Author: Abul Nasr Zaranji
Twenty Discourses, Twenty Radiant Faces (Part 6)
Imam Ghazali (may Allah have mercy on him):
Ghazali was the greatest true Mujahid of Islam
Ghazali was the greatest true warrior of Islam and is recognized as one of the most significant figures in Islamic history. Before his ten-year journey, he was already known as a prominent theologian of his time. Through speeches, lectures, writings, and compositions, he defended Islam diligently. After undergoing an inner transformation, he became one of the greatest guides and educators of humanity in both knowledge and practice.
His first struggle was abandoning the highest worldly positions and ranks to seek the truth, demonstrating that the greatest worldly honors hold no value compared to even the smallest degrees of knowledge. In an era deeply influenced by religious disputes and fanaticism, when any criticism of prevailing beliefs could lead to excommunication, public hatred, imprisonment, murder, and torture, Ghazali fearlessly entered the arena of criticism, scrutinizing the religious and scholarly conditions of his time.
He believed that many social corruptions stemmed from false scholars and those, as Saadi said, “bound by arrogance.” Ghazali both trained and criticized this group harshly, elucidating the harm they inflicted on religion and morality, as well as the damages caused by debates and arguments pursued solely for self-display and dominance. He expressed these views in his sermons and works such as “Ihya Ulum al-Din” and “Al-Munqidh min al-Dalal,” employing strong reasoning and a clear, engaging style. He dedicated one of the largest sections of “Ihya Ulum al-Din,” one of its earliest chapters, to knowledge, scholars, and the ethics of teaching and learning.
At a time when, as he stated, knowledge and religion were being corrupted and significant dangers loomed from all sides, he deemed it obligatory and essential to write this book.
In criticizing false scholars, Ghazali stated: «واحترز عن الإغترار بتلبیسات علماء السوء فإن شرهم علی الدین أعظم من شر الشیاطین» “Be cautious not to fall for the deception of corrupt scholars, for their harm to religion is greater than the evil of devils.”
Ghazali articulated every belief he considered beneficial for the reform of religion and morality with utmost certainty and clarity. He fearlessly shattered the idols of ignorance and superstition because he relied on solid truths and realities. He did not fear the clamor of false ideas. With a guiding light in his hand, he was unafraid of the darkness of solitude. The more his opponents insisted on their denial, the more he persisted in his call for guidance. He did not allow the noise of opposition to sway the course of the truth he championed.
The great Mujahid, Ghazali (may Allah have mercy on him), left profound impacts on the path of religion and truth. His scientific and practical efforts created miraculous effects within the Islamic community, leading to a significant revolution.
Ordinary people, who until then had been like sheep to the service of religious leaders, gradually awakened from their slumber by comparing Ghazali’s words and actions with those of others. They no longer remained under the dominance of power-hungry scholars and worldly-minded jurists but sought out true scholars. Some scholars began to contemplate reforming themselves, while others, although only outwardly and for public approval, changed their methods. However, those who viewed Ghazali’s reforms as threats to their worldly interests and ambitions accused him of heresy and infidelity. The situation escalated to the point where his works were burned under the pretext that they misled people, and some even engaged in written debates to refute his ideas, authoring books against his views.
In the end, Ghazali rendered a great service to the Islamic community and humanity through his tireless efforts, and Islam honored and celebrated having such a forward-thinking genius among its scholars.
Ghazali’s Writings
Ghazali, the renowned scholar, left behind many valuable works in Persian and Arabic, enriching the world with his knowledge and virtues. Fortunately, the majority of his works are still available, and major libraries around the world often house several of his important texts. For this reason, Islamic scholars have given him the title “Sayyed al-Musannifin” (Master of Authors). Some suggest that if we were to divide Ghazali’s writings over his lifetime, he would have authored an average of four booklets per day. Many of his works have been translated into languages such as French, German, Latin, Hebrew, and others, with both the originals and translations being repeatedly published worldwide.
In one of his Persian writings, penned around the age of 53, Ghazali stated that he had authored close to seventy books on religious sciences, and he may have produced works in other fields not included in that count. Some researchers mention that more than seventy of his works remain, while others speculate, he wrote around two hundred books. Some scholars even estimate that he authored up to four hundred works.
Ghazali’s writings can be categorized based on the different periods of his life and spiritual transformations: dialectics, debates, jurisprudence, principles of jurisprudence, hadith, philosophy, theology, principles of belief, ethics, Sufism, and in general, religious, theological, and ethical matters.
Continues…
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