. Imam al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) summarized the educational approach by saying: "Let your child play for seven years, discipline him for seven years, and then be with him for seven years."