The possibility of education in the tradition of Islamic thought (Ragıp Al-Isfahânî example)

This thesis examines the possibility of education in relation to human nature, position in the universe, and moral structure, based on the views of Râgıb el-İsfahânî. According to Isfahani, humans are defined ontologically as composite beings that embody both spiritual and physical aspects. This dual structure makes humans beings that are open to both animalistic tendencies and angelic virtues. This potential structure of humans forms the basis for their responsibility and educability. According to Raghib al-Isfahani, humans are endowed with reason, will, and nature, and through these abilities, they have the capacity to seek truth and mature morally. However, the realization of this capacity is only possible through a conscious and systematic educational process. When discussing the moral aspect of human beings, Isfahani emphasizes that they are beings open to change and transformation. Moral perfection is not an innate condition, but a level achieved through effort and education. In this context, education is regarded as a tool that reforms the inner world of humans and brings them closer to their purpose of creation. In Isfahani's thought, education includes not only mental development but also the purification of the soul and the training of the will. The fact that humans have different temperaments, abilities, and tendencies makes it necessary for education to take individual differences into account. While Isfahani accepts that people are different from one another in terms of their creation, he also states that moral differences are based on various reasons. Among these reasons, natural endowments, habits, environmental factors, and volitional choices play a major role. However, these differences do not reveal the impossibility of education; on the contrary, they reveal the necessity of education and its methodological diversity. In this thesis, the question of whether humans are open to education is reexamined in light of the works of Raghib al-Isfahani, one of the leading figures in the Islamic intellectual tradition, and the ontological, epistemological, and moral foundations of education are systematically analyzed. The study reveals that, in line with Isfahani's understanding of humanity, education is not only a means of competence but also an existential necessity. Thus, the thesis aims to reveal the moral basis of the possibility of education within the framework of Isfahani's views. Keywords: Religious Education, Human, Ethics, Education, Raghib al-Isfahani.