Educational Doctrines in Quran and Hadith

Educational Doctrines in Quran and Hadith

Analyzing the function of visual-spatial intelligence in moral education from the perspective of the Holy Quran with an approach to Gardner's theory

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
ilam uni
10.22034/iued.2026.2070723.2855
Abstract
Moral education is considered one of the fundamental objectives of religious educational systems. Utilizing modern psychological theories, particularly in the domain of multiple intelligences, can enhance the effectiveness of moral education methods. Among these, visual-spatial intelligence—as a capability to comprehend and analyze visual information—holds significant potential for facilitating the teaching of ethical concepts. Interestingly, the Holy Quran, in its expressive methods, has demonstrated particular attention to the spatial intelligence capacities of its audience. This research aims to explain the effectiveness of Quran-based moral education grounded in visual-spatial intelligence and to present a comparative analysis with Howard Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences and its indicators of spatial intelligence. The outcome of this comparison is the design of a five-dimensional model comprising innate disposition (fitrah), sensory perception (hiss), imagination (khayal), realism (vāqe‌gerāyi), and dynamism (pūyāyi). The research employs a descriptive-analytical method, focusing on twenty ethical imagery examples across thirteen surahs of the Holy Quran through a systematic examination of imagery related to moral virtues and vices. Consequently, the present study, by uncovering a trans-individual imagery pattern, demonstrates that the Holy Quran, through its intelligent application of spatial intelligence fourteen centuries prior to Gardner, not only confirms the basic principles of this theory but also provides a transnational and developed framework for employing spatial intelligence in human moral education. It achieves this by incorporating innate, otherworldly, and educational dimensions, as well as utilizing sensory tools that transcend the limitations of modern psychological theories.
Keywords

  • Receive Date 04 September 2025
  • Revise Date 18 October 2025
  • Accept Date 31 May 2026