HUJJAT AL-ISLAM AL-GHAZALI
Al-Ghazali,
the great Islamic scholar who lived 10 centuries ago, was a great example to
all believers with his good moral values and
his exemplary life. He trained
many students and done great services to the Islamic world. He is the mujaddid
of the Hijri 5th century. .Al Ghazali was born in Tus, Iran in 1058 when there
were serious conflicts in the Islamic world and the Andalusian Empire was in a
period of decline. In such challenging times, through his books and lectures, he
was the means for the enlightening of the Islamic world.
Because he
had such deep and profound knowledge, he was also known as ‘Hujjat al-Islam”
and ‘Zauniddin’ which means the ‘evidence of Islam, proof that
Islam is the true religion’. Hujjat
al-Islam also means the person who memorized three hundred thousand hadiths
with the names of the reporting people. When he was still young, he went to
Baghdad upon the invitation of the then Seljuk vizier Nizam al-Mulk. The
scholars in the court were amazed to see the depth of knowledge and eloquence
in explaining matters. Nizam al-Mulk appointed him to the Nizamiye Madrassah to
act as the master, a position equivalent
to today’s university rectors . During his tenure , Al Ghazali trained
many students and selected three hundred of the best and taught them all the necessary knowledge.
His students included prominent Islamic scholars such as Muhammad ibn Asad
al-Tusi, Abu Mansur Muhammad, Abu Abd Allah Jumart al-Hussaini, and Abu
al-Hasan al-Balansi.
Al Ghazali is recognized for his vast knowledge not only by the Islamic world,
but also by Westerners as well. The
knowledge of Al Ghazali was advanced in every aspect compared to the European
scholars of his time. For instance, at a time when the Europeans commonly believed
that the earth was flat, Al Ghazali asserted that the earth was round, that
liver cleansed the blood of toxins and microbes and the ratio of substances in
the blood were vital to keep it healthy, the latter two being facts included in
today’s physiology books.
Not only this; Al Ghazali wrote about many other subjects in his books, which
are around 1,000. His books deal with
Islam, Islamic moral values and science in a way that can be clearly understood
by people of every age and of every education level. Some of his most famous
books are as follows: Ihya Ulum al-Din (The Revival
of the Religious Sciences), Kimya al-Saadat (The Alchemy of the Happiness),
Jawahir al-Qur'an (The Jewels of the
Qur’an), Mizan
al-Amal (Balance of Action), Durrat al-Fakhira (The Exquisite Pearl), Ayyuh-al-Walad
(O my son!), Qistas al-Mustaqim
(The Correct Balance).
Europeans studied the books of Al Ghazali’s in a very detailed manner, and in
1959, upon reading the books of Al Ghazali and being fascinated by Islam
religion, four Professors Ordinarius translated the books of Al Ghazali into
German and then converted to Islam.
AL GHAZALI CALLED ATTENTION TO THE SIGNIFICANCE OF
MUSLIMS BEING UNITED
AND LIVING IN A BROTHERLY MANNER:
Another point
Al Ghazali paid attention to was the brotherhood, friendship and love between
the Muslims. In his famous book, Ihya Ulum al-Din, he explains in the light of
the verses of the Qur’an and the hadith, why the brotherhood of Muslims is very
important as follows:
The Prophet Mohammed (saas) explains: "Muslims are siblings, they do not
hurt, wrong or afflict one another.”
(Bukhari and Muslim)
Don’t get
jealous of each other, don’t hold a grudge against each other, don’t say bad
things to each other, don’t turn your backs to each other, don’t gossip about
each other. Servants of Allah, be brothers. (Bukhari and Muslim; Hujjat al-Islam Al
Ghazali, Ihya al-Ulum
al-Din, vol. 3, p. 315)
The great
scholar Al Ghazali explains how the believers should approach each other in
these wise words:
... You should always approach them with the compassion that they expect from
you. You should see their good sides and ignore the bad ones. When they come to
you and talk to you, you should not turn your eyes away from them. (Ihya al-Ulum al-Din, p. 431)
Some of the sage advice of Al Ghazali …
"Don’t forget that Almighty Allah knows everything you think and say.
People see only the outside of each other, but Almighty Allah sees both the
inside and the outside of all. Those who know that will be careful with their
thoughts and actions. “
Al Ghazali gave the good news of the coming of
Hazrat Mahdi (as)
In his works
Hujjat al-Islam Al Ghazali explained in detail the qualities of Hazrat Mahdi
(as) who is to come in the End Times based on the hadith of the Prophet
Muhammad (saas) and heralded Muslims with the coming of Hazrat Mahdi (as).
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