al-Ghazali Abu Hamid - Tus
Imam Abu Hamid al-Ghazali is commonly known as al Ghazali but his full name was Abu Hamid Ibn Muhammad Ibn Muhammad al-Tusi al-Shafi’i al-Ghazali. He was born in 1058 in Tus, Khorasan, Iran. During his period, he was one of the most prominent and influential philosophers, theologians, jurists and mystics.
Education of al-Ghazali
His father died while he was still very young but he had the opportunity of getting education in the prevalent curriculum at Nishapur and Baghdad. al-Ghazali acquired a high standard of scholarship in religion and philosophy. As a result, he was offered a position at the Nizamiyah University of Baghdad as a Professor. At that time Nizamiyah University was one of the most reputed institutions of learning in the Muslim world.
Wandering
al-Ghazali left Baghdad and all of his material possessions (except some books which were later stolen by thieves), as well as his cozy position at the University. He went to Syria to live with Sufi monks and to adopt a lifestyle that was solely based on discovering the real truth about the self and one’s relation to God.
Then he went on the pilgrimage to Mecca, where he became convinced that he had been appointed to be the next great reformer of the faith. An era of solitary life, devoted to contemplation and writing then ensued, which led to the authorship of a number of everlasting hooks
Work
Ghazali’s major contribution lies in religion, philosophy and sufism. A number of Muslim philosophers had been following and developing several viewpoints of Greek philosophy. Some of the works involved the Neoplatonic philosophy which led to conflict with several Islamic teachings. On the other hand, the movement of sufism was assuming such excessive proportions as to avoid observance of obligatory prayers and duties of Islam. Based on his unquestionable scholarship and personal mystical experience, Ghazali sought to rectify these trends, both in philosophy and sufisim.
Philosophy
In philosophy, Ghazali upheld the approach of mathematics and exact sciences as essentially correct. However, he adopted the techniques of Aristotelian logic and the Neoplatonic procedures. By using the two systems together, he managed to fix the flaws and lacunas of the then prevalent Neoplatonic philosophy arid to diminish the negative influences of Aristotelianism and excessive rationalism.
Religion
In religion, particularly mysticism, he cleansed the approach of sufism of its excesses and reestablished the authority of the orthodox religion. Yet, he stressed the importance of genuine sufism, which he maintained was the path to attain the absolute truth.
He was a prolific writer, his immortal books include Tuhafut al-Falasifa (The Incoherence of the Philosophers), Ihya al-‘Ulum al-Islamia (The Rivival of the Religious Sciences), “The Beginning of Guidance and his Autobiography”, “Deliverance from Error”. Some of his works were translated into European languages in the Middle Ages. He also wrote a summary of astronomy
Al-Ghazali’s view on the ethics of communication has an ethical and scientific importance. He teaches scientific sciences and encourages everyone to peace and value the life. He wanted us to raise the level of humanity, gentleness, virtue, honesty, and sincerity. The ethical ideas of the philosopher are one of the pearls of the east, which reflect the spiritual values of mankind.
Al-Ghazali died in 1111 and he is buried in Tus.
Quotes of al-Ghazali
1- Those who look for seashells will find seashells; those who open them will find pearls.
2- To get what you love, you must first be patient with what you hate.
3- A man of bad character punishes his own soul.
4- The real friend is the one who, when you ask him to follow you, doesn’t ask where?
5- The tongue is very small and light but it can take you to the greatest heights and it can put you in the lowest depths.
6- All of a man’s happiness is in his being the master of his ego, while all his suffering is in his ego being his master.
7- Desire makes slaves out of kings, and patience makes kings out of slaves.
8- Knowledge without action is wastefulness and action without knowledge is foolishness.
9- Never have I dealt with anything more difficult than my own soul, which sometimes helps me and sometimes opposes me.
10- The corruption of religions comes from turning them to mere words and appearances.
Grave of al-Ghazali in Tus, Iran
Residence of al-Ghazali in Jerusalem, Palestine
The Residence of Imam al-Ghazali is located at the Temple Mount, very close to the Bab al-Asbat in Jerusalem. From the top, stairs lead to the bottom of the structure but access al-Ghazali’s residence was not open to public.
al-Ghazali visited Damascus, Jerusalem, Mecca and Medina between 1095-1096. When Imam al-Ghazali visited Jerusalem around 1095, he stayed at this place. While I was at the Temple Mount, I saw an Israeli security guard walking among the olive trees. He was looking after the Jewish visitors on the Temple Mount. The group came to visit a historical door (Golden Gate) next to al-Ghazali’s residence.
