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Explain the contribution made to the development and expression of Islam and analyse the impact

of this person on Islam.

Imam Abu Hamid Al-Ghazali (al-Ghazali) contributed significantly to the intellectual expression of

Islam and solidified Islamic teachings, approaching them from both a spiritual and intellectual

viewpoint.1 He emphasised the importance of sufism2 , while dismissing the unorthodox methods

associated with its extensive practise.3 He questioned various elements of Islamic variant traditions,

including his own, and evaluated the prevailing western philosophies of his time. His contribution

has remained widely acclaimed and he has been given titles such as the “Reviver of Islam” and the

“Leader of the Scholars”, demonstrating his profound influence.4

Al-Ghazali was born in 1058, in Tus, Iran, during a period of economic growth.5 6 Despite this, al-

Ghazali was orphaned due to poverty, and was sent into the care of a Sufi.7 8 From an early age, al-

Ghazali was influenced by the teachings of Islam, receiving education in fiqh9 from a local

teacher.10 His professional education began at 15, as he developed his knowledge in the sciences at

a university in Jurjan and became interested in Sufism.11 He later travelled to Nishapur to better his

1 (onelittleangel.com, 2019)
2Sufism or tasawwuf refers to the mystical element of Islam, which revolves heavily around a
personal experience with the presence of God.
3 (Daniel, 2016)
4 (Ahmed, 2013)
5 Also has been referred to as the “Golden Age” of Islam, due to the socio-economic climate of
the time
6 (Ahmed, 2013)
7 A sufi is a person who religiously associates themselves with the experience of sufism
8 (Ahmed, 2013)
9 Islamic Jurisprudence
10 (Famousphilosophers.org, 2019)
11 ibid
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understanding of fiqh and philosophy.12 A bright, intellectual individual, he served in the court of

Nizam al-Mulk for 6 years as a jurist, before he was appointed a job as a professor in the Nizamiyya

College in Baghdad.13 Following these events, al-Ghazali underwent a spiritual crisis, conflicted

between his understanding of philosophy and science, and the spiritual teachings of his sunni

Islamic faith.14 He reevaluated his intentions, discarding his professorship and assuming the life of

a simple man, exploring the practise of Sufism and his complex questions.15 He performed the

hajj16 and travelled around for 10 years, deeply exploring and authoring his complicated

experiences. Al-Ghazali was a deep thinking, educated individual, whose personal, spiritual journey

influenced his authorship of many intellectual works.

Al-Ghazali contributed significantly to the justification of Islamic teachings in an increasingly

western society. He essentially modernised Islamic teachings, authoring many books which

approach Islamic teachings in a sophisticated, but spiritual way. He combated the prevailing beliefs

of Muslims regarding western philosophy17 , stating in his book “Tahâfut al-falâsifa” (The

Incoherence of the Philosophers), that excessive rationalism distracted Islamic adherents from the

spiritual truth of Islam or from achieving ‘Islamic purity’.18 He believed many were disconnected

from Islam’s spiritual elements and were focusing on the worldly, although he still maintained the

importance of moderate rationalism. The table seen in appendix 1, displays al-Ghazali’s expressed

beliefs regarding the role of intellect in an adherents life.19 Al-Ghazali critiqued the variant

12 (Isra.org.au, 2015)
13 Ibid
14 Ibid
15 Ibid
16 A Muslims pilgrimage to Mecca, expected to occur at least once in their lifetime
17 Includes Greek philosophers such as Aristotle, Plato and Socrates
18 (EgyptToday, 2017)
19 (Isra.org.au, 2015)
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traditions/theologies of Islam, including his own Ash’arite (Sunni) theology.20 He authored

the“Munqidh min al-ḍalāl” (Deliverance From Error) where he questioned aspects of his own

Sunni faith21 and the Isma’ilite (Shi’a) theology.22 He particularly disputed the belief that the

Imams23 authority was infallible, essentially arguing that the Imams jurisdiction does not overrule

the Qur’an’s teachings.24 His ideology received criticism from the Shi’a muslims of the time, and

they continue to disregard his critique to this day.25 Al-Ghazali was drawn to Sufism, believing its

practise was beneficial for Muslims in seeking the spiritual truth of Islam.26 During his time, many

Muslims rejected the practise of Islamic mysticism, which meant his emphasis of its importance

was unusual. Al-Ghazali conveyed courage as he combatted the western philosophical beliefs of the

Muslim community and authored many books which solidified his personal beliefs.

In relation to the Islamic population today, al-Ghazali left a lasting impact on the modern enactment

of Islamic beliefs and its ethical principles.27 His 4 volume book collection, "Iḥyā′ ‘Ulūm al-

Dīn” (The Revival of the Religious Sciences), discussed different aspects of Muslim life and

connected Islam to the modern world.28 The first volume consisted of ‘acts of worship’, the second,

the expected ‘etiquette of Muslims’, the third, ‘the paths to perdition’ and the fourth, the ‘paths to

20 (Scribd, 2012)
21 He challenged the belief that the Qur’an was the direct word of Allah and offered some other
criticisms
22 (Digressions&Impressions, 2019)
23The Imam is essentially the leader of the Muslim community. Adherents believe his rulings are
indisputable, due to his spiritual understanding of the Quar’an.
24 (EgyptToday, 2017)
25 (Rahman, 2011)
26“Sit alone in a quiet place, free of any preoccupation, even the reciting of the Qur’an or thinking
about its meaning. Let nothing besides God enter your mind. Once you are seated in this manner,
say, "Allah, Allah," keeping your thought on these words.” - Al-Ghazalis suggested practise of
Sufism
27 Plato.stanford.edu. (2015)
28 Watt, W. (2019).
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salvation’.29 He expresses his personal, spiritual experiences in his books, humanising his

intellectual works and allowing modern adherents to draw from his own experiences.30 Through his

books, he was also able to influence aspects of modern Islamic ethics, and provided guidance on

achieving happiness.31 32 Appendix 2 displays al-Ghazali’s guide33 on how to be an ethically correct

teacher that upholds the teachings of the Qur’an. Furthermore, his consistent consolidation of

Sufism, while unusual for his time, has allowed modern muslims to appreciate its practice, while

still conforming to all aspects of Shariah law.34 Al-Ghazali’s intellectual expression of his religious

beliefs has influenced the wider, Islamic community, as they respect his consolidation of Islamic

teachings. His works are currently being translated to English35 (they were previously only in

Arabic), displaying his importance in the wider Muslim community.

Imam Abu Hamid Al-Ghazali assisted significantly in the development and expression of Islam,

essentially intellectualising Islamic teachings. He questioned elements of other variant traditions,

such as Shi’a Islam and Sunni Islam, utilising his advanced education to author over 70 books

concerning aspects of Islamic philosophy, mysticism and ethics. He emphasised the importance of

the moderate practise of Sufism, allowing its enactment to conform with the expectations of Shariah

29 Famousphilosophers.org. (2019).
30 Ibid
31He wrote “Kimiya-yi Sa’ādat” (The Alchemy of Happiness), which provided an informational
approach to achieving happiness through God and ‘the self’
32 Daniel, E. (2016)
33This is just one example of the many guides he provided in the Revival of the Religious
Sciences
34 EgyptToday. (2017)
35 This process is being conducted by the Islamic Texts Society
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law. Al-Ghazali centralised all his works around God36 , and Islamic teachings, which now earned

him the title “The Proof of Islam”.37

Word count: 873 words

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Watt, W. (2019). Al-Ghazālī | Muslim jurist, theologian, and mystic. [online] Encyclopedia

Britannica. Available at: https://www.britannica.com/biography/al-Ghazali [Accessed 13 Nov.

2019].

Famousphilosophers.org. (2019). Al-Ghazali | Biography, Philosophy and Facts. [online] Available

at: https://www.famousphilosophers.org/al-ghazali/ [Accessed 13 Nov. 2019].

Onelittleangel.com. (2019). Al-Ghazali's major contribution. [online] Available at: https://

www.onelittleangel.com/wisdom/quotes/ghazzali.asp?level=1 [Accessed 18 Nov. 2019].

Isra.org.au. (2019). Imam Abu Hamid Al-Ghazali. [online] Available at: https://www.isra.org.au

[Accessed 18 Nov. 2019].

36 “Know, O beloved, that man was not created in jest or at random, but marvellously made, and for some
great end.” - Al-Ghazali
37 EgyptToday. (2017).
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Daniel, E. (2016). al-Ghazali and Happiness. [online] Pursuit-of-happiness.org. Available at:

https://www.pursuit-of-happiness.org/history-of-happiness/al-ghazali/ [Accessed 18 Nov. 2019].

Ghazzali (2017). Spiritual quotes of Ghazzali. [online] Onelittleangel.com. Available at: https://

www.onelittleangel.com/wisdom/quotes/saint.asp?mc=22 [Accessed 24 Nov. 2019].

Scribd. (2012). the significance and impact of al-ghazalis life and work | Sufism | Islamic

Philosophy. [online] Available at: https://www.scribd.com/doc/265824216/the-significance-and-

impact-of-al-ghazalis-life-and-work [Accessed 26 Nov. 2019].

Digressions&Impressions. (2019). Ál-Ghazali's Criticism of the Philosophers. [online] Available at:

https://digressionsnimpressions.typepad.com/digressionsimpressions/2017/09/ál-ghazalis-criticism-

of-the-philosophers.html [Accessed 27 Nov. 2019].

Plato.stanford.edu. (2015). Al-Ghazali (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy). [online] Available at:

https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/al-ghazali/ [Accessed 28 Nov. 2019].

EgyptToday. (2017). Imam Al-Ghazali and the revival of Islamic Scholarship. [online] Available at:

https://www.egypttoday.com/Article/4/6967/Imam-Al-Ghazali-and-the-revival-of-Islamic-

Scholarship [Accessed 30 Nov. 2019].

Rahman, S. (2011). Tasawwuf and Sharia Shafiq ur-Rahman. [online] Masud.co.uk. Available at:

http://www.masud.co.uk/ISLAM/misc/shafiqur.htm [Accessed 30 Nov. 2019].

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Appendices

Appendix 1 - A brief summary of Al-Ghazali’s beliefs regarding excessive rationalism, pride

and anger

Source: isra.org.au

Appendix 2 - The Eight Duties of a Teacher (summarised), provided by Al-Ghazali

Source: “Ihya' Ulumuddin” (The Revival of the Religious Sciences)

1. Treat students as your own children

2. Refuse any remuneration for his or her services and accept neither reward nor thanks

3. To allow students to perform to their abilities and not withhold advice from them

4. Combat a students bad habits in a loving, sympathetic way

5. Not to disvalue the importance of other teachers and what they’re teaching

6. Only teach students what they’re capable of understanding

7. Provide struggling students with information that is suited to their limited understanding

8. Not to be hypocritical