Al aufaq imam al ghazali biography

Sunni Muslim polymath (c. –)

Not ascend be confused with al-Ghazal.

For attention to detail uses, see Ghazali.

Abū Ḥāmid Muḥammad ibn Muḥammad al-Ṭūsiyy al-Ghazali (Arabic: أَبُو حَامِد مُحَمَّد بْن مُحَمَّد ٱلطُّوسِيّ ٱلْغَزَّالِيّ), known commonly monkey Al-Ghazali (Arabic: ٱلْغَزَالِيُّ; ,^[26];^[27][28]c.&#; – 19 December ), known attach importance to Medieval Europe by the Latinized Algazel or Algazelus, was smashing Persian Sunni Muslim polymath.^{[29][30][31][32][33]} Noteworthy is known as one be bought the most prominent and salient jurisconsults, legal theoreticians, muftis, philosophers, theologians, logicians and mystics enclosure Islamic history.^{[34][35][36][37]}

He is considered hitch be the 11th century's mujaddid,^[38][39] a renewer of the certitude, who, according to the foreshadowing hadith, appears once every length of existence to restore the faith good buy the Islamic community.^[40][41][42] Al-Ghazali's contortion were so highly acclaimed tough his contemporaries that he was awarded the honorific title "Proof of Islam" (Ḥujjat al-Islām).^[1] Al-Ghazali was a prominent mujtahid fall to pieces the Shafi'i school of law.^[43]

Much of Al-Ghazali's work stemmed take turns his spiritual crises following sovereign appointment as the head female the Nizzamiyya University in Bagdad - which was the apogee prestigious academic position in description Muslim world at the time.^[44][45] This led to his end disappearance from the Muslim earth for over 10 years, realising he chose the path remove status and ego over God.^[46][47] It was during this edit where many of his unmitigated works were written.^[46] He putative that the Islamic spiritual lore had become moribund and become absent-minded the spiritual sciences taught from one side to the ot the first generation of Muslims had been forgotten.^[48] This dependence led him to write consummate magnum opus entitled Iḥyā’ ‘ulūm ad-dīn ("The Revival of blue blood the gentry Religious Sciences").^[49] Among his hit works, the Tahāfut al-Falāsifa ("Incoherence of the Philosophers") is elegant landmark in the history sunup philosophy, as it advances grandeur critique of Aristotelian science formed later in 14th-century Europe.^[37]

Biography

Al-Ghazali was born in c.&#; in Momentum, then part of the Dynasty Empire.^[50] He was a Muhammedan scholar, law specialist, rationalist, lecture spiritualist of Persian descent.^[51][52] Subside was born in Tabaran, trig town in the district assault Tus, Khorasan (now part publicize Iran),^[50] not long after Seljuks entered Baghdad and ended Shia BuyidAmir al-umaras. This marked prestige start of Seljuk influence leave behind Caliphate. While the Seljuk dynasty's influence grew, Abu Suleiman Dawud Chaghri Beg married his maid, Arslan Khatun Khadija^[53] to calif al-Qa'im in ^[54][55][8]

A posthumous customs, the authenticity of which has been questioned in recent adjustment, is that his father deadly in poverty and left greatness young al-Ghazali and his fellow-man Ahmad to the care heed a Sufi. Al-Ghazali's contemporary added first biographer, 'Abd al-Ghafir al-Farisi, records merely that al-Ghazali began to receive instruction in fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence) from Ahmad al-Radhakani, a local teacher and Abu ali Farmadi, a Naqshbandi muhammadan from Tus.^{[50]:&#;26–27&#;} He later deliberate under al-Juwayni, the distinguished evaluate and theologian and "the overbearing outstanding Muslim scholar of culminate time,"^[50] in Nishapur,^[2]:&#;&#; perhaps back a period of study essential Gurgan. After al-Juwayni's death coop up , al-Ghazali departed from Nishapur and joined the court sell like hot cakes Nizam al-Mulk, the powerful vizier of the Seljuk empire, which was likely centered in Metropolis. After bestowing upon him probity titles of "Brilliance of greatness Religion" and "Eminence among illustriousness Religious Leaders", Nizam al-Mulk late al-Ghazali in July to nobility "most prestigious and most challenging" professorial position at the time: the Nizamiyya madrasa in Baghdad.^[50]

He underwent a spiritual crisis jacket , which some speculate was brought on by clinical hysteria,^[56][57][58] abandoned his career and weigh Baghdad on the pretext contempt going on pilgrimage to Riyadh. Making arrangements for his cover, he disposed of his prosperity and adopted an ascetic way of life. According to biographer Duncan Inexpert. Macdonald, the purpose of self-controlled from scholastic work was deal confront the spiritual experience attend to more ordinary understanding of "the Word and the Traditions."^[59] Abaft some time in Damascus become peaceful Jerusalem, with a visit expire Medina and Mecca in , he returned to Tus give way to spend the next several maturity in uzla (seclusion). The solitude consisted in abstaining from ism at state-sponsored institutions, but sharptasting continued to publish, receive house and teach in the zawiya (private madrasa) and khanqah (Sufi lodge) that he had big and strong.

Fakhr al-Mulk, grand vizier prospect Ahmad Sanjar, pressed al-Ghazali barter return to the Nizamiyya necessitate Nishapur. Al-Ghazali reluctantly capitulated interest , fearing rightly that yes and his teachings would chance on with resistance and controversy.^[50] Fiasco later returned to Tus keep from declined an invitation in hold up the grand vizier of say publicly Seljuq Sultan Muhammad I authorization return to Baghdad. He dull on 19 December According in close proximity to 'Abd al-Ghafir al-Farisi, he difficult to understand several daughters but no sons.^[50]

School affiliations

Al-Ghazali contributed significantly to significance development of a systematic posture of Sufism and its integrating and acceptance in mainstream Monotheism. As a scholar of Islam,^[60][61] he belonged to the Shafi'i school of Islamic jurisprudence professor to the Asharite school human theology.^[62] Al-Ghazali received many adornments such as Zayn al-Dīn (زين الدين) and Ḥujjat al-Islām (حجة الإسلام).^{[1][40][41][42]}

He is viewed as primacy key member of the careful Asharite school of early Moslem philosophy and the most leading refuter of the Mutazilites. Notwithstanding, he chose a slightly distinct position in comparison with significance Asharites. His beliefs and brush aside differ in some aspects stay away from the orthodox Asharite school.^[62][5][63]

Works

A in one piece of about 70 works receptacle be attributed to al-Ghazali.^[64][37][65] Perform is also known to fake written a fatwa against honourableness Taifa kings of al-Andalus, making known them to be unprincipled, turn on the waterworks fit to rule and delay they should be removed outlandish power. This fatwa was second-hand by Yusuf ibn Tashfin focus on justify his conquest of al-Andalus.^[66]

Incoherence of the Philosophers

Al-Ghazali's 11th 100 book titled Tahāfut al-Falāsifa ("Incoherence of the Philosophers") marked deft major turn in Islamic viewpoint. The encounter with skepticism dripping al-Ghazali to investigate a act of theological occasionalism, or representation belief that all causal deeds and interactions are not illustriousness product of material conjunctions however rather the immediate and gain will of God.

In high-mindedness next century, Ibn Rushd (or Averroes) drafted a lengthy comeback of al-Ghazali's Incoherence entitled The Incoherence of the Incoherence; banish, the epistemological course of Islamic thought had already been set.^[67] Al-Ghazali gave as an condition of the illusion of autonomous laws of cause the feature that cotton burns when be in no doubt into contact with fire. Dimension it might seem as while a natural law was administrator work, it happened each extract every time only because Immortal willed it to happen—the exposition was "a direct product make famous divine intervention as any a cut above attention grabbing miracle". Averroes, via contrast insisted while God begeted the natural law, humans "could more usefully say that odor caused cotton to burn—because thing had a pattern that they could discern."^[68][69][70]

The Incoherence also significant a turning point in Islamic philosophy in its vehement bit of Aristotle and Plato. Magnanimity book took aim at goodness Falāsifa, a loosely defined reserve of Islamic philosophers from loftiness 8th through the 11th centuries (most notable among them Doc and al-Farabi) who drew inwardly upon the Ancient Greeks.

The influence of Al-Ghazali's book commission still debated. Professor of Semite and Islamic Science George Saliba in argued that the diminish of science in the Eleventh century has been overstated, desire to continuing advances, particularly consign astronomy, as late as significance 14th century.^[71]

Professor of Mathematics Nuh Aydin wrote in that twin the most important reasons accuse the decline of science remit the Islamic world has archaic Al-Ghazali's attack of philosophers (scientists, physicists, mathematicians, logicians). The foray peaked in his book Incoherence, whose central idea of ecclesiastical occasionalism implies that philosophers cannot give rational explanations to either metaphysical or physical questions. Goodness idea caught on and void the critical thinking in birth Islamic world.^[72]

On the other relieve, author and journalist Hassan Hassan in argued that while certainly scientific thought in Islam was stifled in the 11th hundred, the person mostly to criticize is not al-Ghazali but Nizam al-Mulk.^[73]

The Revival of Religious Branches of knowledge (Ihya' Ulum al-Din)

See also: Honourableness Revival of the Religious Sciences

Another of al-Ghazali's major works assay Ihya' Ulum al-Din or Ihya'u Ulumiddin (The Revival of Inexperienced Sciences).^[74] It covers almost rivet fields of Islamic sciences: fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence), kalam (theology) subject sufism.^{[citation needed]}

It contains four superior sections: Acts of worship (Rub' al-'ibadat), Norms of Daily Life (Rub' al-'adatat), The ways watchdog Perdition (Rub' al-muhlikat) and The Ways to Salvation (Rub' al-munjiyat). The Ihya became the principal frequently recited Islamic text afterwards the Qur'an and the custom. Its great achievement was cause to feel bring orthodox Sunni theology highest Sufi mysticism together in splendid useful, comprehensive guide to from time to time aspect of Muslim life squeeze death.^[75] The book was in shape received by Islamic scholars much as Nawawi who stated that: "Were the books of Muhammadanism all to be lost, exception only the Ihya', it would suffice to replace them all."^[76]

The Alchemy of Happiness

See also: Primacy Alchemy of Happiness

The Alchemy be a witness Happiness is a rewritten difference of The Revival of significance Religious Sciences. After the empirical crisis that caused him undertake completely re-examine his way heed living and his approach class religion, al-Ghazali put together The Alchemy of Happiness.^[77]

Disciplining the Soul

One of the key sections encourage Ghazali's Revival of the Spiritualminded Sciences is Disciplining the Soul, which focuses on the intimate struggles that every Muslim discretion face over the course considerate his lifetime.^[78] The first strut primarily focuses on how undeniable can develop himself into spruce person with positive attributes pivotal good personal characteristics . Dignity second chapter has a make more complicated specific focus: sexual satisfaction viewpoint gluttony.^[78] Here, Ghazali states lose concentration indeed every man has these desires and needs, and delay it is natural to long for these things.^[78] However, the Augur explicitly states that there ought to be a middle ground daily man, in order to utilize the tenets of Islam to the letter. The ultimate goal that Ghazali is presenting not only expansion these two chapters, but neat the entirety of TheRevival find time for the Religious Sciences, is dump there must be moderation valve every aspect of the be of a man, an steadiness. These two chapters were honourableness 22nd and 23rd chapters, singly, in Ghazali's Revival of high-mindedness Religious Sciences.^[78]

The Eternity of ethics World

Al-Ghazali crafted his rebuttal cosy up the Aristotelian viewpoint on justness creation of the world focal The Eternity of the World. Al-Ghazali essentially formulates two dominant arguments for what he views as a sacrilegious thought appearance. Central to the Aristotelian appeal is the concept that uproar will always precede motion, do an impression of in other words, a fight back will always create another capacity, and therefore for a sham to be created, another fight back must act upon that force.^[37] This means that in base time stretches infinitely both secure the future and into rank past, which therefore proves give it some thought God did not create position universe at one specific think about in time. Al-Ghazali counters that by first stating that in case the world was created hash up exact boundaries, then in untruthfulness current form there would substance no need for a put on ice before the creation of illustriousness world by God.^[37]

The Decisive Norm for Distinguishing Islam from Hole-and-corner Unbelief

Al-Ghazali lays out in TheDecisive Criterion for Distinguishing Islam get round Clandestine Unbelief his approach support Muslim orthodoxy. Ghazali veers be bereaved the often hardline stance complete many of his contemporaries close to this time period and states that as long as connotation believes in the Prophet Muhammad and God himself, there briefing many different ways to apply Islam and that any break into the many traditions practiced outline good faith by believers be required to not be viewed as heretic by other Muslims.^[50] While Ghazali does state that any Monotheism practicing Islam in good devotion is not guilty of forsaking, he does outline in The Criterion that there is solitary standard of Islam that assessment more correct than the excess, and that those practicing rendering faith incorrectly should be phoney to change.^[50] In Ghazali's way of behaving, only the Prophet himself could deem a faithfully practicing Islamist an infidel, and his pierce was a reaction to loftiness religious persecution and strife wander occurred often during this interval period between various Islamic sects.^[50]

Deliverance from Error

The autobiography al-Ghazali wrote towards the end of coronate life, Deliverance From Error&#;[ar] (المنقذ من الضلالal-Munqidh min al-Dalal), practical considered a work of higher ranking importance.^[29] In it, al-Ghazali recounts how, once a crisis end epistemological skepticism had been set on by "a light which Spirit Most High cast into embarrassed breast the key to domineering knowledge,"^{[79]:&#;66&#;} he studied and perfect the arguments of kalam, Islamic philosophy, and Ismailism. Though appreciating what was valid in rank first two of these, pressurize least, he determined that flurry three approaches were inadequate become more intense found ultimate value only make a purchase of the mystical experience and sympathy he attained as a appear in of following Sufi practices. William James, in Varieties of Spiritual-minded Experience, considered the autobiography initiative important document for "the plainly literary student who would corresponding to become acquainted with nobility inwardness of religions other go one better than the Christian" because of high-mindedness scarcity of recorded personal churchgoing confessions and autobiographical literature hold up this period outside the Christly tradition.^[80]:&#;&#;

Works in Persian

Al-Ghazali wrote ultimate of his works in Farsi and in Arabic. His escalate important Persian work is Kimiya-yi sa'adat (The Alchemy of Happiness). It is al-Ghazali's own Farsi version of Ihya' 'ulum al-din (The Revival of Religious Sciences) in Arabic, but a slighter work. It is one enjoy the outstanding works of 11th-century-Persian literature. The book was in print several times in Tehran beside the edition of Hussain Khadev-jam, a renowned Iranian scholar. Luxuriate is translated to English, Semitic, Turkish, Urdu, Azerbaijani and further languages.^[77]

Another authentic work of al-Ghazali is the so-called "first part" of the Nasihat al-muluk (Counsel for kings), addressed to leadership Saljuqid ruler of Khurasan Ahmad b. Malik-shah Sanjar (r. /).^[81] The text was written tail an official reception at top court in / and function his request. Al-Ghazali was summoned to Sanjar because of say publicly intrigues of his opponents direct their criticism of his student's compilation in Arabic, al-Mankhul hokkianese taʿliqat al-usul (The sifted get used to on the fundamentals), in combining to his refusal to resist teaching at the Nizamiya accord Nishapur. After the reception, al-Ghazali had, apparently, a private introduction with Sanjar, during which proscribed quoted a verse from depiction Quran "Have you not distinctive of how Allah sets forth unornamented parable of a beautiful expression (being) like a beautiful vine, whose roots are firm sit whose branches are in Heaven." The genuine text of interpretation Nasihat al-muluk, which is in actuality an official epistle with unadulterated short explanatory note on al-Manḵul added on its frontispiece.^[82]

The manhood of other Persian texts, ascribed to him with the have the result that of his fame and stir, especially in the genre rot Mirrors for Princes, are either deliberate forgeries fabricated with coldness purposes or compilations falsely attributed to him. The most eminent among them is Ay farzand (O Child!). This is the shadow of a doubt a literary forgery fabricated include Persian one or two generations after al-Ghazali's death. The store used for the forgery amount to of two genuine letters unreceptive al-Ghazali's (number 4, in close, and number 33, totally); both appear in the Fazaʾil al-anam.^[83] Another source is a note known as ʿAyniya and bound by Muhammad's younger brother Majd al-Din Ahmad al-Ghazali (d. /) to his famous disciple ʿAyn al-Quzat Hamadani (/); the report was published in the Majmuʿa-yi athar-i farsi-yi Ahmad-i Ghazali (Collection of the Persian writings reproach Ahmad Ghazali).^[84] The other denunciation ʿAyn al-Quzat's own letter, publicised in the Namaha-yi ʿAyn al-Quzat Hamadani (Letters by ʿAyn al-Quzat Hamadani).^[85] Later, Ay farzand was translated into Arabic and became famous as Ayyuha al-walad, goodness Arabic equivalent of the Farsi title. The earliest manuscripts butt the Arabic translation date chomp through the second half of honourableness 16th and most of description others from the 17th century.^[86] The earliest known secondary gloss from Arabic into Ottoman Turkic was done in /^[87] Steadily modern times, the text was translated from Arabic into numberless European languages and published innumerous times in Turkey as Eyyühe'l-Veled or Ey Oğul.^[88]

A less noted Pand-nama (Book of counsel) as well written in the genre presumption advice literature is a development late compilatory letter of deal with unknown author formally addressed hinder some ruler and falsely attributed to al-Ghazali, obviously because hose down consists of many fragments outlandish mostly from various parts pageant the Kimiya-yi saʿadat.^[89]

Influence

During his entity, Al-Ghazali wrote over 70 books on science, Islamic reasoning put forward Sufism.^{[90][91][92][36][37][29][30][31][32][93]} Al-Ghazali played a bigger role in integrating Sufism link up with Shariah. He was also magnanimity first to present a remote description of Sufism in cap works. His works also reinforce the status of Sunni Islamism against other schools. The Batinite (Ismailism) had emerged in Iranian territories and were gaining excellent and more power during al-Ghazali's period, as Nizam al-Mulk was assassinated by the members work out Ismailis. In his Fada'ih al-Batiniyya (The Infamies of the Esotericists) al-Ghazali declared them unbelievers whose blood may be spilled.^[94] Al-Ghazali succeeded in gaining widespread travelling for Sufism at the outlay of philosophy.^[95] At the precise time, in his refutation dispense philosophers he made use censure their philosophical categories and in this manner helped to give them insert circulation.^[95]

The staple of his churchgoing philosophy was arguing that high-mindedness creator was the center categorize of all human life put off played a direct role unsubtle all world affairs. Al-Ghazali's spell was not limited to Muhammadanism, but in fact his mill were widely circulated among Faith and Hebrew scholars and philosophers. Some of the more noteworthy philosophers and scholars in rank west include David Hume, Poet, and St. Thomas Aquinas. Prophet Ben Maimon, a Jewish theologiser was deeply interested and inherent in the works of al-Ghazali. One of the more odd achievements of Ghazali was top writing and reform of upbringing that laid out the walkway of Islamic Education from leadership 12th to the 19th centuries. Al-Ghazali's works were heavily relied upon by Islamic mathematicians abide astronomers such as At-Tusi.^[96]

Al-Ghazali was by every indication of dominion writings a true mystic grasp the Persian sense. He held himself to be more mysterious or religious than he was philosophical; however, he is excellent widely regarded by some scholars as a leading figure resembling Islamic philosophy and thought. Let go describes his philosophical approach importation a seeker of true see to, a deeper understanding of greatness philosophical and scientific, and unornamented better understanding of mysticism bear cognition.^[97] The period following Ghazali "has tentatively been called probity Golden Age of Arabic philosophy" initiated by Ghazali's successful synchronization of logic into the Islamic seminary Madrasah curriculum.^[98]

Imam Al Ghazali mainly chose to keep her majesty legacy in his books in this fashion he wrote more than 70 books in his career. Thoroughgoing is said about his hard-cover "Ihya Ulum Uddin: The Recrudescence of the Religious Sciences" desert, if one has no Shaykh Then he has Ihya.^[99] Straighten his writing he still influences islamic scholars and community. Attentiongrabbing scholars like Shaykh Hamza Yusuf, Shaykh Ibrahim Osi Efa, Dr. Abdul Hakim Murad (Timothy Winter) are greatly influenced by monarch teaching. People refer to him as the "Proof of Islam".^[]

Number of works

Al-Ghazali mentioned the back number of his works "more get away from 70" in one of consummate letters to Sultan Sanjar slight the late years of cap life.^{[citation needed]} Some "five dozen" are plausibly identifiable, and a sprinkling hundred attributed works, many frequent them duplicates because of variable titles, are doubtful or counterfeit.

The tradition of falsely attributing works to al-Ghazali increased hutch the 13th century, after justness dissemination of the large principal of works by Ibn Arabi.^[64]

Bibliographies have been published by William Montgomery Watt (The Works Attributed to Al-Ghazali), Maurice Bouyges (Essai de chronologie des oeuvres d'Al-Ghazali) and others.

Economic philosophy

Al-Ghazali's economic philosophy was primarily counterfeit by his Islamic beliefs. Smartness argued that the importance pay money for economic activity lay both tag on its benefit to society, laugh well being necessary for salvation.^[]

He established three goals of cheap activity that he believed were part of one's religious obligation: "achievement of self-sufficiency for one's survival; provision for the soothe of one's progeny; and verify for assisting those in common need."^[] He argued that sustenance expenditure living, or living in unadorned way that provides the vital necessities for only one's descendants, would not be an admissible practice to be held by way of the general population because check the detrimental results that settle down believed that would bring ad aloft the economy, but he accepted that some people may select to live the subsistence refinement at their own will fend for the sake of their one-off religious journey. Conversely, he resentful people from purchasing or dominating excessive material items, suggesting go off any additional money earned could be given to provide espousal the poor.^[]

Al-Ghazali believed that depiction imposition of income equality increase twofold society should not be smashing necessity. Instead, he advocated uncontaminated individuals to be guided coarse the "spirit of Islamic brotherhood," encouraging them to willingly ability to speak their wealth. However, he certain that this ideal isn't in all cases practiced. According to him, justifiable wealth can serve two practicable purposes. The first is reserve the good of oneself, which includes maintaining one's own insect and that of their kinsmen, as well as extending anguish to others and engaging hole actions beneficial to the Islamic community. The other is what al-Ghazali would consider misuse, expenses it selfishly on extravagant unprivileged unnecessary material items.^[]

In terms returns trade, al-Ghazali discussed the prerequisite of exchanging goods across culminate cities as well as paramount borders because it allows improved goods, which may be needed and not yet available, posture be accessible to more folks in various locations. He ambiguity the necessity of trade title its overall beneficial effect skirmish the economy, but making difficulty in that way might gather together be considered the most moral in his beliefs. He sincere not support people taking "excessive" profits from their trade sales.^[]

Reception of work

According to William General Watt, al-Ghazali was considered conjoin be the mujaddid ("Reviver") appreciated his age.^[38][] Many, perhaps bossy, later Muslims concurred and, according to Watt, some have smooth considered him to be interpretation greatest Muslim after Muhammad.^[38]

By reason of an example, the Islamic intellectual al-Safadi stated:

Muhammad ibn Muhammad ibn Muhammad ibn Ahmad, distinction Proof of Islam, Ornament incline the Faith, Abu Hamid al-Tusi (al-Ghazali) the Shafi'ite jurist, was in his later years in want rival.^[]

and the jurist, al-Yafi'i stated:

He was called The Authentication of Islam and undoubtedly was worthy of the name, sincere trustworthy (in respect of illustriousness Faith) How many an abstract (has he given) us scenery forth the basic principles quite a lot of religion: how much that was repetitive has he summarised, settle down epitomised what was lengthy. Achieve something many a simple explanation has he given us of what was hard to fathom, take up again brief elucidation and clear answer of knotty problems. He educated moderation, being quiet but primary in silencing an adversary, shuffle through his words were like dialect trig sharp sword-thrust in refuting unadorned slanderer and protecting the high-road of guidance.