Imam al-Ghazali

Biography

Abu Hamid Muhammad al-Ghazali (1058-1111 CE), known as Hujjat al-Islam (the Proof of Islam), was one of the most influential Muslim scholars in history. Born in Tus, Persia (modern-day Iran), he became the youngest professor at the prestigious Nizamiyyah university in Baghdad at age 33.

Intellectual Crisis and Transformation

At the height of his academic career, al-Ghazali experienced a profound spiritual crisis. He could no longer speak or teach and abandoned his prestigious position. For nearly eleven years, he traveled as an ascetic, studying Sufism firsthand in Damascus, Jerusalem, Makkah, and Madinah. He documented this journey in his autobiographical work 'Al-Munqidh min al-Dalal' (Deliverance from Error).

Major Works

Ihya Ulum al-Din (Revival of the Religious Sciences): His magnum opus, a comprehensive work covering worship, daily life, destructive vices, and saving virtues. It is considered one of the greatest works in Islamic literature. Tahafut al-Falasifah (The Incoherence of the Philosophers): A critical examination of Greek philosophy as adopted by Muslim philosophers. Al-Mustasfa: A foundational work on usul al-fiqh. Kimiya-yi Sa'adat (The Alchemy of Happiness): A Persian summary of the Ihya.

Legacy

Al-Ghazali is credited with harmonizing orthodox Sunni theology with Sufi spirituality, critiquing the excesses of philosophy while acknowledging its valid elements, and revitalizing Islamic scholarship. His work continues to be studied in Islamic universities worldwide.