Attitudinal and Practical Components of Orphan Education in Islamic Teachings

Introduction
In some speeches of great jurists regarding the educational duties of parents towards their children, it has been stated that one of the obligatory rights of a child over his father is to teach and educate the child about religious rules and necessities (Arafi, 2019, p. 39). Also, considering the importance of the orphan issue in Islam and the educational harms caused by the absence of a father in the family, reaching the educational components of orphan children in Islamic teachings was chosen as the goal of this research. This research seeks to answer these questions: What are the educational components of orphan children in Islamic teachings, including the verses of the Holy Qur’an and the narrations of the Infallibles (AS)? And of these educational components, which ones are the attitudinal and behavioral components of the educator?
Theoretical foundations
The results of some empirical studies also indicate that the absence of a father in the family has caused educational harm in children from these families: more truancy behavior (Waqar, Tabassum, & Shaheen, 2022), more reactivity including aggression, impulsivity, and fear (Boothroyd, & Cross, 2017), more behavioral problems (Flouri, Narayanan, & Midouhas, 2015), and more depressive symptoms (Culpin, Heron, Araya, Melotti, & Joinson, 2013).In a related study, Pooladi, Musazadeh, and Dialameh (1402) have conducted a phenomenological study of the educational components for orphan students from the perspective of educational leaders of Shahid schools. Muaddab and Qasemzadeh (1398) have explained the status of orphans in Islam and in Islamic culture. Ahanj (2018) has described the characteristics of the pre-Islamic era, the description of the social status of orphans in that era, and the social status of orphans in the Qur’an and Nahj al-Balagha, and compared and contrasted the pre-Islamic system with the Islamic system. Kharistani and Seifi (2017) have looked at the principles and skills of Islamic assistance in empowering orphans based on the life of Imams (a.s.), especially Imam Reza (a.s.). Dabiri (2016) has explained the expected culture of Islam in dealing with orphans in Shiite religious sources, including the definition of orphans, the great importance of paying special attention to orphans, the welfare policy of providing at least minimum living conditions for orphans, providing two basic needs of orphans (shelter and guardian), the manners of economic interaction with orphans, the ethics of interaction with orphans, and the government’s confrontation with orphans. Pesaran-i-Shaal, Hashemi, and Asadi-i-Majreh (2016) have discussed the Islamic lifestyle and orphan care based on the Qur’an and the Prophetic tradition. Taqavizad (2012) has presented a practical solution regarding dealing with orphans from the perspective of Islamic ethics. Mowaqqar Afzali (2012) has explained the philosophical and religious foundations and principles of upbringing orphans and examining the current situation based on a case study. Torbati (2011) has paid attention to the importance of considering the orphan’s situation, recommendations regarding orphans, and the effects of serving them. Waziri (2002) has discussed the importance of the father’s role, the areas for implementing his educational duties during the pre-marriage and pre-birth period, the separation and explanation of these duties, including emotional, social, and religious education, as well as the necessities in this regard to fulfill these duties as best as possible from the perspective of Islam.
Research Methodology & Framework
This research was of qualitative nature, using a descriptive-analytical method and directional content analysis in a deductive-inductive manner, to examine Islamic sources (the Holy Qur’an and narrations) in order to identify the educational components of orphan children. The study was a library research and the data sources were textual. First, all verses of the Holy Qur’an related to the topic of orphan education, the translation and interpretations of Al-Mizan by Allama Tabatabaei and the Tasnim of Ayatollah Javadi Amoli related to the identified verses, and the hadiths and narrations related to the topic of orphans were examined. These texts were purposefully sampled based on the concept of orphan and the educational approach. Twenty-three verses contain the concept of orphan (8 cases containing the word orphan, 1 case containing “two orphans”, 13 cases containing the “orphans” and 1 case indirectly referring to the concept of orphan), of which only 15 cases (verses 83 and 220 of Al-Baqarah, verses 2, 3, 6, 8, 9, 36 and 127 of An-Nisa, 82 of Al-Kahf, 8 of Al-Insan, 17 of Fajr, verses 6 and 9 of Zuhah and 2 of Ma’un) have an educational approach. Also, 50 narrations containing orphan words with an educational approach were selected from authentic narrative sources (e.g., Nahjul-Balagha, Tasnif Gharr-ul-Hikam and Durr-ul-Kalam, La’ali al-Akhbar, Tuhf-ul-Uqul, Wasa’il al-Shi’a, Sabl al-Huda wa al-Rashad fi Sira Khair-ul-Ibad, Al-Amali Saduq, Al-Khasal, Thawab al-A’mal wa ‘Uqab al-A’mal, Al-Amali Tusi, Safinat al-Bihar, Muntahi al-Amal, Usul al-Kafi, Bihar al-Anwar, Al-Mawa’iz al-A’laadiyya, Kashf al-Asrar wa ‘Iddah al-Ibrar, Mustadrak al-Wasa’il, and Mustanbat al-Mas’il). The findings from the content analysis were classified into two axes: attitudinal components (5 concepts, 13 categories, and 35 subcategories) and action components (2 emotional-social and behavioral areas, in 7 categories and 25 subcategories). Attitudinal components include orphan recognition, effective stimuli in interaction, causes of positive interaction, effects of interaction and interaction requirements, and action components also include the emotional-social and behavioral aspects.
Research Findings
Regarding the orphan recognition component, the characteristics of the orphan were identified. Effective stimuli means the root of a specific type of interaction with the orphan. The stimulus is the root that provides the basis for the formation of a specific mood or behavior in the individual. In the causes of positive interaction with the orphan component, the reason for the necessity of positive interaction with the orphan is examined. The cause here means the divine wisdom of recommending positive behavior and interaction. The effects resulting from interaction with the orphan were examined in four sections: the effects of oppression of the orphan, orphan care and orphan growth, orphan care and community growth. What is necessary to observe in interaction with the orphan (not necessarily by the educator) and should be considered and be sensitive to, is classified under the component of interaction requirements with the orphan.Action components in the two emotional-social and behavioral areas were extracted from Islamic teachings. In the emotional-social domain, three components of affection, fostering family bonds, and avoiding emotional oppression were included. The component of affection includes caressing and hugging, feeding with one’s own hands, consoling and comforting after mourning, being close and having compassion and making an orphan happy. Also, under the component of creating family bonds, To seat him at your table, like being a father and keeping them in one’s family. The component of avoiding emotional oppression also includes not humiliating or showing favoritism, not rejecting and not making him cry and not embarrassing him in front of others. In the behavioral domain, four educational components were also extracted. The components of livelihood care, kindness, honor, and avoiding behavioral oppression were included under this domain. The component of livelihood includes feeding, paying alimony and increasing wealth, providing a shelter, maintaining physical health and providing clothing. Under the component of kindness, according to the meaning of this concept, there is consideration of expediency and observing justice. Also, under the component of honor, there is good speech and gentleness in behavior, praying and doing good for them (bir), and entertaining and playing with them. The component of avoiding behavioral oppression also includes avoiding marriage for profit, avoiding profiteering in the distribution of inheritance, not abandoning (da’) and not wasting the property of an orphan.
Conclusion& Discussion
Regarding the attitudinal components, most of the orphan characteristics in this study are common with those in Dabiri’s (2016) study, except for the characteristic of heartbreak, which is present in this study but not mentioned in other studies. In comparing the causes of positive interaction with orphans, all three components proposed in this study were also extracted in previous studies, but this type of categorization did not exist in them. On the other hand, regarding the effects of interaction with orphans, in previous studies, the effects of orphan care on the orphan caretaker or the effects of oppression on the orphan have been considered, and no mention has been made of the growth that the orphan and society will have as a result of orphan care, and these two components are among the innovations of the present study. In addition, from among the growth effects of orphan care, reducing cruelty of the heart and reward in the afterlife have been emphasized more than the others. Also, all the necessary components of interaction with orphans, except for paying attention to the specific conditions of marriage, the right to caress at the community level, and paying attention to cultural contexts, have been mentioned in some way in previous studies. It is worth mentioning that the analysis of effective stimuli in the way of interacting with orphans is not seen in previous research and it seems to be a new component that is part of the innovation of this research. Regarding the functional components, the two areas of social-emotional and behavioral have been considered in previous research, with the difference that the amount of attention made to the component of affection was the most and the amount of attention to the component of avoiding emotional oppression was the least. Also, in the behavioral field, all the components have been considered in previous studies. However, the cognitive field did not have a corresponding one in previous studies, which is part of the innovation of this research.