A Moslem seeker after God : $b showing Islam at its best in the life and teaching of al-Ghazali, mystic and theologian of the eleventh century — Al-Ghazali — John Shaqi
A Moslem seeker after God : $b showing Islam at its best in the life and teaching of al-Ghazali, mystic and theologian of the eleventh century
Al-Ghazali · en
Of Al-Ghazali’s home life at Tus, and of his own family life afterwards,
we know next to nothing. His name Abu Hamid was doubtless given him
much later, and would seem to indicate that he had a son of that name
who probably died in infancy. We know that he married before he was
twenty and that at least three daughters survived him. Of his younger
brother, however, who died fifteen years after he did (1126), and was
buried at Kazvin, we know the following: He succeeded Al-Ghazali in the
professorial chair at the Nizamiyya School. Like him, he was a mystic
and preached his views with great eloquence as well as with a prolific
pen. We are told that he was a man of splendid appearance, and had the
gift of healing. So fond was he of public preaching that he neglected his
judicial studies. He wrote an abridgement of his brother’s great work,
and also a celebrated treatise on mysticism called _Minhaj al-albab_
(Path for Hearts), in which he deals with the advantages of poverty, and
advocates the wearing of a special garb by the dervishes. Another of his
books was in defense of music, called _Bawariq al-ilma_; but this was
considered frivolous by strict Moslems, although the Sufis used music to
produce the state of ecstasy.
Of Al-Ghazali’s mother we know nothing beyond the fact that she survived
her husband and lived to see both her sons famous at Bagdad, whither
apparently she accompanied or followed them. An interesting story is
told of how, when Abu Hamid was at the height of his fame at Bagdad, his
brother Ahmed not merely failed to show him proper respect, but acted
in such a manner as to discredit him in the eyes of the people. The
full account is worth giving. “He had a brother called Ahmed, surnamed
Jamal-ud-Din, or, as others say, Zain-ud-Din, who, notwithstanding the
high rank which his brother held, would not take part with him in the
prayers (_i. e._, would not recognize him as a man fitted to lead the
public prayers), even while thousands of the commonalty and nobility
arranged themselves in ranks behind him. So he complained to his mother
what he experienced at his brother’s hands, (saying) that it almost led
to people doubting him, seeing that his brother was celebrated for his
good conduct and piety, and he asked his mother to order him (Ahmed) to
treat him as other people did. He complained about this repeatedly, and
pressed his demand. His mother urged him (Ahmed) time and again to agree
to this, and he agreed on condition that he stand apart from the ranks.
The Imam accepted this condition, and when one of the appointed times of
prayer arrived, the Imam went to the Mosque, and the people followed him,
till, when the Imam began the prayer, and the people began it after him,
Jamal-ud-Din followed him in the prayer in the distance. And while they
were praying Jamal-ud-Din suddenly interrupted him. So this trial was
worse than the first; and when he was asked the reason (of his conduct)