Sirah: Brief History of Al-Ghazali – SS1 Islamic Studies Lesson Note (Third Term)

Al-Ghazali (1058-1111 CE) was a Muslim scholar and teacher from Tus, known as “Hujjat al-Islam”, meaning “Proof of Islam”.

Behavioural objectives

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

1. state Al-Ghazali’s full name, his birthplace and the years he lived;
2. describe his early life and education;
3. explain the crisis that made him leave his teaching post in Baghdad;
4. name his famous books and the four main parts of “Ihya Ulum al-Din”;
5. give reasons why Al-Ghazali is still important to Muslims today.

Who was Al-Ghazali?

Al-Ghazali was a Muslim thinker, teacher and writer who lived over 900 years ago, from 1058 to 1111 CE.

• Title “Hujjat al-Islam”: shows how much people respected him and his ideas.

What was the early life and education of Al-Ghazali?

Al-Ghazali grew up poor after his father died while he was young.

• Family background: before his death, his father asked a friend to teach his two sons.
• Brother: the friend taught Al-Ghazali and his brother Ahmad.
• Ability: Al-Ghazali was very bright and learned quickly.
• Aim: he wanted to learn all he could about Islam and to think deeply about big questions.

Where did he study?

1. Tus: he began his studies in his hometown.
2. Gorgan: he later studied there with more teachers.
3. Nishapur: he went there to learn more, and studied under the scholar al-Juwayni.

What work did Al-Ghazali do as a teacher?

Al-Ghazali became head teacher at the Nizamiyyah school in Baghdad when he was about 33 years old.

• The school: it was one of the best schools in the Muslim world at that time.
• Students: many students came to hear him teach.
• Islamic law (fiqh): the rules that guide Muslim life.
• Logic: the skill of thinking clearly.
• Religious understanding: a deep knowledge of the faith.
• Teaching style: he explained hard ideas in easy ways.

What was Al-Ghazali’s life crisis?

Al-Ghazali’s crisis was a period of deep doubt and unhappiness at about 38 years old, even though he was famous and successful.

What caused the crisis?

• Doubt: he began to ask if what he knew was really true.
• Wrong motive: he feared he was teaching to gain fame and not to help people find truth.

What happened because of it?

1. He became so upset that he fell ill.
2. He could not eat or speak well for almost two months.
3. He gave up his important post at the Nizamiyyah school.
4. He gave away most of his money.
5. He left Baghdad.

How did Al-Ghazali search for truth?

Al-Ghazali searched for truth by living as a simple traveller for about 10 years.

• Dress and life: he dressed like a poor traveller and lived simply.
• Places visited: Damascus, Jerusalem, Hebron and Mecca.
• Daily activities: he spent many hours praying, thinking and writing.
• Result: the time away from fame gave him peace.
• Lesson learnt: knowing facts was not enough, and truth had to be felt in the heart as well as understood by the mind.

What are Al-Ghazali’s most famous books?

Al-Ghazali’s three famous books are “Ihya Ulum al-Din”, “The Incoherence of the Philosophers” and “Deliverance from Error”.

What are the four main parts of “Ihya Ulum al-Din”?

1. Acts of worship: prayer, fasting and other duties to Allah.
2. Customs of daily life: how a Muslim behaves in everyday matters.
3. Things that destroy the soul: bad habits and feelings that harm the heart.
4. Things that save the soul: good qualities that bring a person closer to Allah.

• “Deliverance from Error”: shows how he weighed different ideas before finding his own path.

How did Al-Ghazali return to teaching?

After about 10 years away, Al-Ghazali went back to teaching with a changed purpose.

• New focus: he cared for his students’ hearts as well as their minds.
• Aim: to help people become better Muslims in how they lived, and not only in what they knew.
• Last years: he spent them in his hometown, Tus.
• Small school: he started one there for students who wanted knowledge and spiritual growth.

Why does Al-Ghazali matter?

Al-Ghazali matters because he changed how many Muslims understand and practise their religion.

1. Joined two approaches: some Muslims stressed following rules exactly, and others stressed loving God with the heart. He showed both are important.
2. Taught purity of heart: cleaning the heart of bad feelings is as important as praying correctly.
3. Accepted honest questions: doubt and questioning can lead to stronger faith, as his own story shows.
4. Wrote clearly: ordinary people could understand his writing, so more people learnt Islamic ideas.

How did Al-Ghazali die?

Al-Ghazali died in Tus in 1111 CE, aged about 53.

• Traditional account: on the day he died, he woke early, prayed and asked his family to prepare for his death.
• Manner of death: he died peacefully that same day.

What is Al-Ghazali’s lasting impact?

Al-Ghazali’s ideas still guide Muslims today and reached readers beyond the Muslim world.

• Translations: some of his works were translated into Latin and Hebrew.
• Other readers: Christian and Jewish thinkers read his work and were influenced by it.
• Study today: students still read his books, including in universities around the world.
• Faith and reason: his ideas on how they work together help people think about their own beliefs.
• Modern Muslims: they look to him to see how traditional beliefs still matter today.
• Doubt to faith: his own story speaks to people with questions about religion.
• Deeper understanding: he helped people move from following rules to knowing what the rules are for, which is living good lives that please God.

Evaluation

1. Write the full name of Al-Ghazali and say where he was born.
2. Why did Al-Ghazali leave his post at the Nizamiyyah school in Baghdad?
3. Name the places Al-Ghazali visited during his years of travel.
4. List the four main parts of “Ihya Ulum al-Din”.
5. Give two reasons why Al-Ghazali is still important to Muslims today.

Assignment

Write a short account of Al-Ghazali’s life, covering his early life, his crisis and his return to teaching. Then name his three famous books mentioned in this lesson and say what each one is about.