Author: Abul Nasr Zaranji
Twenty Discourses, Twenty Radiant Faces (Part Four)
Imam Ghazali (may Allah have mercy on him)
Shaykh of Tariqa: Imam Ghazali
In the book Tabaqat al-Shafi’iyah, it is mentioned that Imam Ghazali’s guide at the beginning of his spiritual journey was “Abu Ali Fazl bin Muhammad Farmadi.” Ghazali (may Allah have mercy on him) frequently refers to his spiritual teacher, Abu Ali Farmadi (may Allah have mercy on him), in his writings, stating: “I learned the way of Sufism from Abu Ali Farmadi, and I followed his instructions in worship and remembrance until I overcame obstacles, endured hardships, and reached what I was seeking.”
Ibn al-Jawzi (may Allah have mercy on him), in the book Al-Muntazam, narrates from Imam Ghazali (may Allah have mercy on him): “I took the spiritual path from Abu Ali Farmadi, adhered to his advice in performing religious duties, and persevered in remembrance, until I passed through difficulties, faced challenges, and achieved my goals.”
However, Imam Ghazali did not limit himself to what he had learned from his teacher. He made significant efforts in the path of purification and spiritual journey until the realities were fully revealed to him, and he reached certainty that guidance and truth lie in this path.
Teaching of Imam Ghazali
Imam Ghazali held a prestigious position at the court of Malik Shah alongside the knowledge-loving vizier Khwaja Nizam al-Mulk. In the presence of this honorable vizier, Ghazali had a higher status than other scholars and jurists. Khwaja gave him the title Zayn al-Din Sharaf al-A’imma. In the year 484 AH, at the request of Khwaja, the vizier, Imam Ghazali accepted the responsibility of teaching at the Nizamiyyah School of Baghdad and began his teaching that same year. Great scholars such as Ibn Aqil and Abu al-Khattab attended his lessons and were amazed by his eloquent expression, compelling logic, and fluent style, often citing his statements in their writings and articles.
The Nizamiyyah of Baghdad was the most famous and largest Islamic institution of learning, founded by Khwaja Nizam al-Mulk. It became a model for Islamic educational institutions and great universities worldwide. In the eighth century, the renowned traveler Ibn Battuta, who visited Baghdad in the month of Rajab in 727 AH, praised the Nizamiyyah and described it as “a significant building of the world.”
The construction of the Nizamiyyah began in the month of Dhu al-Hijjah in the year 457 AH. After two years, the building was completed, and it was officially inaugurated on Saturday, the 10th of Dhu al-Qa’dah in 459 AHS.
Imam Ghazali taught at the Nizamiyyah of Baghdad for approximately four years, from Dhu al-Qa’dah 484 to Dhu al-Qa’dah 488. For about three years during this time, in addition to fulfilling his teaching duties, he also engaged in studying philosophical works, examining the beliefs of philosophers and scholars, and exploring the truths of different sects and religions. He worked tirelessly, day and night, in his research to attain a comprehensive understanding of the views of philosophers and religious thinkers.
Spiritual Transformation of Ghazali
At the age of 39, Ghazali entered a new phase of his life, distinct from his previous experiences. A deep transformation occurred in his soul, altering every aspect of his existence, and a new Ghazali emerged.
After reaching the highest levels of knowledge, fame, and worldly status, he suddenly distanced himself from everything and everyone. He turned his back on the world and its positions and joined the company of the free-spirited, stepping into a desert where “every thorn bore the mark of a footstep.”
Disputes and arguments gave way to silence and peace, and the confrontation with various ideologies shifted to the nurturing and guidance of worldly people. From being a scholar and jurist, he transformed into a detached mystic with a heart attuned to divine truth.
During this phase of his life, Ghazali attained spiritual and mystical truths. At the beginning of his journey, he had many companions, but in this endless path, his only companions were the fire of yearning, love, and a sigh that shook the world. He carried no provisions for the journey except love and passion.
Only one of his study companions, Abu al-Qasim Hakami, traveled with him from Baghdad, though he was not a spiritual companion. According to some sources, Ibrahim Shabak Jurjani also accompanied Imam Ghazali (may Allah have mercy on him) during his journeys in Sham and Hijaz.
Indeed, those who have tasted the fragrance of freedom and detachment and have wrestled with the struggle between liberation and worldly attachments know well how difficult it is to relinquish worldly wealth, fame, and attachments.
<لا يَعْرِفُ الشَّوق إلَّا مَنْ يُكابدُهُ وَلَا الصَّبَابَةَ إِلَّا مَنْ يُعانيها> Translation: Only those who experience yearning truly understand it, and only those afflicted by love know its nature. What is true death but the severing of the bonds of attachment? And who is the noble one who can renounce even the slightest strand of attachment and live by the principle “Die before you die” and say: “When I escape this life, it is true eternal life!”
Giving up fame, wealth, and attachment to wife and children, though difficult, may be easier than freeing oneself from the bonds of superficial knowledge, which has been acquired through a lifetime of effort and is the most deceptive of all.
Ghazali, when describing the pull of desires, considers this stage to be the most challenging and says: “At the first step, I gave up fame and wealth, but the bond of knowledge and teaching, which had a deceptive outward appearance, caused me great hardship.” Ghazali gave up all attachments and embarked on a quest for truth.
In the year 488 AH, Ghazali faced an intense inner conflict, which he described as a struggle with desires. Doubt and uncertainty, which often accompany inquisitive minds, deeply troubled him. On the one hand, he was bound to worldly matters, and on the other, the inner voice of truth called him to depart. He found the conventional sciences and knowledge insufficient for uncovering truths and considered them a veil over reality. He was internally confused and perplexed, and the scale with which he measured truth, and falsehood had lost its balance.
In such a state, Ghazali could not, against his conscience, fight against the proponents of various sects or write books refuting them. No one knew his inner secret or his hidden pain.
For about six months, beginning in the month of Rajab in the year 488 AH, Ghazali remained in this inner struggle, caught between conflicting thoughts, plagued by mental anxiety and distress. He became gravely ill. Everyone had their own opinions about his condition, unaware of his inner turmoil: one person called him mad, another said he was melancholic, while others lamented in sorrow and pity that such a unique scholar had become incapacitated, wasting away like a precious gem. Various treatments were tried to restore his health, but no remedy proved effective.
As fate would have it, the remedy made things worse. Almond oil only exacerbated the dryness.
In the month of Dhu al-Qa’dah 488 AH, Ghazali renounced everything and left Baghdad. He was about thirty-nine years old at that time. From this point onward, a new phase began in Ghazali’s life, completely different from the first part of his existence.
Continues…
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