Author: Obaidullah Nimruzi
The Biography of Abu Hamed Imam Mohammad al-Ghazali [MABH] (Part 11)
Keywords: Social reform, Islamic awakening, scholars and reform, thought of Imam Muhammad al-Ghazali, corruption and righteousness of scholars, the role of religion in society.
The Role of Scholars in Reforming Society from the Perspective of Imam Mohammad al-Ghazali (MABH)
In the historical study of Islamic thought, the status of scholars has always been central to guiding, reforming, and awakening society. Scholars are not only the bearers of religious knowledge, but also carry the heavy responsibility of intellectual, spiritual, and social leadership for the Muslim ummah. In every era of Islamic history, reformist scholars have played a vital role in preserving the religious and moral well-being of society. However, some scholars, due to their alliance with corrupt authorities, have contributed to intellectual and social deviations. One of the prominent thinkers who extensively addressed this issue is Imam Muhammad al-Ghazali (MABH).
In the previous section of this study, we discussed the status of Imam al-Ghazali as a renovator and reviver of Islamic thought in the 5th century AH and showed how he, through reforming religious and intellectual discourse, opened a new path in Islamic thinking. He lived during a time when Islamic thought was facing multiple challenges, such as legal formalism, the infiltration of non-Islamic philosophies, corruption among scholars, and their dependence on royal courts. With a reformist approach, Imam al-Ghazali strove to revive the religious sciences and emphasized the spiritual and ethical aspects of religion to correct the intellectual deviations of his time. We now continue the discussion by examining the role of scholars in reforming society from his perspective.
Righteous Scholars and Corrupt Scholars: Pillars of Reform or Decline
Imam Muhammad al-Ghazali (MABH), with his deep understanding of social and religious structures, believed that scholars are the most important and decisive group in guiding society. According to him, if scholars are righteous and use their knowledge in the path of piety and truth, society will be guided toward salvation. However, if scholars become corrupt and deviant, their corruption will spread to various layers of society, leading to widespread moral and religious decay.
This view is rooted in the Prophetic Hadith: «صِنفانِ من الناسِ إذا صَلُحا صَلَحَ الناسُ وإذا فَسَدا فَسَدَ الناسُ: العُلَماءُ والأُمَراءُ» Translation: “Two groups among the people, if they are righteous, the entire community will be righteous; and if they are corrupt, the entire community will be corrupt: the scholars and the rulers.”
In several of his works—especially Ihya’ ‘Ulum al-Din and Al-Munqidh min al-Dalal—Imam al-Ghazali emphasizes that the corruption of scholars is among the main causes of religious and moral decline in society. He divides scholars into two categories:
1.Godly and reformist scholars, who use knowledge to guide the people and reform society.
2.Corrupt and worldly scholars, who use knowledge as a means to gain power, influence, and personal benefit.
Characteristics of Corrupt Scholars According to Imam al-Ghazali (MABH)
In Ihya’ ‘Ulum al-Din, Imam al-Ghazali categorizes the corruption of scholars into several types:
•Court Scholars: Those who place their knowledge in service of corrupt powers and justify oppression, thus leading people away from the truth.
•Legal Formalists: Those who focus solely on the outward aspects of jurisprudence, neglecting the ethical and spiritual dimensions of religion, thereby reducing knowledge to a lifeless and meaningless tool.
•Ambitious Scholars: Those who pursue knowledge for fame, influence, and wealth, seeking worldly ranks and positions.
Imam al-Ghazali warns that such scholars not only doom themselves but also lead society into misguidance and collapse. He criticizes them for interpreting the Qur’an and Hadith in line with their personal interests, distorting religion and concealing the truth from the people.
Characteristics of Righteous Scholars According to Imam Muhammad al-Ghazali (MABH)
On the other hand, Imam al-Ghazali considers godly and righteous scholars as the main pillars of social reform and outlines several qualities for them:
•Sincerity in intention: Scholars must pursue knowledge for the sake of Allah and to guide people—not for fame or status.
•Unity of knowledge and practice: Knowledge that is not implemented is incomplete and even harmful. Scholars must practice what they preach.
•Independence from corrupt powers: A scholar should not sell himself to tyrants and rulers; instead, he must remain independent and fearless in speaking the truth.
•Education with moral training: A true scholar does not merely transfer information but also guides society in ethical and spiritual development.
•Call to reform and revival of religious values: Righteous scholars must act as social reformers and guide people toward justice, ethics, and piety.
Reforming Society Through Reforming Scholars
Based on this perspective, Imam al-Ghazali (MABH) believed that the reform of society depends on the reform of its scholars. If scholars are on the right path, other sectors of society will gradually follow. This idea later appeared in the thought of other Islamic reformers such as Ibn Taymiyyah, Shah Waliullah al-Dihlawi, and Muhammad Abduh, and became one of the fundamental principles of religious reform movements in the Muslim world.
In Summary
The thought of Imam Muhammad al-Ghazali (MABH) regarding the role of scholars in reforming society remains significant not only in his own time but throughout later generations as well, continuing to inspire intellectual and reformist movements in the Islamic world. His view leads us to the realization that true scholars are the flag-bearers of awakening and guidance in society, and their intellectual and moral integrity is essential for the reform of the Muslim ummah. If religious scholars fulfill their duties in guiding and educating society correctly, the Islamic community will remain protected from decline and degeneration. Otherwise, with the dominance of corrupt scholars and preachers, society will fall into ignorance, fanaticism, and deviation.
Therefore, to revive the Islamic community, the first step must be to reform and purify the scholars of religion, as they are the origin of the intellectual and spiritual awakening of the Muslim ummah. Imam al-Ghazali’s ideas in this regard can still serve as guidance for contemporary societies seeking reform, revival, and a return to authentic religious values.
Introduction:
Throughout Islamic history, scholars have always played a central role in guiding and reforming Muslim societies. They have not only been responsible for teaching and interpreting religious knowledge, but also for leading the intellectual, moral, and cultural life of their communities. With their understanding of the principles of Shari‘ah, deep insight into societal needs, and commitment to reform, scholars can pave the way for the progress and elevation of the ummah. However, whenever scholars deviated from the path of piety and truth and turned to materialism, ambition, and alliance with corrupt powers, society fell into intellectual, moral, and religious decline.
Thus, one of the major concerns of Islamic thinkers throughout history has been to examine the position of scholars and their role in either reforming or corrupting the Muslim ummah.
Among them, Imam Muhammad al-Ghazali (MABH), as one of the most prominent Islamic thinkers and reformers, paid special attention to this issue. In his works, he extensively discussed the role of scholars and their impact on the intellectual and spiritual health of society. Living in the 5th century AH—a time marked by intellectual, moral, and political challenges—he witnessed how many scholars were either absorbed in superficial legal issues while neglecting the ethical and spiritual dimensions of Islam or had become servants of rulers, using knowledge as a means of gaining influence, power, and wealth. This situation led Imam al-Ghazali to critique the condition of scholars and propose solutions for their reform in his writings.
In the previous section of this study, we explored the role of Imam al-Ghazali as a religious renovator and showed how he opened a new chapter in Islamic thought through his critique of the intellectual and moral deviations of his time. Now, in this section, we turn to one of his most important concerns: the role of scholars in societal reform. We will examine how Imam al-Ghazali analyzed this issue and what criteria he presented for identifying righteous and corrupt scholars.
Continues…
By admin2