IMAM GHAZZALI BY BABA ALI MUSTAPHA

Imam Ghazzali was born in 450 A.H. (1058 A.D) in the village, Taberan in the district of Tus in Persia and his name is Abu Hamid Muhammad. His title is Hujjatul Islam or proof of Islam and his dynastic title is Ghazzali. His father was a famous person but his grand-father was one of the leading men of that age. His father died while he was young leaving him under the care of his mother and grand-father. Ghazzali is said to be the name of a village in the district of Tus in the Province of Khorasan in Persia. According to Maulana Shibli Nomani, his ancestors had the business of weaving (Ghazzal) and therefore he retained his family title Ghazzali (weaver).

His education:

At the time of the death of Ghazzali’s father, he entrusted the education of his two sons, Muhammad and Ahmad to one of his trusted friend. The later imparted to them primary education and then sent them to a private Maktab. The boys within a short time committed the whole Quran to memory and after that began to learn Arabic. They were then admitted in a free Madrasah. After sometime, Imam Ghazzali left his native village for higher education for Zarzan and began to study under a great learned man Imam Abu Nasr Ismail. He used to take note of his lectures but in a certain journey he was robbed of these notes by some decoit along with his other belongings. He took courage, went to the Chief of the robbers and begged for note only to be returned to him. He was returned to him at his earnest entreaties.

Then he joined Nizamia Madrasah at Nishapur which was a reputed seat of learning and a great educationist named Imamul Haramain was its principal. He had 400 students of whom three were most noted Harrasi, Ahmad b. Muhammad and Imam Ghazzali. The later became so much grieved at his death that he left Nishapur and went to Baghdad, the capital of the Caliphs. He was then a young man of 28 years of age.

At Baghdad, he was appointed principal at Nizamiyah Madrasah by Nizamul Mulk, the Chief Vizier of Turkish Ruler Malek Shah. Being thus appointed at an early age to such a high post, his popularity as a great learned man spread far and wide and the rulers and their chieftain used to consult him in state affairs and theological matters.

Lectures of Imam Ghazzali

In the lectures of the Imam, hundreds of learned men and dignitaries of the state and even the ruling Princes attended. His lectures were full of argument and reason and they were mostly recorded by Sayeed bin Fares and Ibn Lobban. They recorded nearly 183 of his lectures which were compiled in a book named “Majaless-Ghazzalia”.

The great Imam then turned his mind to again spiritual heights and the circumstances leading to it were recorded by him in his book “Munkezum Minad dalal (Deliverance from error)”. He was a follower of Imam Shafeyi in his early age but at Baghdad he mixed freely with the people of all sects and thoughts and ideas. There were then the Shias, the Sunnis, Zindiqs, Magicians, Scholastic theologists, Christians, Jews, Atheists, Fire Worshippers and idol worshippers. There were also the Deists, the materialists, the naturalist, the Philosophers. They used to meet in mutual wars of argumentations and debates. This had such an effect on the mind of the Imam that his whole life became changed and he began to search for truth with a free mind. His old ideas disappeared and he began to live in doubts. He then began to inclined to Sufism but here practical action were more required than mere belief. Being imbued with such an idea, he gave up his lucrative post at Baghdad, wore Sufi dress and left Baghdad suddenly one night in 488 A.H.

 He then went to Damascus and closed himself in a room of its Mosque and began attentively the divine services, Meditations and Zikr. This he spend here two years in solitude. At the age of 27 years, he was initiated by Pir Abu Ali Farnedi who was the spiritual guide of also the Vizier Nizamul Mulk. After two years he went to Jerusalem and visited the birth place of Jesus Christ and in 499 A.H. He visited the Holy Shrine of Hazrat Abraham and made three promises:

(1) he will not go to Darbar any ruler

(2) he will never accept their presentation

(3) he will not join any religious debates. He fulfilled these promises up to his death. Then he went to Mecca for pilgrimage and visited also Medina and stayed there for a longtime. When he returned home, he was requested by the then ruler to accept the post of the Principal of Nizama Madrassah and he accepted it. When the ruler was assassinated by an assassin, he gave up the post and went to Tus and closed himself in a Khankah. The new ruler requested the Imam to join his post of the Principal but he declined after the offer.

He died at his native village Taberan on 14^th Jamadis-Sani in 505 A.H. Corresponding to 19^th December 1111 A.D. Ibn Jauzi narrated a story about his death. He said: On Monday early in the morning he got up from his bed, performed his morning prayer and then sent a man to bring his coffin cloth. When it was brought, he lifted it up to his eyes and said: Lord’s command is to be obeyed. Saying this, he stretched his legs and immediately breathed his last. The Imam left no son, but only daughters.

His Books

The Imam lived nearly 55 years and he began to write books from the early age when he was 20 years old, he travelled for nearly 10 to 11 years and spent his time in reading, writing and teaching. Besides this, he had to reply two thousand letters which came from far and near for his decision and opinion. He wrote nearly 400 books of which the following are noted:

Theology:

 Masit (Shafeyi Jurisprudence), Basit, Wajiz (Canon Laws, Compendium), Bayanul Qaolaine Li Shafeyi, Khulasatul Rasail (Quintessence of Jurisprudence), Ekhtesanrul Mukhtesar, Gayatul Gaur, Mazmatul Futawa (collection of legal decisions), Risalatul Qudsiyya (canon law of Prophet).

Principles of the Theology

Pahsinul Muakhej, ShaFEYI Alil (care of diseases), Mankahul, Mustastfa (Jurisprudence)

Jurisprudence

Khulasatul Figh (quintessence of Jurisprudence), Wajiz, Iqtisad-FIL’-Itiqad (exposition of faith), Al-Qaestas Mustaqim.

Logic:

Mizanul Amal, Mihakhul Nazarfil Mantiq (whet stone of reflection on Logic), Mayatul Lim (weighing scale of science), Al-Ma’arif (discourse on logic), Mayarul limfi Fannil Mantiq (the weighing scale of the Science of Logic).

Philosophy:

Maqasidul Falasifah (aim of the Philosophers), Munqezum Minaddalal (deliverance from error, an autobiographical statement of his spiritual progress), Kitabul Arbayin (abridgement of Ihyad), Resalaful Laduniyya (Illham and Wahi).

Scholastic Theology:

Tahafatul Falasifah (destruction of the Philosophers), Iqtisad, Musta, Hari (Guide of Novices), Lijamamtil Awam (Vilifica of People), Faysatul indiq (Refutation of Atheists), Fikhrol wal Ibrah (meditation and contemplation). Al Hikmat (Wisdom of God), Haqiqatur Ruh (realities of soul).

Spiritual and Moral:

Ilyao Ulumiddin (Revival of Religious Learnings), Kimiyae Sa’adat (Touchstone of fortune), Akhlakul Abrar (conduct of the pious), Jawaharul Quran (Jewels of Quran), Minhajul Abedin (Path of the devout), Mirajus Salekin (Steps for the Sojourners). Bidayatul Hidayah (beginning of the guidance), Mishkatul Anwar (niche of lights).

Tafsir: Yakutut-Ta’wil (a commentary of the Qur’an in 40 volumes now lost).

Of the 400 books he compiled, some only have been preserved in many libraries of Europe while the Muslims did not accept them as they should have been accepted. Besides, they went so far as to burn some of his books which were lost forever to the world.

Ihayo Ulumiddin:

Revival of religious sciences is a masterpiece of Imam Ghazzali Abdul Gafer Farsi was a contemporary of Imam Ghazzali. He said that a book like Ihya was never compiled before. Imam Nudi said: Ihya is near the Qur’an. Shaikh Abu Muhammad said: if all the light of knowledge of the world are extinguished, they can be revived from Ihya. Shaikh Abdullah Idriss was a great saint. He committed to memory the whole Ihya. Shaikh Ali read it 25 times from the first to last and at the end of each reading gave a feast to the students and the poor. Many students of the Imam committed it to memory. Many saints regarded the book as a result of Liham or inspiration. The great saint Qutub Shaji one day held the book in his hand and said to the people: Do you know which book is in my hand? Immediately he showed them the signs of lashes on his back and said: I was not a supporter of the book. Last night, Imam Ghazzali took me in presence of the Holy Prophet and inflicted on me these lashes on my back for my disregard of the book. These are the signs of lashes on my back.

Imam Ghazzali and Europe:

The books of Imam Ghazzali were so much accepted and honoured in Europe that they preserved them in many libraries. But they did not receive so much attention in Muslim countries. Some Muslim learned men even did not open their eyes to see them, but rather prohibited the people to read them. For this reason, his books are rarely found in the libraries of Muslim countries. Mankul is a book compiled by the Imam at his early age. Therein he wrote with completely free and independent mind and was not a blind follower of Mazhabs or sects. This book fell into disregard in Muslim countries only for this fault. Mankul and Ihya were ordered to be burnt and it was translated into action. Europe accepted them with honour and preserved them from destruction. The book “Maqasedul Falasefa’ is not found in Muslim countries but it is presented in the libraries of Spain. Europe also accepted his other books.

Ghazzali’s Influence:

It is no exaggeration to say that the modern opinion about religion is much due to the influence of the Imam’s thoughts. The many books that were written after his death reflect greatly the thoughts of the great Imam. His views on Sufism were accepted by the later Sufis. After him Maulana Rumi, Ibn Rush, Shah Waliullah and such other noted learned men wrote many books which resound with the opinions of Imam Ghazzali. In short, his thoughts reigned supreme in their minds. His influence on Persian literature was also great. He himself wrote Kimiya Sa’adat in Persian which influenced to a great extend the minds of Maulana Rumi, Shaikh Sadi, Fariduddin Aftar, Shirazi, Hafez and other poets and Sufis. The work of such a learned man held in high esteem by all should be widely read and circulated. Mr Watt says: Ghazzali has sometimes been acclaimed in both east and west as the greatest Muslim thinker after Muhammad and by no means unworthy of that great dignity.

Baba Ali Mustapha is deputy director, with the Department of Planning, Research and Statistics, Ministry of Environment, Borno State, Nigeria.

Reference:

Ihya Ulum-Iddin (The Book of Religious Learnings) Vol.1 by Imam Ghazzali translated by Laulana Faszul-Karim (M.A.B.C) published by Alnahar Publishers and Perfumes, 7 Gomhoria Street Abdeen Cairo (Egypt).

In Nigeria the book was published by Hasbunalla Islamic Publishers, Offa, Kwara State, Nigeria.