Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1
Department of Curriculum Planning, Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology, Al-Zahra University, Tehran, Iran.
2
دانشیار گروه مدیریت و برنامه ریزی آموزشی، دانشکده علوم تربیتی و روانشناسی، دانشگاه الزهرا، تهران، ایران،
3
educational administration and planning department. education and psychology faculty. Alzahra University
10.30471/edu.2025.10912.3020
Abstract
The evolution of the human soul is one of the fundamental topics in anthropology within philosophy and Islamic mysticism. This study aims to explore the developmental journey of the human soul in the story of Prophet Adam based on the mystical insights of Ibn Arabi, and to derive its educational implications for spiritual training. Utilizing a qualitative, descriptive-analytical, and inferential methodology, the narrative is first described with a focus on the research topic, then analyzed through Ibn Arabi's mystical lens, and finally interpreted for its pedagogical meanings. The findings indicate that in the story of Adam, the soul undergoes a purposeful and gradual process of evolution, moving from deficiency toward perfection. Each stage reflects a level of self-purification and nearness to God. The lowest stage—descent—is viewed as an essential educational opportunity for confronting human flaws and attaining divine perfection. Repentance follows, marking a stage of self-construction and elevation, which leads to guidance , the culmination of the soul’s evolutionary path. According to Ibn Arabi, these stages, infused with spiritual significance, allow the human being to receive divine inspirations through effort and self-discipline. The educational implications include: viewing heedlessness and descent as opportunities for self-knowledge and ascension, understanding repentance as dynamic elevation, emphasizing human vicegerency as the locus of divine attributes, and recognizing inner unveiling as a neglected yet essential method of spiritual education. It is recommended that these implications be incorporated into spiritual training programs to provide a foundation for rethinking contemporary educational systems, emphasizing the cultivation of enlightened and self-aware individuals.
Keywords: Soul’s Evolution, Ibn Arabi, Prophet Adam , Spiritual Education, Educational Implications
Keywords
)