An Empirical Analysis of Moral Understanding of Concepts Such as Honesty and Trustworthiness in the Everyday Life of Shiite Muslims
Keywords:
Islamic ethics, honesty, trustworthiness, lived experience, phenomenology, Shiite Muslims in TehranAbstract
The objective of this study is to explore the moral understanding of honesty and trustworthiness in the everyday life of Shiite Muslims in Tehran. This research employed a qualitative methodology with a phenomenological approach. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 23 Shiite residents of Tehran, selected via purposive sampling. The interviews continued until theoretical saturation was reached. All interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed thematically using Nvivo software. Thematic analysis revealed three major categories: "Moral Understanding of Honesty," "Lived Experience of Trustworthiness," and "Contexts That Strengthen or Undermine Moral Values." Each category included subthemes that highlighted the contextual, complex, and sometimes conflicting nature of how participants interpreted honesty and trustworthiness across familial, social, religious, and economic domains. While participants highly valued honesty, many reported moral dilemmas when truth-telling clashed with perceived necessity. Trustworthiness was experienced across multiple dimensions—financial, verbal, informational, and emotional. The study reveals that the understanding of moral values like honesty and trustworthiness among urban Shiite individuals is shaped by layered, situational experiences, influenced by interpersonal relations, social pressures, religious beliefs, and contextual contingencies. Moral reasoning emerges not from abstract norms but from the lived realities of individuals, highlighting the need for more context-sensitive ethics education and cultural policymaking.
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