Alex and Nazila Mazloom didn't realize in how good a shape their finances were until they compared notes with friends.

It wasn't that the Mazlooms, a Baha'i couple who live in San Diego, were raking in the dough. Rather, their wealth lay in knowledge about budgeting, spending and investing, which they learned from their financially astute parents while growing up in Iran.

Alex and Nazila Mazloom, with their sons
Adib (right) and Mateen.In addition to passing along sound financial advice, both sets of parents imparted a spiritual attitude toward prosperity. The Mazlooms now share that with others in a workshop called "Riding the Financial Waves: Wealth and Prosperity Through Character Education."

In the last year, they've presented workshops at the University of California, San Diego. They also offered a child-oriented version of "Riding the Financial Waves" in an after-hour enrichment program at the public school that their sons, Adib and Mateen, attend.

"People tend to believe either that love of money is the root of all evil, or that lack of money is the root of all evil, but the truth is a combination of the two," says Alex, an electrical engineer by training and currently a CFO at a chip design company.

"Abdu'l-Baha said, ‘Wealth is praiseworthy in the highest degree, if it is acquired by an individual's own efforts and the grace of God. . . and if it be expended for philanthropic purposes," Mr. Mazloom says. "That's the basis of our workshops, which combine financial education with teaching people how to be patient, responsible, moderate, thankful, generous and sharing."

Mr. Mazloom says he and Nazila use Baha'i writings in their workshops, but don't identify them as such because the purpose of the workshop is not to teach the Bahá'í Faith.

One couple did ask about the source of the quotes and began attending Baha'i study circles. In a few months, they became members of the Faith.

"Another young couple paid off part of their debt and increased their net worth by 30 percent," Mr. Mazloom says with a laugh.

He and Nazila -- who has an MBA and whom he calls the mastermind behind "Riding the Waves" -- are products of the education they dispense: "By managing our finances together," says Mr. Mazloom, "we figured out a way for one of us to stay at home to take care of our kids.

"We work on the fundamentals of finance and character development at home and in our workshops," Mr. Mazloom says. "It's something we've discovered many people need help in learning. We're not in competition with ‘how to become a millionaire' programs." The couple's website, mindtreasures.com, further explains their approach to financial literacy.

This fall the Mazlooms will offer "Riding the Financial Waves" in Rancho Santa Fe, one of the wealthiest communities in Southern California. Mr. Mazloom says universities and school districts also are interested in the program.

"The opportunities to teach spiritual finance are endless," Mr. Mazloom says. "As Baha'u'llah said, ‘Regard man as a mine rich in gems of inestimable value. Education can, alone, cause it to reveal its treasures, and enable mankind to benefit therefrom."