Akbar Sajedi
1 
, Mir Mohsen Erfani Rad
2*1 Center for developing interdisciplinary research, Islamic and health sciences , Department of Islamic Studies, Faculty of Paramedicine, The Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
2 Department of Islamic Studies, Faculty of Paramedicine, The Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
Abstract
Background: Education plays an essential role in all aspects of life. It is particularly
important in religious affairs. History shows that religious leaders utilized different
methods to teach. In Islam, the Holy Prophet and the infallible Imams, especially Imam
Baqir (AS) and Imam Sadiq (As), considered spiritual guidance as part of education and
always accentuated and attempted to teach practically through their behavior and speech.
Islamic teachings have to a large extent reported religious leaders teaching methods. One
of the hadiths that focuses on adult education is Hadith of Unwan al-Basri. In this hadith,
Unwan al-Basri, aged 94, reports Imam Sadiq’s (As) teaching method. The current study
aimed to investigate the adult education method in Imam Sadiq (A.S) School.
Methods: The Hadith of Unwan al-Basri was investigated through thematic analysis. The
basic concepts were first obtained using the data coding process. The basic concepts were
then reduced and categorized into sub-themes and themes.
Results: The findings showed that the analysis resulted in seventy basic concepts which
were reduced into nineteen sub-themes categorized into four themes: characteristics of the
teacher, characteristics of the learner, characteristics of the educational environment, and
the educational content.
Conclusion: One of the most important elements in Imam Sadiq’s (AS) teaching method
was his emphasis on teaching both practically and theoretically.