Examining the Role of the Family in Economic Education with Emphasis on the Teachings of Imam Reza (A.S.)

Tahmasebi, Asghar

doi:10.22034/ijs.2025.509385.1346

Examining the Role of the Family in Economic Education with Emphasis on the Teachings of Imam Reza (A.S.)

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Asghar Tahmasebi

Assistant Professor, Department of Qur’anic Sciences and Hadith Studies, University of Shahrekord, Shahrekord, Iran.

10.22034/ijs.2025.509385.1346

Abstract

The family, as the foundational institution of society, plays an irreplaceable role in economic education, and both micro and macro economies are directly influenced by the economic values and behaviors institutionalized within it. Despite this significance, no independent research has been conducted on the role of the family in economic education based on the teachings of Imam Reza (A.S.). Employing a descriptive-analytical method and drawing upon authentic narrative sources, the present study addresses the question: According to Imam Reza's teachings, what position does the family hold in economic education, and what are the strategies for its realization? The findings demonstrate that in Imam Reza's culture, the family is the nexus of economic enculturation and the bedrock for institutionalizing a value system founded upon lawful (ḥalāl) sustenance, work and production, planning and moderation, contentment and avoidance of wastefulness (isrāf), and charitable giving (infāq) and altruism. The strategies derived are formulated within three domains: affirmative (enculturation of work and practical planning), prohibitive (rejection of wastefulness, extravagance, and consumption of contraband goods), and social (promotion of charitable giving, interest-free loans (qarḍ al-ḥasan), and support for vulnerable groups with a priority on empowerment). Ultimately, by adhering to these teachings, the family can, while managing its livelihood, nurture a productive, responsible generation committed to a sound economy and contribute to the realization of a dynamic economy within Islamic society.

Keywords

Imam Reza (A.S.)

Economic Education

Lawful (Ḥalāl) Sustenance

Family

Generosity

Subjects

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