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Top 10 Remarkable Facts about Al-Ghazali

Al-Ghazeli date of birth is believed to be 450 (1058/9) as given by Ibn al-Jawzi. He was one of the numerous Muslim scholars, spiritualist of Persian descent, rationalist, and law specialist. He was born in Tabaran, a town in the District of Tus in Iran.

Al-Ghazali began his journey at quite a young age. He began receiving instruction on Islamism Jurisprudence that is referred to as Figh. He received this lectures from Ahmad al-Radhakani, a local teacher and Abu Ali Farmid, a Naqshbandi Sufi from Tusbe. This greatly influenced his intellectual view on Islamic matters.

1.Al-Ghazeli`s spiritual crisis

In the year 1095, some speculations came up the he had a spiritual crisis brought by clinical hysteria. His crisis caused Al-Ghazali to abandon his career and left Baghdad on the pretext of going on pilgrimage to Mecca. He later made arrangements for his family and disposed his wealth and adopted an ascetic lifestyle from that time onwards.

The biographer Duncan B. Macdonald believed that this abandonment was made by him to conform his spiritual experience and the ordinary understanding of the word of tradition. He spent some time in Damascus and Jerusalem before he returned to Medina and Mecca in the year 1096.

He later on returned to Tus to spend some time in seclusion. This seclusion consisted absconding his teaching but however he continued to publish, receive visitors and teach a private madrasa and Sufi lodge.

2.Al-Ghazali`s influence in Muslim and Christian philosophy

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It is believed that Al-Ghazali had an important influence from his teachings and works in philosophy. Margaret Smith in her book Al-Ghazali: The Mystic (London 1944), states that there is no doubt that Al-Ghazeli work would be one of the first to attract European scholars.

She even further emphasized that Al-Ghazali had greatly influenced Christian writers like St Thomas Aquinas. He had made a study of the Arabic writers and admitted his indebtedness to them.

3.Al-Ghazali role in integration of Sufism

It is believed the Al-Ghazali also played major roles in Sufism with Shariah.  He was one of the first writers to present a formal description of Sufism in his works.

He is believed to have strengthened the status of Sunni Islam against other schools. During AL-Ghazali`s period, the Batinite (Ismailism) had emerged I Persian and were gaining more and more power there.

Following this a Nizam al-Mulk was assassinated by the members of Ismailis. Al-Ghazali thereafter declared them to be unbelievers and wrote several books on criticism. The book gained publicity and greatly weakened their status and influence.

4.Al-Ghazali`s influence on the Islamic religion

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Al-Ghazali had made remarkable influence on Sufi thought and Islam at large during the 11th century. Some of his work over the years can illustrate this. Three of his works, Ihaya’ Ulum ad-Din (Revival of Religious Sciences), Tahafut al-Falasifa (The Incoherence of Philosophers), and al-Muniqidh min a-alal (Al-Ghazali’s Path to Sufism: His Deliverance from Error) are still widely read and circulated among Islamic scholars today. Even after his death his work still lives long and is regarded as a Islamic Philosopher.

5.Al-Ghazali`s interest in children鈥檚` early education

Cover of The Confessions of Al-Ghazali (1909), photo by John Murray.

In Al-Ghazali`s numerous writings, he had mentioned severally on the importance of early education and the responsibilities bestowed on teachers at this period. His writings however were centered on Islamic laws, God, and memorizing the Qur’an to achieve literary skill. He mostly emphasized on the aspect of respects to teachers from their learners.

Teachers were also regarded as father figures and official councilors in his writings and works. He emphasized that teacher should pay close attention to all their learners pace in learning. In his view these were some of the ways in which learners achievements would improve over time.

6.Al-Ghazeli`s contribution of the systematic view of Sufism and mainstream Islam

Al-Ghazali is regarded as one of the contributors to the development of the systematic view of Sufism and integration of mainstream Islam. He led significantly to the development of a systematic view of Sufism and its integration and acceptance in mainstream Islam.

He was one of the scholars of Sufism and belonged to the Shafi`i school of Islamic jurisprudence and to the Asharite school of Theology. He ended up receiving many titles from his endeavors. From his writings and works, it is evident that he had greatly influenced not only the Islamic religion but also Christianity.

7.Al-Ghazeli as an influential philosopher

sketch representing Al-Ghaz膩l墨, photo by Sayr mulhimah.

Al-Ghazali is believed to be one of the key members of the influential Asharite School of early Muslim Philosophy and the most important refuter of the Mutazilites. However, in his works and writing he slightly differs with the position made by the Asharites. His beliefs and thoughts differ in some aspects from the orthodox Asharite School.

8.Al-Ghazeli`s fatwa against Andalus

Ihya Book for Al-Ghazali, photo by Al-Ghazali.

Al-Ghazeli is viewed as a writer whose work has spread all over and gained popularity over time. It is believed that a total of about 70 works can be attributed to him. He is also known to have written a fatwa against the Taifa kings of Al Andalus.

He stated in his work that he was unprincipled, not fit to rule and that they should be removed from power. This later gained popularity all over and was ultimately used by Yusuf ibn Tashfin to justify his conquest of Al-Andalus 

9.Al-Ghazelis theological occasionalism

It is said that in the 11^TH century, the book titled The Incoherence of the Philosophers marked a major turn for the Islamic religion. This prompted Al-Ghazeli to investigate a form of theological occasionalism. This is the belief that all causal events and interactions are not by natural coincidence but rather an immediate and present will of God.

10.A response of Al-Ghazeli鈥檚 incoherence

In the 12^th century there were attempts made to criticize Al-Ghazeli鈥檚 Incoherence aspect.  Averroes in response drafted a lengthy rebut title the Incoherence of the Incoherence. Al-Ghazali gave as an example of the illusion of independent laws of cause the fact that cotton burns when coming into contact with fire.

In his view, it might seem as though a natural law was at work, it happened each and every time only because God willed it to happen. He viewed the events that resulted were a direct product of divine intervention.

Indeed, Al-Ghazali`s work has played a huge role in the Islamic Faith and beliefs. He began this journey at quite a young age and grew from it to be among influential writers in the Islamic faith.