چكيده لاتين
The education of elites is a strategic process aimed at nurturing distinguished and influential individuals capable of guiding society toward progress and sustainable development. However, the dominant assumption has often been that such excellence requires complete comfort, abundant resources, and the absence of hardship. This study challenges that assumption by raising a fundamental question: Is suffering an obstacle to perfection, or a key instrument in the moral and intellectual formation of elites?
Given the growing global emphasis on human capital, addressing this question is essential for designing effective educational paradigms. Accordingly, this research employs a descriptive–analytical method, drawing upon the Qur’an, Nahj al-Balāghah, and the life narratives of prophets and saints, while integrating insights from contemporary human sciences such as Post-Traumatic Growth (PTG) and Viktor Frankl’s Logotherapy.
Findings indicate that suffering manifests in two complementary forms: involuntary (imposed) and voluntary (chosen). Involuntary suffering fosters inner virtues such as patience, resilience, and trust in God, whereas voluntary suffering provides a context for courage, self-discipline, altruism, and leadership maturity. Moreover, a comparative analysis of prophetic experiences reveals that suffering operates at three interconnected levels: educational (self-purification and spiritual growth), social (guidance and reform of society), and transcendental (deepening of divine mission and influence).
Overall, the study identifies five pedagogical functions of suffering: (1) personal development and self-cultivation, (2) testing competence for responsibility, (3) enhancing tolerance for ambiguity and complexity, (4) strengthening social responsibility, and (5) fostering self-knowledge and meaning-making. Ultimately, the findings suggest that conscious engagement with suffering is not a hindrance but a divine principle for refining elites, transforming adversity into a source of growth, wisdom, and transcendent leadership
