Al-Ghazali: The Reviver of Islam

Al-Ghazali (1058-1111 CE)

The Seeker of Truth

Born in Tus (modern Iran), orphaned as a child, he studied with the best scholars of his time. At 33, he was appointed professor at the prestigious Nizamiyya University in Baghdad, where 300 students attended his lectures.

The Spiritual Crisis

Despite academic success, al-Ghazali suffered a deep existential crisis. He doubted everything: senses, reason, authority. He lost the ability to speak and teach. In 1095 CE, he abandoned Baghdad, leaving behind his position, family, and fortune.

Spiritual Journey

For 11 years he traveled as a Sufi: Damascus, Jerusalem, Hebron, Mecca, Medina, Alexandria. In the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus, he experienced inner transformation. He understood that certain knowledge comes not just from intellect but from direct experience of God (dhawq).

Revival of Religious Sciences

His masterpiece (Ihya Ulum al-Din), 40 books covering worship, social customs, virtues and vices, and salvific virtues, integrated Islamic law with Sufi spirituality. External practice without inner purification is hollow, but spirituality without law is disorderly.

Defense of Islam

"The Incoherence of the Philosophers" refuted philosophers like Al-Farabi and Ibn Sina. His critique marked the decline of Peripatetic philosophy in the Islamic world.

Legacy

Al-Ghazali is considered the "Reviver of Islam." His influence extends to Jewish (Maimonides) and Christian (Thomas Aquinas) thought. He died in Tus in 1111 CE.