A COMPARATIVE STUDY ON VIEW POINTS OF IMAM ALI AND CONFUCIUS ON EDUCATION )1)
ABSTRACT
Generally speaking the matter of education has been proposed during long history of human beings. As a matter of fact, Confucius as a great Chinese thinker and Imam Ali as a great Muslim Imam have paid to philosophy, values and ends of education. It would be interesting to discuss similarities and differences of these both distinguish thinkers in regard to Education. One might be wondered as he come to know that both of them emphasis on necessity and need of education for people. Although the end of education might differ among between them. Development and evolution of man’s capacities and faculties, realizing justice, paying attention to morals and everlasting values, training men through proper methods and leading men towards good deeds are among their similarities.
INTRODUCTION
The main question of this essay deals with a comparative study on education from point of views of Confucius and Imam Ali. Would it be possible to find similarities among two great thinkers from different cultures and religions? Did both of them pay to the matter of men’s ethical training and education? What were their principles, methods and goals in regard to education? By considering teachings and tenets of these think tankers of Chinese and Islamic cultures, one might come to some important results. It seems that both of them have paid to man’s evolution, perfect man, and the concept of salvation. Both of them had much attention to the educational needs of man. They wanted to develop man’s capacities as well. They proposed an ideal society and men. The both thinkers had their methods as to edition and training.
LIFE OF CONFUCIUS
Confucius or Kong Fu - Tzu was born in a poor family in 551 B.C in Lu provenience. Some miracles have been narrated as to his birth which they are not any proved as well. He lost his father when he was a baby. He says that: I was a child of a poor man so I paid to cheap works which was not suitable for prince and loyal families (Confucius 1955: 61). He learned Chinese wisdom, teachings, history, accounting, music, cults and sports. He was China’s most famous teacher whose ideas have influenced the civilization of all eastern Asia. Confucius was deeply influenced of the crisis of his society. He reached to official and judiciary positions for a very short period but he left official positions soon. He had less impact on people in his life but became famous and influential after his death. It might be said that he was unable to implement his ideas of reform; he spent the greater part of his life for educating a small group of disciples. He was not a religious leader in the ordinary sense, for his teaching was essentially a social ethics Some researches hold that he had a long and permanent influence not only on Chinese cultures but also on Western thinkers too, that is to say on thinkers of Enlightenment period. His disciples developed his ideas and made him a founder of socio-philosophical school. Mencius was one of his famous students. Chu She was a famous interpreter of Confucius and he had much influence on modern Chinese thought (Walshe 1981: 18) wrote many books which are famous now. It seems that he was much impressed by historical and literary heritage of ancient china but he had a creative approach towards this heritage. He died in 470 BC.
LIFE OF IMAM ALI
Ali Ibn Abi Talib born in Mecca in 600. He belonged to Hashemite family, a famous one in Mecca. He was cousin of the prophet of Islam and became his son in law later (Qomi 1426AH:141). He became Muslim very soon and then endeavored much to develop and spread it. He was constantly with Prophet of Islam and participated in all wars (Shahidi 1384AH:30). He became the fourth Caliph of prophet of Islam. He is the first Imam of Shia as well.He became forth Caliph of Muslims and rulled from 36 up to 40 AH(Modarresi 1380AH : 76), He is so much famous in regard to efforts for realizing justice during his rule as forth Caliph of the prophet of Islam. He martyred in 40 of Islamic Calendar by one of his opponent .He lived 63 years (Tabresi 1398AH: 230). He presented many lectures, religious sermons and preaches. His preaches contain many teachings on God, man and universe. He had his especial approach towards man’s education and ethical behavior. Main sources of his thought are Quran and the tradition of the holy prophet (Hosaini Sardari 1364:30).
CONFUCIUS AND IMAM ALI ON METAPHYSICS.
Generally speaking the matter of metaphysic has been one of the main questions of human kind. Confucius was mainly a social thinker so he did not concentrate on metaphysics. (Creel 1380AH:57).But he devoted much of his time in the way of social philosophy. That is to say, his main concern was as to society and destiny and welfare of men. It is to be mentioned that he was primarily a teacher of ethics (Noss 1965: 392). In private belief and public practice he exhibited faith in religious reality .But he hold that absorption in the study of the supernatural is most harmful (Ibid, idem) .Confucius mainly proposed matters as to how one might live in society. So he had less motivation to step towards unsolved philosophical questions (Jaspers 1393AH: 262). He usually thought as to social reform and his main concern was to live according to truth. He wanted to create a rightful society. He made much attention to social reforms. One must not judge on ideas of Confucius only according to his main social concerns. He holds that one need to make his worldly life based on ethical values. So discussions on metaphysics were considered as secondary topics not primary one to him.
Confucius world view regarding the universe was based on the concept of Tao as a universal element. Tao means way or road. Confucius considers Tao as “Way of act” (Creel 1949: 67). It is a way superior to other ways. He holds that each Phenomena in the nature has two aspects. I.e. Yang and Yin or positive and negative ones. So there are two opposite characteristics or features in each are every natural phenomena. Yin is female and Yang is male, the former is passive and the letter is active. Therefore the universe works because of actions and reactions of Yin and Yang (Rainy 2010:137)
According to Imam Ali, the universe is creation of an Ultimate Being (Thaqafi1395AH, V2:731). He is most beneficent, most merciful. He is superior of all things. He might not be understood by finite human minds. No one might understand him however he or she be clever. He is almighty God. He is all –knowing, all powerful and all seeing as well. (Imam Ali 1395AH).The world has a goal. It is going toward its perfection and predestined way (Motahhari, 1375AH: 55).Imam Ali many times reminded the goal of the Universe in his preaches (JAfari1377AH:73).
According to Confucius and Imam Ali the universe has an order and goal. The former calls it Tao (Confucius 1359AH: 50) and the latter calls it Tariqah(The Way).
God Imam Ali clearly speaks of God but Confucius has a totally different approach as to this matter. Although he speaks of Heaven or Tian. According to Chinese thought Heaven is superior Bing and greatest God (Groot 1981: 13)
One might come to make similarities among the ideas of the both thinkers. According to them, God and Heaven are origins of ethical sense in men. (Creel 1949: 139)
. Human beings According to Confucius(s and Imam Ali, nature of men is good. Confucius holds that nature of men guide them towards good. They both have a positive good act (Yu, 2007, P.56). Imam Ali holds that men are created based on God’s nature (Imam Ali 1385AH).The both thinkers have a positive approach toward men’s nature. So men’s nature, based on their views, is in harmony with the nature. They hold that men should follow their original nature and they should not be deviate from it.
Accordingly both of them hold that men should act in harmony with their innate nature and it is a fixed principal in education and ethical training. According to Imam Ali educational programs should he based on divine nature of men. They envisage men as social beings. They emphasizes on social responsibility of men. Imam Ali emphasizes on man’s accompanying with society. He lays stress on social responsibility of men (Imam Ali 1385 AH: 125).He says that men should not isolate himself from his society (Imam Ali 1385AH: 27).Every person, Confucius says, has to be a helper of his society (Creel 1949:50).
Although both emphasizes on social responsibility of men but they hold that everybody has to keep this or her individuality safe. Therefore one should act both socially and individually.
. The day of resurrection. There are big differences among Confucius and Imam Ali in relation to the Day of Judgment. Confucius do not concentrate on other world. He thought this world not the day to come important. Confucius say: while we do not know life well, how could we know death and life after it well (Jaspers 1393: 265).
So Confucius give privilege to the material world while Imam Ali holds nobility for other world. (Imam Ali 1385: 95) It is to be mentioned that Imam Ali’s emphasizes on the concept of death. He holds that death has an educational role He says that one had to take his lessons from the death (Imam Ali 1385 AH: 131).
The idea of death reduces man’s attachments to the worldly pleasures. But on the other hands, Confucius did not pay to the life after death, reward in the paradise. He put emphasizes on good and rightful acts instead of beliefs of men. (Rainey 1990:201).So he changes the focal point of discussion of death towards the matter of good behavior with died ones. It must be mentioned that Islamic education emphasizes on social benefits and socialism (Shariati 1360AH: 118).So one might find many similarities among Imam Ali and Confucius in regard to importance of society
Ethical principles
Moderation
Generally speaking, moderation has been emphasized in many schools of ethics through man’s history. Confucius and Imam Ali both encouraged their flowers to moderate with people. That is to say, they hold men should not transgress limits of ethics and not have shortcomings to do their ethical responsibilities.
Ren and Le are two basic elements of Confucius school of ethics .Ren is origin of all men’s virtues. It means kindness and merciful before Confucius. But he made it greatest virtue or humanity. Ren means benevolence.
So those who are benevolent in their life they are real human beings. Once he was asked as to the meaning of Ren. He told: “Do not treat men in such a way that you do not like to be treated with you (Confuciuse1955: 76).He came to tell the golden rule of ethics, I.e. “Like for others what you like for yourself” (Yu lan 1380AH, 57)
Imam Ali keeps this benevolence as criteria in social relations. He advises his son: oh my son consider your behavior with people as a standard of conduct. (Imam Ali 1385 AH: 405).That is to say he holds one should act in a way that he or she likes other people behave with him
Li means proper behavior in each occasion or position (Adler 2002:43).Confucius holds that Li is an instrument for making balance and harmony in man’s feelings. That is to say, it causes moderation in men’s behavior. It bans excessiveness (Creel 1949:106).
Li acts as a criteria in bringing up good human relations and it harmonizes social of affairs as well. According to him, Moderation causes kindness and Imam Ali holds that religious orders or Sharia, brings harmony among men’s relation with each other. Since they control conducts of human beings. Imam Ali blames ignorant persons since they commit either exceed or make short coming in their behavior (Imam Ali 1385AH:44). Imam Ali has a considerable statement which indicate a humanitarian approach towards men: He says:
“Behave with people in a good way. Since either they are like you in their creation or they are you brothers in religion (Imam Ali 1385AH: 123)
Rationality The both thinkers have paid much attention to importance of reasoning and thought in their training methods. Both encourage their followers to think and justification. Confucius says “if one learn or memorize orders and laws without understanding them, he or she made waste his or her time (Confucius 1955:90)
Imam Ali says: “there is no benefit in learning without understanding” and in reading without contemplation (Kulayni, 1369 V4:44). Confucius emphasizes on thinking in all events of life. He holds that if one do not accustom to thinking, so he will faces with problems very soon (Yu tang 1943: 50). Imam Ali hold that there is not any worship superior that thinking (Imam Ali 1385AH: 450).They both negate following an idea or person only based on blind imitation.
