Moral Character Development; ‘Allama Tabatabaei’s Perspective

This study presents an analytical investigation of the role of moral development and human character in self-realization from the point of view of `Allama Tabataba’i a renowned Muslim philosopher, (from now on ‘Allama). The research toches upon an Islamic perception of self-realization represented by `Allama. The latter is seen as typical of Islamic Shi`i thinking. The intention in this study is to focus on moral development as a significant aspect of the human self, to rediscover and determine the wisdom behind self-realization from `Allama’s perspective.
The term “moral” is an adjective comparable to “ethical, virtuous, righteous, noble” that means “conforming to a standard of what is right and good”. Within the range of terms, “moral” is “the most comprehensive term ... in all of its pertinent senses it implies a relationship to character or conduct viewed as good or bad or as right or wrong.” The sense of human character and its conformity “to the accepted standard” is strongly implied in all features and applications of morality. This standard determines the rightness or goodness of human conduct. With this in the mind, I embark on my studies of morality in order to survey the extent to which one could place emphasis on its instrumentality for self-realization.
From ‘Allama’s perspective, morality is a crucial vehicle if it is not the most refined means of self-realization. In one respect, self-realization has to do with human conduct and implies a relationship to human moral character. In fact, self-realization is a twin process that on the one hand, deals with the theoretical or ideological accept of human life and, on the other, concerns moral practice and practical conduct. Morality may be the most direct and closest avenue to the actualization of the self. It will be pointed out that a concept such as self-actualization can be a subject matter of the moral and ethical domain or applicable therein. This study is to elaborate the essential elements and principles of moral character development in the way that could lead to self-realization. This conceptualization of morality and its relation to self-realization on its part could work as the closest way for moral character development.
Key Words: moral and morality, moral experience, self-realization, moral development, ‘Allama’s perspective