Author: Obaidullah Nimruzi
The Biography of Abu Hamed Imam Mohammad al-Ghazali [MABH] (Part 13)
The Scholars of the Past and the Duty of Enjoining Good and Forbidding Evil
Imam Mohammad al-Ghazali (MABH) regretted that the scholars of his time did not act on the duty of enjoining good and forbidding evil like the scholars of the past, and did not act according to the saying: “Speaking the word of truth in the presence of an oppressive ruler.”
He considered the main reason for this weakness to be the worldliness and ambition of the scholars, believing that many of them sought their worldly interests and avoided confronting corrupt rulers.
The Courage of the Scholars of the Past in the Face of the Sultans
Describing the true scholars, Imam Mohammad al-Ghazali (MABH) wrote: “This was the way of the scholars—in enjoining good and forbidding evil—the majesty of the sultans and their power had no effect on their decisions. They trusted in the grace of Allah the Almighty and were certain that Allah would protect them. Even if they were martyred in this way, they were content with Divine destiny. Their intentions were pure, and that is why their words would strike the hearts of the hardened like fiery arrows and transform them.”
However, the situation had changed during the time of Imam Mohammad al-Ghazali. He wrote with regret: “Today, the greed of the world has tied the tongues of scholars. They are always silent, and if they speak, there is not the slightest correspondence between their words and their actions. Therefore, their words have no effect. If scholars today also adopt sincerity and honesty and fulfill the right of knowledge, they will definitely succeed.”
The Relationship Between Corruption Among Subjects, Kings, and Scholars
Imam Mohammad al-Ghazali (MABH) repeatedly emphasizes that corruption begins at the highest level—with the scholars—then reaches the rulers and finally spreads to the people.
He believes:
– The corruption of the subjects is the result of the corruption of the rulers.
– The corruption of the rulers is the result of the deviation of the scholars.
– The motivation for the deviation of the scholars is the love of wealth and status.
In this regard, he states: “A person who is dominated by the love of wealth and status will not only be unable to criticize an ordinary person, but will also lack the courage to confront the kings!”
Misleading in Scientific Discussions and Neglect of Moral Education
During the time of Imam Mohammad al-Ghazali, society was intensely involved in jurisprudential debates and minor disputes. Scientific meetings and jurisprudential debates flourished not only in religious schools but also in the courts of kings. However, according to Imam al-Ghazali, this excess in jurisprudential debates caused the scholars to neglect the main goal of science, which is to improve the soul and refine morals.
He regretfully writes: “If a jurist were asked about such subjects as patience, gratitude, fear, hope, hatred, envy, grudges, hypocrisy, trust in Allah, and the way to salvation from them—matters of which knowledge is essential for a scholar and ignorance leads to destruction in the hereafter—he would not have a correct answer. But this same jurist may discuss the most minute issues of jurisprudence in such a way that it seems as if the entire religion were summed up in it!”
Emphasis on Rare Issues and Neglect of Religious Necessities
Imam Mohammad al-Ghazali (MABH) strongly criticized the fact that some scholars are preoccupied with jurisprudential issues that are of no importance to society. He wrote: “But unfortunately, the jurist cannot give an answer, and if you ask him about Lohan, zihar, Sabq, and Ramye, he will scrutinize it in such a way that he will read you several pamphlets in detail, but these details will not come up for a long time, and even if they do, there are many people in the city who can answer them. Nevertheless, this scholar works day and night on these details and remains busy memorizing and teaching them, neglecting what is necessary for him according to the law. If he is sometimes asked about this, he answers: ‘I am engaged in this science because it is a science of religion, and it is Farz Kifayah (obligation of sufficiency).’ In regard to this teaching and learning, this scholar deceives both himself and others, while every understanding person knows that if the goal is to fulfill the obligation of sufficiency and meet one’s responsibilities, one should have fulfilled the obligation of the essence before the obligation of sufficiency. There are even other obligations of sufficiency that should have preceded this obligation of sufficiency.”
Imam Mohammad al-Ghazali clearly shows with these words that many scholars, instead of addressing the fundamental issues of religion, are involved in discussions that have little impact on the real lives of Muslims. In his opinion, a jurist who is not familiar with moral issues, self-purification, and ways to avoid sins, even if he is an expert in complex jurisprudential issues, has still not properly fulfilled his main duties.
Neglect of Vital Sciences Such as Medicine
One of the prominent points in the criticisms of Imam Mohammad al-Ghazali (MABH) is the scholars’ neglect of other sciences that are vital for the Islamic society. He regrets that religious scholars have neglected to learn useful sciences such as medicine and writes: “The doctors of several cities are non-Muslims, and their testimony is not accepted in jurisprudential rulings, but we do not see any scholar feeling this deficiency and need and paying attention to the study of medicine. On the contrary, students flock to the science of jurisprudence, especially in controversial matters, while every city has several scholars who are talented in writing fatwas and answering religious questions. I do not know how religious scholars consider it permissible to engage in such an obligation of sufficiency, which a large group is involved in, and how they have abandoned an obligation that no one is aware of. Is it not possible through the science of medicine to be the head of endowments, to execute wills and guardianship of orphans, to hold the office of judge and fatwa, to gain stature in the eyes of contemporaries and peers, and to dominate and overcome one’s opponents and adversaries?”
He further emphasizes that this neglect of essential sciences is not limited to medicine; other vital disciplines have also been neglected.
“There is no city where these matters are not carried out, matters that are at the level of obligation, and it is impossible for anyone to not pay attention to them while scholars remain utterly indifferent. There is no need for much curiosity; just consider the science of medicine, where most Islamic cities are devoid of Muslim doctors, and the testimony of a non-Muslim doctor in religious matters is invalid. But unfortunately, none of the scholars show the slightest interest in this science.”
Neglecting the Farz Kifayah (Obligation of Sufficiency) of Enjoining Good and Forbidding Evil
Imam Mohammad al-Ghazali (MABH) also believed that one of the most important obligations that has been completely neglected is the enjoining of good and forbidding evil. He writes: “Similarly, the obligation of enjoining good and forbidding evil, which is a Farz Kifayah, has also been abandoned.”
In Imam al-Ghazali’s view, scholars who have forgotten their duty to society and are only engaged in scholarly debates and polemical discussions have, in fact, lost the spirit of Islamic responsibility. He believes that if religious scholars had fulfilled their duties of enjoining good and forbidding evil, corrupt rulers would not have dared to commit oppression and corruption, and the state of society would have been very different.
Continues…
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