Sources of education in Quran

Tools and educational sources:
Tools and educational sources include educational documents and devices used for human education. Some of these sources and tools have been mentioned in the holy Quran. The most important sources and tools include:
1) The book (Quran):
God’s revelation is the most important source for human education. It has been described as a book in the holy Quran, which is prophet’s educational source:
2)Tradition:
Prophet’s (God bless him and his household) saying and behaviour that are the interpretation of God’s revelation have been considered as a source for human education, and even prophet (God bless him and his household) has expressed them for people:
بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ وَ الزُّبُرِ وَ أَنزَلْنَا إِلَيْكَ الذِّكْرَ لِتُبَينِ‏َّ لِلنَّاسِ مَا نُزِّلَ إِلَيهِْمْ وَ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ(44)
)“Nahl, verse 44): we sent those messengers with explicit revelations and books of religious admonition. We have sent down the reminder (holy Quran) to you so that you may explain to the people what has been sent down, so that they may reflect.”
Of course, Ahle-Bayt’s (God bless them) tradition, according to the successive saying (Hadith) of Thaqaliyn, has been annexed to prophet’s (God bless him and his household) tradition.
3) Rationality (wise):
In the holy Quran, the word of rationality has not been mentioned, but the interpretation of "they reflect" has been presented, and even the sagacity has been described as the purpose of the descent of the holy Quran (Yusuf, verse1). Therefore, the holy Quran has accepted the rationality and it summons all people to rational training.
4) Science:
The holy Quran in many different verses has praised science and scientist and has mentioned it as the purpose of creation (Ṭalāq/verse12). Therefore, the holy Quran has accepted science as a source and it summons all people to educational source.
5) Custom:
The holy Quran, by observing some conditions, recognizes the custom reputable, and considers "admonishing others to do right" obligatory. Therefore, it can be considered as one of educational sources and there are custom manners in every nation and aggression from them is against humanity and their performance is considered as kind of politeness.
Of course, the custom manners are not against revelation, rationality, and science. (Such as superstitions that exist in many nations).
In this case, the holy Quran says:
خُذِ الْعَفْوَ وَ أْمُرْ بِالْعُرْفِ وَ أَعْرِضْ عَنِ الجَْاهِلِينَ(199)
)“Aʻrāf, verse 199): adopt forgiveness and enjoin good and turn away from the ignorant ones”.
The educational methods in the holy Quran:
The education method includes the way of insight transmission and values to a learner. The educational methods are for the basis of the foundations and in the line with purposes. Of course, there are many definitions about the educational method. Some of them have been presented in educational sciences such as: methods of direct and indirect education and education by alternation of behaviour such as following the right pattern, formation, chain-making, inverted chain-making…
However, in the holy Quran, more than one hundred fifteen educational methods have been presented. Ten methods with their relevant verses are mentioned, and other methods are listed.
1) Wisdom
2) Sermon
3) Distinguished debate
ادْعُ إِلىَ‏ سَبِيلِ رَبِّكَ بِالحِْكْمَةِ وَ الْمَوْعِظَةِ الحَْسَنَةِ وَ جَدِلْهُم بِالَّتىِ هِىَ أَحْسَنُ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَن ضَلَّ عَن سَبِيلِهِ وَ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِالْمُهْتَدِينَ(125)
)“Nahl, verse125): invite to your Lord’s way with wisdom and good advice, and dispute with them in the in the best manner, surely your Lord knows those who go astray from his way and He knows best those who are guided”.
The points of the verse:
In this verse, three stages of applied and logical conversation have been referred:
A) Using wisdom, logical reasoning, awakening people’s reflection and sagacity;
B) Sermon and the stimulation of human’s emotions toward God’s way;
C) Debate and distinguished discussion based on right, trusteeship, and honesty;
It seems that these three stages have been done step by step. In other words, the distinguished advice will be done if there are not logical reasons enough and if opponents accept none of them, the distinguished debate (discussion) will happen.
"1) Wisdom" has been originally recognized as prohibition. Since the knowledge, logic, and reasoning prevent from the corruption and deviation, they are called wisdom. ( Nimūnah interepretation,volume11, page 455.(
2) The meaning of "distinguished sermons" is good admonitions that are free from any harshness, superiority, contempt of other person, and negative stimulation because if the admonition happens with contempt and among other persons along with other negative aspects, it is not effective and it causes the obstinacy to the other part.
3) The meaning of "distinguished debate" is a kind of debate and discussion that should be done based on right, trusteeship, and honesty, and it should be free from any insult, contempt, lying, sophistry, haughtiness and vain discussion.
4) Telling story:
The incidents of prophets, tribes, and positive and negative characters of the past have been mentioned for warning in the holy Quran:
لَقَدْ كاَنَ فىِ قَصَصِهِمْ عِبرَْةٌ لّأُِوْلىِ الْأَلْبَبِ مَا كاَنَ حَدِيثًا يُفْترََى‏ وَ لَاكِن تَصْدِيقَ الَّذِى بَينْ‏َ يَدَيْهِ وَ تَفْصِيلَ كُلّ‏ِ شىَ‏ْءٍ وَ هُدًى وَ رَحْمَةً لِّقَوْمٍ يُؤْمِنُونَ(111)
“(Yusuf, verse 111): in this stories (of the messengers), verily there is a lesson for men of knowledge…”
In the holy Quran, the story of twenty six prophets and some characters like Luqman, Zul Qarniyn, Ad and Thamood tribes, and the children of Israel have been mentioned which has many instructive educational points.
5) The presentation of the pattern (exemplar):
The holy Quran introduces prophets like Ibrahim (God bless him) and the prophet of the Islam (God bless him and his household) as a right pattern for people.
لَّقَدْ كاَنَ لَكُمْ فىِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ لِّمَن كاَنَ يَرْجُواْ اللَّهَ وَ الْيَوْمَ الاَْخِرَ وَ ذَكَرَ اللَّهَ كَثِيرًا(21)
)“Ahzāb, verse 21): certainly the messenger of Allah is an outstand exemplar…”
قَدْ كاَنَتْ لَكُمْ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ فىِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَ الَّذِينَ مَعَه.........
)“Mumtahinah, verse 4): Indeed Ibrahim and those who were him…”
-6-7 admonishing fellow believers to do right and to avoid sin:
Invitation to goods and the prohibition from sins are considered as one of the educational methods of individuals and society. According to the verses of the holy Quran, its performance is obligatory.
وَ لْتَكُن مِّنكُمْ أُمَّةٌ يَدْعُونَ إِلىَ الخَْيرِْ وَ يَأْمُرُونَ بِالمَْعْرُوفِ وَ يَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنكَرِ وَ أُوْلَئكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ(104)
“(Āli ʻimrān,verse104): there should be from among you a group who summon to the good and enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong; it is they who are the felicitous (prosperous)”.
8) Taking lesson:
In many different verses, the holy Quran has summoned people to take a lesson from incidents and stories. In other words, it has summoned people to cross from the external incidents and achieve to the interior, realities and general rules of the incidents, and take lesson from them and apply them in their lives to prevent from the repetition of unpleasant incidents.
فَاعْتَبرُِواْ يَأُوْلىِ الْأَبْصَارِ(2)
)“Hashr, verse 2): …. So take lesson, O you who have insight! ”
Other verses in this subject are in Ale ʻimrān surah (verse13) and Nūr (Verse44).
9)The purposeful travelling:
The holy Quran has repeatedly summoned people to travel on the earth and take lesson from incidents of predecessors because it is so useful educational method for taking lesson and is related to archaeology and tourism.

10) Affection:
Friendship and affection to others can be effective about their education.
The holy Quran has considered this matter:
وَ الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ أَشَدُّ حُبًّا لِّلَّهِ
)“Baqarah, verse 165): …but those believe in Allah, are ardent in love for Allah…”
فَبِمَا رَحْمَةٍ مِّنَ اللَّهِ لِنتَ لَهُمْ وَ لَوْ كُنتَ فَظًّا غَلِيظَ الْقَلْبِ لاَنفَضُّواْ مِنْ حَوْلِكَ فَاعْفُ عَنهُْمْ وَ اسْتَغْفِرْ لَهُمْ وَ شَاوِرْهُمْ فىِ الْأَمْرِ فَإِذَا عَزَمْتَ فَتَوَكَّلْ عَلىَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يحُِبُّ الْمُتَوَكلِِّينَ(159)
“(Āli ʻimrān, verse 159): thus, it is a grace (mercy) of Allah hat you are gentle to them; and had you been harsh and hardhearted. they would certainly have scattered from around you, pardon them, and plead for forgiveness for them, and consult them in the affairs, and once you resolve a matter, then put your trust in Allah indeed, Allah loves those who trust in him.”
11) Admonition:
The holy Quran reminds “admonition” repeatedly and recognizes it as prophet’s (God bless him and his household) duty to remind people of natural, rational, and religious facts in order to keep them alert.
فَذَكِّرْ إِنَّمَا أَنتَ مُذَكِّرٌ(21)
“(Ghāshiyah, verse 21): so do remind, for you are only a reminder.”
12) Testing (examination)
13) Elimination of evil by good
13) Guarding and accounting
15) Encouragement
16) Warning
17) Chastisement
18) Asking (interrogation)
19) Comparing
20) Exemplifying
21) Practicing science
22) Directed science
23) Amity (taking as a friend)
24) Renouncing
25) Jihad (holy war)
26) The great jihad (jihad with soul)
27) Donation (jihad with properties)
28) Emigration (Hijrat)
29) Association with good people
30) Consultation
31) Condemning and humbling the evil-doers
32) Expressing God’s indignation
33) Reasoning
34) Resorting to God
35) Virtue (piety)
36) Honoring (people)
37) Reciting the holy Quran (studying with reciting)
38) Chanting the holy Quran
39) Reciting the holy Quran
40) Repeated referring to the holy Quran
41) Teaching the holy Quran
42) Reflection in the holy Quran
43,44) Cogitation and ratiocination in the holy Quran
45) Taking hold of the holy Quran
46) Interpretation of the holy Quran
47) Doing according to the holy Quran
48) Benediction
49) Prayer
50) Fast
51)Secretions
52,53) Hajj and Omreh Hajj
54) Restoration
55) Exalting faith
56) Submitting oneself to God
57) Intercession
58) Resorting
59) Repentance
60) Asking forgiveness
61) Purification
62) Inspiration
63) Summary and detail
64) Normalizing
65) Granting the insight
66) Gratitude to God
67) Indirect teaching
68) Obedience to God
69) Obedience to prophet (God bless him)
70) Obedience to divine leaders (Imam)
71) Accepting the Willāyat (guardianship(
72) Friendship to Ahle-Beyt (God bless them)
73) Politeness
74) Cursing
75) God is witness over human's deeds
76) The witness of God's leaders over people's deeds
77) The witness of angels over human's deeds
78) Written human’s deeds
79) Sincerity
80) Seeking help from God
81) Seeking guidance from God
82) Praising God
83) Thanksgiving
84) To utter the formula of praise and greeting to God (and Mohammad and his household(
85) Recommending each other to right
86) Recommending each other to patience
87) Friendship and help with orphans
88) Friendship with the poor
89) Kindness toward relatives
90) Goodness to parents
91) Beneficence
92) Vowing
93) The fulfillment of promise
94) The fulfillment of swear
95) Credit, loan, and its manners
96) Forgiveness
97) The sexual education
98) The remembrance of death
99) The remembrance of resurrection Day (paradise, hell…)
100) God΄s day
101) Mosque and its manners
102) Assigning Kiblah
103) Reflection in God’s verses
104) Hospitality
105) Education of economic manners and rules
106) Education of family relationships (marriage, divorce…)
107) Salutation
108) Rebellion for God
109) God's commands (necessary things and recommended precepts(
110) God's prohibitions (forbidden things and abominable things)
111) Miracles
112) Indirect education
113) The mention of God's attributes
114) Expressing the secrets and philosophy of precepts
115) The complete payment of rights
116) Collective activities
117) Following the holy Quran
118) Gradualness and Imla’
119) Entanglements
120) Honoring (respect)
Notification:
Some of educational methods of the holy Quran subsume several methods in themselves such as: Hajj, God’s commands, God’s prohibitions,
The holy Quran has presented the "nature" and "self-blaming soul." They can be considered as independent and internal factors in human’s education which leads the human to God and in some cases, admonishes the human when he is involved in evils.
فَأَقِمْ وَجْهَكَ لِلدِّينِ حَنِيفًا فِطْرَتَ اللَّهِ الَّتىِ فَطَرَ النَّاسَ عَلَيهَْا لَا تَبْدِيلَ لِخَلْقِ اللَّهِ ذَالِكَ الدِّينُ الْقَيِّمُ وَ لَاكِنَّ أَكْثرََ النَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ(30)
)“Rome, verse 30): the set the face of your heart towards the upright religion of the divine unity; the origination of Allah according to which he originated mankind (there is no altering of Allah’s creation; that is upright religion, but most people do not know”.