Letters of Al-Ghazzali

LETTERS
OF
AL-GHAZZALI
ABDUL QAYYUM
CONTENTS
Page
Preface vii-ix
Introduction 1
1. A letter to His Majesty Sultan Sanjar Seljuqi 20
2. A letter to His Excellency Nizamuddin Fakhrul Mulk 23
7. A letter to His Excellency Nizamuddin Ahmed bin
Ishaq bin ‘Ali Ibn Ishaq 44
8. A letter to His Excellency Shihab-ul-Islam 50
11. A letter to His Excellency Mujir-ud-Deen 58
14. A letter to His Excellency Mu'inul Mulk 74
15. A letter to His Excellency Sa'adat Khan 77
16. A letter to one of the Amirs 80
17. A letter to the Administrative Heads of All
Government Departments 85
18. A letter to Qazis of Maghrib-i-Aqsa 87
19. A letter to Khwaja Imam ‘Abbasi 95
20. A letter to Abul Hasan Mas'ud bin Muhammad bin
Ghanam 97
21. A letter to All the Prominent Theologians 100
(vi)
22. A letter to Khwaja ‘Abbas Khwarzam 101

23. A letter to Ibn-ul-‘Amil 102
24. A letter to whomsoever it may concern 106 PREFACE
25. A letter to Qadi Imam Sa’eed ‘Imadud-din
Muhammad Al-Wazzam 108
Imam Al-Ghazzali has related in one of his immortal works
26. A letter to all those who want to live a peaceful entitled Manqidh minad Dalal (Deliverer from Error) all that
and pious life 110 he endured in seeking to recover the truth from amidst the
confusion of sects with diverse ways and paths, till he finally
raised himself from the abyss of blind belief in the authority
to the height of discernment, where his entranced soul pierced
the veil of illusion and stood in the presence of Truth itself
and the light fell distinctly on his heart. This book is an
arresting collection of the Imam’s letters addressed to the
Saljuqi sovereigns, viziers, princes and the learned men of his
time including the famous chief minister Hasan b. ‘Ali, the
great Nizamul Mulk Tusi (the friend of ‘Umar Khayyam and
vizier successively to Sultan Alp Arslan and to his son
Jalaluddin Malik Shah) who was the most capable administra
tor, acute statesman, a liberal patron of letters and sincere
friend to men of letters. These epistles are being rendered
into English for the first time. In them is reflected a complete
self-realization of one of the most remarkable reformers of
his days who refused to bow before an immoral power. As
a young man he rebelled against formal religion yet he was
deeply religious. He gave his wise advise to kings, governors
and other government officials and brought down heavens of
wrath and invective upon exploiters, un-sympathetic rulers and
corrupt officials, political, ecclesiastical and others employing
improper use of power and position. He discovered that unless
he first reformed himself and got rid of certain spiritual ills
from which he himself was suffering, he could effectively
reform the rulers and common man and teach the basic
principles of a universal import, directing the evolution of
human society on a spiritual basis. That is why the hatred of
this world and love of the Lord forced him to renounce the
pomp and glory of the world, to become a wandering dervish
in search of truth, at a time when his worldly prospects were
brilliant as a Grand Mufti of the Saljuq empire and a famous
(viii) (ix)
without verbosity. Like all else he wrote on the subject of

professor of the Nizamiya College. Had he not dedicated his
mysticism. They are easy and vivid, showing a glowing zeal
life entirely to the service of the mankind, he could not have
for the improvement of the condition of the poor and for the
been bold enough to rebuke Muinul Mulk, one of the Saljuqi
viziers for drinking wine and mis-using the public money and welfare of his fellow-men.
leading a luxurious life. It is much to be regretted that in spite of selfless efforts,
Of course, the letters are a source of great interest as these it has not been found possible either to ascertain the qxact
dates, when these letters were written or traced out the places
deal with great contemporary events in history. That is why
from which they were addressed, though presumably several
our interest in these letters increases, when we find Al-Ghazzali
of them seem to have been written from his native town Tus
reprimanding the Saljuqi sovereigns and their ministers against
in Khurasan, to which place he had retired. It remains briefly
all compromises with corruption, nepotism, favouritism,
to describe the source from which the present book has been
injustice and bribery which were the main ills of the society
translated. The mass of Al-Ghazzali’s published correspon
in those days.
dence is enormous and lies scattered in Arabic and Persun
In one of these letters he speaks of the sad state of affairs books like Tabaqat-i-Shafi‘a. Majma‘ul Insha and Aasarul Wuzara ,
of the then existing human society (1120 A.D.) which seem to etc But the most important collection of h(s letters is obtainable
be appropriate for the modern age. in a Persian book entitled Faza’ilul Anam Min Rasa’il-i-Hujjatul
The cry of all the miserable and the lamentation of the Islam which ascribe of Al-Ghazzali’s own city and claiming close
helpers can no longer be heard by those administrating the relationship with him, selected and copied out in his old age.
affairs of the State. Will peace be on earth, while the poor I have throughout translated the full text of every letter as
people are working to feed the strong and fill the stomachs given in the authority from which it has been taken.
of the tyrants? Will studies for historical and mystical As, however, everyone of these twenty-six letters is
information. It has won its place among the Persian readers included in the oldest MS. now in the Constantinople
as a beautiful autograph portrait of Al-Ghazzali who by natural University Library, the reader is assured that the text of the
charm of his mysticism is as much alive for us today, as he original Persian letters is equally the oldest and, therefore, the
was to his disciples during his lifetime. His thoughts are most authentic version available.
universal and he will certainly live on and grow through the
centuries, as the impact of his genius increases with the passage
of time. There is no doubt that today’s striferidden world, full Abbottabad ABDUL QAYYUM
of deceit, prejudices and hypocrisy badly needs Al-Ghazzali’s
message of peace, love, selflessness and universal brotherhood.
In the matter of style there is no comparison between him
and his contemporaries, who being self-conceited endeavoured
to write in a style of turgid verbosity with the deliberate
intention of concealing their real feelings and motives. They
could not be generally understood, because instead of trying
to make difficult things easy of comprehension, they made
things, which were easy in themselves difficult, to be
comprehended by the manner in which they presented them.
The real charm of Al-Ghazzali’s letters is that they are
obviously frank and sincere, with nothing to conceal and
INTRODUCTION
In the name of God, the Most Merciful, the Most

Compassionate and blessings be upon Muhammad, the Prophet of
Allah and as well as on his family and his companions, who
led us forth from error!
Al-Ghazzali is a figure of such towering importance that

some detailed account of his life, doctrine and works must be
inserted in a book like this which professes to be a collection
of his selected letters;
Imam Abu Hamid Muhammad, Al-Ghazzali, the Shafi'ite
and Ash'ante, was born at Tus in Khurasan in 450 A.H. (1072
A.D.) about the time of Sultan Alp Arslan’s accession to the
Seljuq’s throne, and died at the age of fifty-five in the year
1127 A.D. at Tabaran, a village near Tus. The latter was m
ancient times one of the famous cities in Khurasan. It is today
little more than a village, but is well known for its association
with the famous poet Firdausi who died there in 1020 A.D.
Al-Ghazzali’s father himself was an illiterate person, but
appears to have been remarkably careful of his son’s education.
He used to spin wool and sell it in his shop. That is why the
family of Al-Ghazzali, is known as such, since its members were
the spinners of wool.
The father of Al-Ghazzali entrusted his two sons Al-
Ghazzali himself and his brother Ahmad to the care of a pious
sufi who taught them writing and educated them till the money
left by him was spent up. They were taught and brought up
in quite poor and humble conditions and it became impossible
for them to continue their studies.
Then says Al-Ghazzali, “Our teacher with whom we had
lived before, turned us out of his doors and we did not like
to be a source of burden to him, so we left his house.
Disappointed and disheartened we had to leave our hearth and
home and went to a college to learn jurisprudence so that we
Introduction 3
2 Letters of Al-Ghazzali
Thereafter he went to Nishapur to become a disciple of ‘Abdul
might gain our livelihood”. Malik Juraini widely known as ‘Abdul Malik Ma'ali Imamul
After staying in the college for some time Al-Ghazzali Haramairi, who was appointed as a Vice Chancellor of the well-
made for Jurjan where he learnt the fundamentals of the known Nizamiya University in Baghdad. He was the man who
current subjects at the feet of Nasr Al-Isma‘ili. While coming had a big say in the Government of the day. After teaching
back from Jurjan something happened that made life-long Al-Ghazzali for some time he left the country in consequences
impact on Al-Ghazzali. In these days, the life of a scholar was of Alp Arslan’s vizier Imadul Mulk at Kunduri’s having
beset with hardships and difficulties. Many students had set obtained the permission of his master to have curses
out, as a matter of course, on a journey of a thousand mile pronounced against the Ash'arites (to which sect both Al-
or more in quest of a teacher. Vast journeys from Spain to Ghazzali and Imamul Haramain belonged) from the pulpits
Mecca and from Baghdad to Morocco were undertaken by of Khurasan. To escape the curses Imamul Haramain went
young man who left their homes practically penniless to sit to Mecca and Medina, where he was held in the highest esteem
at the feet of a chosen master. as a great Imam who appeared on ceremonial occasions,
R.R. Nicholson says in his learned work ‘A Literary History attended by a numerous train of admiring disciples. He
of the Arabs’ that “it seemed as if all the world from the Caliph wielded a tremendous spiritual influence over the people.
down to the humblest citizen suddenly became students or at The great Nizamul Mulk exhorted himself on behalf of
least patrons of literature. In quest of knowledge men travelled the Ash’arites and the Nizamiya College; Baghdad which was
over three continents and returned home, like bees laden with designed to propagate the Ash'arite school of theology till he
honey, to impart the precious stores which they accumulated stamped it with the impression of his own powerful genius,
to crowds of eager disciples and to compile with incredible shaped its pattern and established it as the universal creed of
industry. Those works of encyclopaedic range and erudition orthodox Islam. Having learnt that things had settled down
from which modern science, in the widest sense of the word to a normal form and peace restored, Imamul Haramain came
had derived far more than is generally supposed” (pp. 21, 22). back to Baghdad, and Al-Ghazzali resumed his studies under
As he was coming back from Jurjan, his caravan was waylaid him. He learnt all available knowledge from his teacher, made
by robbers and in the loot he lost his very precious note-book. tremendous strides and completely hypnotised the Persian
The young scholar got so much agitated at the loss of his only mind with his intellectual superiority, till he outshone his own
“treasure” that he follows them to crave the return of his teacher. It is reliably reported that when Al-Ghazzali wrote
lecture-notes, “for which” said he “I left my home and which his book Mankhul and presented it to his teacher for his
contain my knowledge”. Thereat, the chief robber laughed and opinion about the work, Imamul Haramain exclaimed with
said, “How does thou pretend to have acquired the knowledge grief, when he read it thoroughly “Alas! you have eclipsed my
contained in them which we have snatched from thee, thou fame as a writer to such art extent that I feel as if I were
art robbed of thy knowledge and left knowledgeless?” dead”. At his death Imamul Haramain left several prominent
works and four hundred distinguished scholars as pupils, but
And thereafter, Al-Ghazzali, having recovered his note Al-Ghazzali surpassed them all. During the lifetime of his
book did not rest, till all their contents had been learnt and teacher he had become a mobile treasure-house of learning,
fully assimilated. His memory had become so prodigious now a legend, a living institution carving out a sure niche for
that he could repeat from his memory whatever he learnt in himself in the edifice of mysticism. He visited such places as
the books without making any mistake. Sometimes he could Damascus, Jerusalem, Cairo and Alexandria, which were
reproduce ten or eleven pages of a prose work over which highly flourishing cities in those days and were famous centres
he had cast one hasty glance, so that as he said, “should I of learning and culture. He also lectured and taught at these
again be robbed, I should not be deprived of my knowledge.”
4 Letters of Al-Ghazzali Introduction 5
places and his books and treatises on various subjects were One day as he was reading Nahjul Balagha a collection of
widely read and appreciated. Hazrat ‘Ali’s sermons, he came across these lines.
On the death of his teacher he set out for the camp-court “Let' me warn you that the things like wealth, power,
of the Seljuq monarch Malik Shah, son of the Sultan Alp pleasures which crafty impostors and knavish seducers have
Arslan, and presented himself to the Nizamul Mulk whose surrounded themselves with may not allure and tempt you
assembly was the alighting place of the learned and destination because life is like a shadow across the earth which before
of the leading divines and servants, and there he enjoyed the finally disappearing may lengthen for some time, but will
society of the principal doctors and rebutted his opponents ultimately fade away. Cast aside your vanity and remember
in matters of religious controversy despite their eminence. that he who humbles himself will be exalted and he who exalts
Thereafter, there were long sessions during which he debated himself will be crushed”.
brilliantly on such philosophical and religious subjects as life, His lofty soul recoiled from worldly vanities and the spirit
death, creation, prayers and evolution etc. of earnest loving for a solid rock on which to rest the weary
So the Nizamul Mulk was inclined to him and showed him soul, spoke to his heart, therefore, at the height of his
great respect and honour by appointing him a Professor in splendour, he renounced all pomp and power and suddenly
the Nizamiya College which he had founded at Baghdad disappeared from the midst of his companions in order to give
twenty-five years before the Norman Conquest of England. himself up to devotion and dervishhood and to seek a kingdom
of eternal tranquillity. This rigid attitude cost him heavily and
Al-Ghazzali became so powerful that no affair of the State shattered his nerves. Nevertheless it brought him closer to the
could be deemed settled without his approval. In recognition realities of life. He set out in the year 1905 A.D. for Hijaz.
of his great services to the cause of Islam, the Seljuq monarch On his return form the pilgrimage he journeyed to Damascus
Malik Shah is reported to have loged him in apartments in and stayed there for ten years in the minaret of the
the royal palace and fixed him handsome salary for being a congregational Mosque and composed several works of which
Mufti of the Seljuq empire. He honoured him with an.official Ihya’ul-'Ulum is said to be one. There he also devoted himself
robe, till his influence soon exceeded that of the Amirs and to worship and constant recitation of the Holy Qur’an and
viziers. Al-Ghazzali’s friend Allama ‘Abdul A'afir al-Farsi, dissemination of knowledge and shunned company of people.
Khatib of Nishapur described Al-Ghazzali “as the chief man Then after visiting Jerusalem and Alexandria, he returned to
in Baghdad, very rich, revered by the inhabitants and his home at Tus where he founded a university for training
surrounded by more than three hundred students who came and preparing scholars and revolutionaries who could provide
from all parts of the Muslim world to attend his lectures on the necessary guidance and leadership to the world of Islam.
Sufiism and theology. His fame has burst like the uncontrol The vizier Fakhrul Mulk, the son of Nizamul Mulk came to
lable light of the tropical sun on a mid-summer dawn. The
see him and urged him by eVery means in his power to accept
world is dazzled by it.” The same authority continued to
professorship in the Nizamiya College at Nishapur. It may not
describe him “as being possessed of extraordinary self-control,
be out of place to mention here that there were two Nizamiya
strict in the performance of his religious duties, secretive,
Colleges founded by Nizamul Mulk—one at Baghdad and the
harsh and stern and even proud of an exceedingly aggressive
and domineering manner when occasion arose, but at other other at Nishapur. Al-Ghazzali consented and his return to
times very generous even towards his foes.” public life took place in 1106 A.D. but after teaching for some
time resigned from the post and returned to end his days in
Thus Al-Ghazzali was riding the high tide of the world his native town. It was during this period of his stay at
fame and prominence, when something very spectacular Nishapur that a controversial question arose between him and
happened to give a new turn to his whole life.
Introduction 7
‘Omar Khayyam, the famous author of the Persian quatrains
who was one of Al-Ghazzali’s contemporaries and co-thinker him a shroud, and when it was presented to him, he kissed
in Persian. It is reported that one day as Ghazzali met ‘Omar it, and lying on his back wrapped himself in the shroud like
Khayyam, he was asked by the latter to give his opinion on a dead man, he uttered these words and breathed his last,
a point regarding the mysteries of the human soul. Al-Ghazzali “O my Lord, Thou art the Helper of the afflicted, the Reliever
explained that the human soul perceives things and perception of all distress, the Consoler of the broken hearted. Thou hast
is a quality which must exist in substance. It cannot exist by called me to Thyself, and I have come to Thee. Extend to
itself. As soul is not a body, it cannot be described and, me Thy forgiveness and mercy.”
therefore, it is named in the Holy Qur’an as “the Command
of God.” During his rich eventful life he proved a voluminous writer
and wrote some seventy books in number amongst which some
‘Omar Khayyam, who was extremely critical of the sufis are standard works on Tafsir, Hadith, Ethics, Theology,
refuted him saying that when the sufis cannot score a point, Philosophy, Logic, Divinity, Mysticism, Metaphysics and other
they resort to the quotations from the Qur’an which cannot sciences. The most important works are the following:-
satisfy a free thinker. Meanwhile the call of the Muezzin (to
prayer) came. Referring to the call of the Muezzin Al-Ghazzali (1) Ihya’ul ‘Ulurn al-Din (Revivification of the Science of
Religion).
recited the following verses from the Holy Qur’an, “Truth
hath come and falsehood hath vanished away, Lo! falsehood (2) Kimya-i-Sa'adat (Alchemy of Happiness).
is ever bound to vanish.” (Al-Qur’an, 17:81). (3) Al-Munkidh min al-Dalal (Saviour from Error).
When Al-Ghazzali returned to Tus after resigning his post (4) Tahafut al-Falasifah (Collapse of the Philosophers. A
at Nishapur, calligraphy was one of his chief interests. In those treatise designed to refute and destroy the doctrines of
days calligraphy was of a special significance, because printing Muslim Philosophers).
of books was not so common in the Seljuq empire. Men of
learning, poets and writers had to depend largely upon (5) Mizan al-‘Amal (a treatise on logic).
manuscripts-classical works as well as their own writings. Al- (6) Al-Mankhul (on Muslim scholasticism or Kalam).
Ghazzali showed special interests and talent in calligraphy (7) Al-Wajiz (learning on theology).
which was the main source of his income in the last days of
his life, he had, therefore, to labour very hard for the sake (8) Mihakk al-Nazar (on logic).
of his other dependents. He even provided free guidance to (9) Mi'yar al-‘llm (also on logic).
other calligraphists who took the privilege of coming to learn
(10) Maqasid al-Falasifah (a treatise on logic, natural
this art from him.
sciences, metaphysics etc.).
On the 14th Jumad-al-Ukhra (1127 A.D.) he died at
(11) Mishkat al-Anwar (a niche for lights).
Tabaran, a village near Tus and was buried there.
(12) Mikatib al-Ghazzali (Letters of Al-Ghazzali).
Quoting Imam Ahmad Ghazzali, (the younger brother of
Al-Ghazzali, who was also a prolific writer of an established But what has made the Imam immortal in his famous work
fame) Ibn Jauzi has related the following story about Al- Ihya’ul ‘Ulum (Revivification of the Science of Religion), full
Ghazzali’s death:-- of the jewels of wisdom and strewn with mystic and
philosophical interpretations, of life. This mystical work
He rose up early in the morning on Monday, performed
deserves to rank amongst the greatest works on sufism and
an ablution, and after offering his prayer, asked me to fetch
stands out as a classic in itself. “Muhaddith Zainuddin ‘Iraqi
is of the opinion that being a scholar of religion, Al-Ghazzali
has successfully attempted to condense and sometimes to heads and hearts, kneeling in the mosques with a countenance
explain the teachings of the Holy Qur’an and traditions in this expressive of the most perfect and peaceful piety, while their
immortal work, which is next to the Holy Qur’an and traditions hearts are swollen with greed."
is the last practitional book and the truest religion in “Woe to them who move their lips in prayers with pious
existence.” words while in actual practice they exploit the religious
Imam Nawawi commentator on Sahih Muslim, writes that susceptibilities of the followers. The meaning of true religion
“Nothing like this was written before and nothing like this has departed and the name remained, the substance has
would be produced afterwards.” Of this work it has been vanished, and the shadow has taken its place. He who knows
observed by Shaikh Abu Muhammad Karzoni that “if all the not the truth, pretends to possess it. The truth of religion has
modern libraries of the world containing standard books on been made false and falsehood has been ascribed to it, with
science, religion and arts are accidentally destroyed by fire and the inevitable result that the hypocrites have become scholars.”
fortunately the Ihya’ul ‘Ulum is left, all human knowledge and Some of the so-called theologians also held Al-Ghazzali
all sciences could be revived on the basis of the material responsible for his objectionable view about Imam Abu
contained in this book.” This book was written in Arabic and Hanifa’s works and they adduced some of his remarks included
was subsequently epitomised in a more popular and abridged in his book Al-Mankhul as a proof of this. In spite of the fact
form in Persian under the title of Kimya-i-Sa‘adat (Alchemy of that Al-Ghazzali strongly refuted this malicious charge in
Happiness) and it served as the text for a series of sermons Ihya’ul ‘Ulum, but they insist on levelling this charge.
which the author preached during the course of his The Al-Munqidhminal-Dalal by Al-Ghazzali is not of a large
wanderings and extensive travels in Syria, Palestine, Arabia size. One can take it along when going on a journey and grasp
and Egypt. The material contained in Ihya’ul ‘Ulum was being the meaning of each line, meditate upon the aim and purport
continually advertised by Al-Ghazzali’s enemies who wanted of life wondering at the insight and courage of the author,
to mis-represent him for their own selfish ends. They poisoned who had nine centuries before raised his voice in defence of
Sultan Sanjar’s mind against him by accusations of heresy, with reason and social justice, and freedom of thought. He sought
which they openly charged him saying “All the great the truth through sufism which was his last hope.
heresiarchs of this Ash’arite section have come from Tus. They
have unsettled the faith of the people by preaching danger- He carefully studied the writings of the mystics. As he read
hidden ideas among them, thereby weakening the foundations them, it became clear to him that now he was on the right
of society.” path. In November, 1905 a.d.. he left Baghdad and wandered
forth to Syria, where he found in the sufi discipline of prayer
Regarding this dispute between himself and his enemies, and meditation, the peace which his soul desired. Syed Amir
most of whom were mullas and maulvis, Al-Ghazzali has
‘Ali to whom we owe the best and the fullest life of Al-Ghazzali
expressed the following opinion in this book. “These Mullas
says in his learned work The Spirit of Islam that Al-Ghazzali
and Maulvis who call themselves religious leaders deceive and
propounded a scheme of life which he considered formed the
exploit the ignorant masses. They amuse themselves with
true path (Tariqat) to the ultimate goal “the attainment of
selfish ends that blind their eyes and hearts to life’s secrets.
nearness to Al-Mighty God” and final peace in the beautific
They neither understand the law of God, nor comprehend the
vision. His enunication about all nature and all existence, being
true intent of veritable religion. They speak evil of one
the direct creation of God, Al-Mighty is but an echo of what
another. One of them slaps the face of another, then kicks
is told in the Holy Qur’an. He divides creation into two
him and plucks his bread. Perhaps you have seen some of them
categories, i.e. the vision and the invisible. The visible world
who are beyond forty or fifty years of age, with venerable
(‘Alamul Mulk) is the world of matter and subject to the law
Introduction 11
Takhayyul or imagination, tafakkur or reflection,- tadakkur
of evolution, change and growth. The invisible world or recollection, hafiza or memory and hiss-i-mushtarik or a
imperceptible to human sense, he divides into two sub common sense. Animals though they possess some of these
categories; first the 'Alamul Jabarut which stands between pure faculties, have no reasoning power which is called ‘aql or the
matter and pure spirit but partakes of the character of the intellect and thus he is distinguished from animals. The
both. The forces of nature belong to this category. His idea intellect is the cause of human progress. If a man enjoys the
of the purely spiritual world (Al-‘alamul Malakut) form the most gift of nature in its perfection, he realizes the ultimate realities
interesting part of this theory. The ‘AlamulMalakut is the realm and rises to the rank of angels. But if his soul is overcome
of “Ideas”. The human soul belongs to this world. by passion and lust, his intellectual activity is weakened and
gradually he sinks to the level of animals. Life, therefore, is
It comes as a spark from its original home and on the
a constant struggle for the candle to keep its flame continuous
separation from the earthly body, it flies back to the region
by burning or for the drop to attain pearl-hood. Man can be
whence it came. This is the meaning of Qur’anic declaration:
properly apprehended as a living force, possessing rights and
“We come from God and unto Him we return”. (Al-Qur’an,
duties only in the social organism to which he belongs. Unique
2: 156).
individuals must constitute a unique society—a society which
Al-Ghazzali believed that the perceptible universe “has no possesses a well-defined creed and has the capacity to enlarge
more reality than a shadow cast by the sun.” its limits by example and persuasion. Such society according
The real pessimist sees too much of one thing, and the to Al-Ghazzali is Islam. Hence his ideas on the individual and
optimist is too likely to see, of perhaps not to see at all. “I collective ego are based on the Qur’anic conception of a
cannot trust the evidence of my sense” says he, “the eye sees perfect Muslim individual and the Islamic society. Islam
a shadow and declares it to be without movement; or as a demands loyalty to God, not to thrones. Al-Ghazzali was of
star, and deems it no longer than a piece of gold. If the senses the view, as explained by him in some of these letters, that
thus deceives may not the mind do likewise?” the king is a shadow of God upon Earth in whom all his
subjects must take refuge and be protected. The land and
“Perhaps our life is a dream full of phantom thoughts every thing which exists over or under it is the property of
which we must take for realities until the awakening comes God and that the position of a man is merely that of a trustee.
either in movements of ecstasy or at death." Although Islam considers private ownership a trust, it does
Al-Ghazzali bases his doctrine on God as the Holy Qur’an not allow capital to accumulate so as to dominate the real
declares it, “He began the creation of a man from dust. He producer of wealth. Islam recognises the worth of the
then made his progeny from an extract of water held in light individual, but disciplines the ’haves’ to surrender and give
estimation, then he made (his body) complete and He breathed away as trustees to the service of ‘have nots’. Islam wants to
into him of His spirit” (Al-Qur’an, 32: 7, 8, 9). According to create a new world, where the social rank of a man is not
Al-Ghazzali the real self is connected with the body through determined by his caste or colour or the amount of dividend
the spirit which is subtle vapour-like substance spreading all he earns but by the kind of life he lives, where the poor tax
over the body. There are two hearts, one the centre of the the rich, where human society is found not on the quality of
body which keeps up the circulation of the blood, the other, stomachs but on the quality of spirits. Wealth, reputation and
the centre and the source of spiritual activity. Both are called power are alike unsatisfactory when they are attained, alike
Qalb in Arabic. The spiritual Qalb possesses the qualities of insufficient to contend the heart of man, which is ever
will power and knowledge and these are manifested by the discontented till it has found its rest. Thus it finds in the
faculty of Idrak or apprehension. The five mental faculties prospect of immorality and cultivation of ecstasy by auto
are:--
Introduction 13
Virtue is likeness to God and classified into practical and
hypnotic methods and feels itself inspired to such an extent
intellectual. The aim is to turn from the world to God. By
that its existence is lost in God. The search for a purely
spiritual contemplation, man is elevated to the eternal bliss till
psychological foundation of humanity becomes possible only
he forgets his limited self and sees the ideal beauty in higher-
with the perception that all human life is spiritual in its origin
self. It is communion with the Supreme Beauty and is eternal
and that the blood relationship which is earth rooted, should
happiness. Practical virtue is good conduct and the intellectual
be eliminated as a basis of human society. The least example
virtue leads man to salvation. The seeker of truth by “intense
of the Islamic Government is provided by the Holy Prophet inwardness” and communion with God can rise by successive
himself (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) in whom stages of exaltation to a state when he can actually have a vision
all virtues and perfected; the next is illustrated by the rule of the Divine Essence. The first step for the motivate is to
of the first four successors of the Holy Prophet (peace and form the niyyat (the resolve and intention) then comes tauba
blessings of Allah be upon him) the third is that of a prince, (penitence and renunciation). He is now on the forward path,
who follows the sunnah; and the fourth, if such a single person this stage is called mujahada (probation or striving). After a
is not found is the rule of a number of wise and pious men prolonged probation the soul presents itself in absolute
in co-operation and harmony. Explaining things further Al- surrender to God and abandonment of the world and all its
Ghazzali states that a tyrannical government tries to subjugate vanities and impurities. The next is “the uplifting of the veil .
a country for its own pleasure and the pleasure of those (M. Mukashafa) when the veil which curtained off the unseen
constituting it, oppressing the people and appropriating the is lifted and God becomes revealed to the worshippers, heart;
land at its own discretion. He further advises that a the last stage is the vision mushahada when the soul actually
government may be kept in order by concord and unity among stands in the presence of Truth itself. Even in the primary
citizens and dissensions among its enemies. In order to stage, the psychological effort to concentrate all thought on
maintain such harmony, equilibrium should be maintained one subject causes the disciple (murid) to see visions, hear the
among the different classes of people. He also held the view voices of angels and prophets and gain guidance from them.
that the true kings, princes, viziers and Amirs are known by Life is a forward assimilative process and its essence is the
three signs: “Their thought is of God, their dwelling is with continual creation of desires and ideals. The human ego has
God and their business is in God”. a definite mission on the earth in two main directions. In the
According to Al-Ghazzali men are classified into: first place, it has to struggle with environment and to conquer
it. By this conquest it attains freedom and approaches God,
(1) Those who are sunk in the darkness of the material
Who is the most free individual. In the second place, the ego
world;
has to maintain a constant state of tension and thereby attain
(2) Those who are above the material world and inclined immortality. By attaining freedom and immortality the ego
towards the spiritual purity and are called virtuous and conquers space on the one hand and sometimes on the other.
(3) Those who are divine and perfect. The ego has to help in the march of humanity by leading to
the birth of a higher type of man, namely the superman or
The same division is found in the Holy Qur’an: the perfect man who is the ideal to which all life aspires. The
You shall be of three kinds; following factors and forces fortify the human ego or
(1) The foremost, who are drawn near (to God) in the personality:
gardens of bliss; (1) Love
(2) The companions of good luck or right hand and (2) Faqr
(3) The companions of ill-luck or left hand.
(3) Courage thinking and acting of human beings is an utterly insignificant

(4) Tolerance reflection. Robert Southey believed that “Religion is the one
thing needful without it, no one can be truly happy; with it,
(5) Kasb-i-halal
no one can be entirely miserable; without it this world would
(6) Original and creative activity. be a mystery too dreadful to be borne.”
The sufis af firm that the knowledge of God is vouchsafed The times of Al-Ghazzali were not favourable for studies.
to them by reason, a gift of the Creator. Does not the Holy The crusades disturbed even the quiet cloisters of bowling
Qur’an constantly appeal to human reason and human greens of Damascus and Jerusalem produced violent changes
intelligence “to reflect, to consider, to speculate” about God’s in the government and unsettled the minds of the students
creation and the mysteries of nature? Had the Qur’an and yet not with studying these unpromising circumstances,
condemned the exercise of reason, would it have exhorted the it was in these two cities that Al-Ghazzali got ample
people to whom it spoke, to look at the marvels of nature opportunities of perfecting his knowledge in various subjects,
and draw their own conclusions whether this wonderful world which is extremely astonishing indeed.
was a creation of accident, or was brought into existence by
The great Imam with the force of his learning and
an all-pervading spirit “which sleeps in the stone, dreams in
leadership made the Muslims once again confident of their
the animal, and wakes in the man.”
destiny as the chosen people of God. His Mysticism did not
Dr. Allexis Earrel, a Nobel Laureate in Physiology regrets border on the renunciation of temporal activities. No doubt,
that “despite the marvels of scientific civilization human he resigned from his post as a Professor in the Nizamiya
personality tends to dissolve." He suggests that "Liberation of College and also that of the Grand Mufti but he did not get
man from the materialistic creed would transform most of the divorced from the world itself. Rather he decided to reform
aspects of our existence.” He goes on to assert that by prayer the world and make it a better place to live. He discovered
“human-beings seek to augment their finite energy by that the social and political life of the Muslims had become
addressing themselves to the infinite source of all energy, i.e. so stagnated and rotten that a complete overhaul was needed.
the in-exhaustible motive-power that spins the universe.” The pristine Islamic thought was covered with the cobwebs
Scientists like Sebrodinger. Rhine, Burns and a host of others of alien philosophers and it had become necessary to separate
regard science as comparatively less important means of access truth from falsehood.
to ultimate reality and suggest that religious insight holds the
The Muslims were to be saved from doubts and deviations,
key to the knowledge of reality.
therefore, he launched his scheme for wholesale reform. He
“The universe” says Sir James Jeans “looks more like a needed an ideologically motivated team of devoted workers
great thought than like a great machine. It was created by which he fortunately found in a large number of his disciples
a being with a mind and it is a thought in the mind of such like Imam Abu Tahir Ibrahim, Qadi Abu Nasr Ahmed Bin
a being.” “God”, snid Dr. Whitehead “is the tangible fact at ‘Abdullah, Abu Mansur Sa’id bin Muhammad who purified the
the base of finite existence”. “Science without religion” said society on the one hand, and on the other ran the affairs of
Einstein “is lame”. A contemporary has said not unjustly that the state on true Islamic lines. Thus before his death, Al-
in this materialistic age of ours the serious scientific workers Ghazzali had already done more than necessary to awaken the
are the only profoundly religious people. The religious feeling sleeping conscience of the Muslims’ world, and bring about
of a Scientists takes the form of rapturous amazement at the a pleasant revolution both in the thought and action of the
harmony of the natural law, which reveals an intelligence of faithful. The exalted idealism which breathes in the teachings
such superiority that compared with it all the systematic of Al-Ghazzali, did not only inspire the actions of his
contemporaries but during the century following his death, it appreciation of beauty which means perfection and good.
also modelled the lines of the noblest men in Islam. Sovereigns Things have either reached their maximum perfection or are
like Salahuddin Ayyubi (the Saladin of European history) and yet imperfect strivings after perfection. The imperfect
heroes like Nuruddin Zangi found in it their guiding star. naturally seek the help of the perfect to become perfect. This
There is no doubt that the Muslims of Spain and North striving is named love in mysticism. The whole universe is
Africa had a share in the development of the Medieval moved by the same power of love towards the one Supreme
European Arts, Science and Philosophy. Nor is there doubt Beauty, the most perfect, the most good. In the human breast
that men of Europe such as Eckhart Thomas Aquinas and there is love—the love of one Supreme Beauty. It is in this
Dante among the ancient and Spinoza among the moderns aspect of human aspiration that the thoughts of the East and
were indebted to Muslim thinkers. In those days mysticism was West meet on common grounds, as if the human mind, in
the common ground where medieval Christianity and Islam longing to reach its original source works on the fundamental
touched each other most nearly. The fact is founded in history. and common principle of love. The peculiar features the
In philosophy European thinkers of the medieval period European and non-European, American and non-American
became indebted to Avicenna, Al-Ghazzali, Averroes and other vanish in the admiration and love of one Supreme Beauty.
Muslim thinkers, whose works are studied with eagerness in One nation is like all other nations, because the people are
the European and American Universities these days. The made of the same element every where and do not vary except
benefits conferred by the nobler type of idealistic philosophy in their exterior appearance which is of no consequence. The
are too great to be ignored. The idealism of Averroes West is not higher than the East, nor is the West lower than
developed in Europe the conception of universal Divinity, as the East. Rites and creeds count for little with God, Who dwells
a result of which Christian Europe owes its outburst of neither in mosque nor church, nor temple, but in pure heart.
subjective pantheism and its consequent emancipation from the All mystics whether in Europe or in Asia or America sing the
materialism of a mythological creed to the engrafting of same song of loving for the beloved. And poets like Sana’i,
Muslim idealism on the western mind. It was the influence ‘Attar and Jalal-ud-Din Rumi have given fervent expression
of Averristic writing that attracted the attention of reflecting to that universal Divine love which pervades nature from the
people to the problem of the connection between the world lowest type of creation to the highest and their idylls are
of matter and mind and revived the conception of all regarded by many Muslims with a respect only less than that
pervading spirit. Had it not been due to the influence of the entertained for the Holy Qur’an. Different nations belonging
Arab thinkers and philosophers the Renaissance in Europe to the different religions of the world appear to be different,
might have been delayed for centuries. Before concluding Al- but in reality they are one. There may be differences in detail,
Ghazzali’s biographical ketch it may not be out of place here in languages, in expressions, in descriptions, but in the main
to mention one of his most important doctrines. He believed principles, all are united, as drops of one ocean or fingers
that Islam’s great message is the unity of God and the of one hand. All are seekers of Al-Mighty God and the ways
fraternity of human-beings. It has caused the fusion of races leading to Him are many but He is One. Therefore, according
and abolished distinctions of caste and colour. Racial to Al-Ghazzali, if one is sincere in his intention, he will find
superiority and social rank are foreign to it. It has taught the Him. The essentials thing is a complete moral transformation
fraternity in its true sense. All those who adhere to these only to be wrought by ardent faith and humble prayer. God
principles in theory and practice can be called true Muslims, says in the Holy Qur’an: “Those who believe (Muslims) and
in whatever else they may differ and not agree. It was Al- those who are Jews and the Christians and the Sabians,
Ghazzali who elaborated the idea of evolution through the whosoever believes in God and the last day and does good
deeds, they shall have their rewards from their Lord and there
Introduction 19
will be no fear for them, nor they shall grieve.” (AI-Qur’an,
2:62) The idea of the good is co-eternal with Divine love. It is to continue to capture the hearts of mankind, its future will
is the idea of all ideas, itself unmoved but moves all things have to be based on the true principles of the fatherhood of
and all things move towards it. It manifests itself in all ideas. God and the brotherhood of man—a religious truth which will
In other words all particulars are derived from their universal exercise a profound influence upon the future history of
and universal from the single idea of the God which should Islamic thought. Islam may lead the whole world, provided
be sought and known. It has also been laid down in another the vast moral and philosophical treasure lying hidden in
passage of the Holy Qur’an: “Thou wilt find the most Arabic and Persian is translated, commented upon and
vehement of mankind in hostility to those who believe (to be) explained in English and other important European languages.
the Jews and the idolaters. And thou wilt find the nearest of When we have tried all ways to happiness, there is no such
them in affection to those who belieVe (to be) those who say: thing to be found but in a mind devoted to love, freedom
Lo! We are Christians. That is because there are among them and disinterestedness or supreme indifference towards the
priests and monks and because they are not proud. When they acquisition of material comforts. If Sufism has always been
listen to that which had been revealed unto the messenger thou thoroughly absorbing and transmuting in the past, there is no
seest their eyes overflow with tears, because of their cognition reason why it should not gain adherents in future amongst
of the truth: “They say our Lord, we believe, inscribe us as men of the most opposite views. There is no doubt that if
among the witnesses.” (Al-Qur’an, 5: 85, 86) Advising the they would carefully read and meditate upon the following
humanity to hold fast to the cable of Allah, the Holy Qur’an passage of the Holy Qur’an, they would be contended with
says further, “And hold fast all of you together; to the cable the wholly positive results:—
of Allah and do not separate. And remember Allah’s favour
unto you: how ye were enemies and He made friendship “I have breathed into him (man) of My spirit. Verily We
between your nearts so that ye became as brothers by His have created man and We know what his souls suggests
grace; and how ye were upon the brink of an abyss of fire to him, for we are nigher unto him than his jugular vein.”
and He did save you from it. Thus Allah maketh clear His (Al-Qur’an, 50: 16)
revelations unto you that haply you (ye) may be guided." (Al-
Qur’an, 3:103). In other chapter of the same Book it has been
Abdul Qaiyyum
painted out on un-mistakable terms that it is to the devotional
state of the mind, that the Searchers of the spirit books, “it
is not the flesh or the blood of that which ye sacrifice, which
is acceptable to God; it is your piety which is acceptable to
the Lord” (Al-Qur’an, 22:37) “It is not righteousness”,
continues the Holy Qur’an “that ye turn your faces in prayer
towards the East or the West, but righteousness is of him who
believeth in God: Who giveth money for God’s sake unto his
kith and unto orphans and the needy and the stranger and
those who ask and for the redemption of captives, who is
constant at prayer and giveth alms and of those, who perform
their covenant, whom they have covenanted and who behave
themselves patiently in hardship and in times of violence, these
are they who are true”. (Al-Qur’an, 2:177). If Islamic Sufism
Letters of Al-Ghazzali 21
You should know that by now I am fifty-three years old.

Forty years of may life have been spent in the various peaceful
haunts of famous scholars and learned men under whom I
(1) studied, till I was raised to such a rank that people began to
know me and understand the change in my ideas. For twenty
years I lived in the reign of Royal father who did all what
To His Majesty Sultan Sanjar Seljuqi he could to make both Isfahan and Baghdad the most
flourishing cities of the world. On several occasions I served
as an ambassador on behalf of your father to the court of
In the -name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate.
the ‘Abbasid caliph Muqtadar Billah and did all that was
May God bless you with the dominion and grant you a possible to remove certain misconceptions between the Seljuq
kingdom of heaven before which the kingdom of the whole Empire and the ‘Abbasid Caliphate. I am an author of seventy
world stands insignificant. The borders of the earthly kingdom books. For several years I lived and preached at Mecca and
cannot extend beyond the East and West. Generally speaking Jerusalem, and when I visited the tomb of the Prophet Ibrahim
the average life of a man on this planet cannot cross the age at Jerusalem (peace be upon him) and offered fatiha at his
limit of a hundred years or so. The kingdom of heaven is mazar, I solemnly pledged that:
so vast that the whole world seems to be dust particle in (1) I shall neither attend the court of a king, nor receive
comparison to it. anything of the nature of an emolument from the
May it please your most excellent Majesty, I realise that Governments in any shape whatsoever, since such
for an ambitious man it is very hard to lead a pious life. As circumstances would lessen the worth of any services
I find you very honest and careful, I would have you do this to the people.
out of wisdom and kindness to your self. Our Holy Prophet (2) I will not get myself entangled in anything which
(peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) has said; “A day provokes religious controversies. For the last twelve
spent in administering justice by a God-fearing monarch is years I have been solemnly faithful to the pledge I
equal to sixty years spent by a holy man in devotion and made at the tomb of Hadrat Ibrahim (peace be upon
prayers.” If you would ponder over the nature of this world, him). Now I have received an urgent message from
it would appear dreadfully contemptible. Some of the mystics your Majesty asking me to attend your court. In
have said: “If this world could be likened to a picture (made compliance with your orders, therefore, I have
of gold) which is instable and frail and the next world could journeyed to Mashhad Rada en-route to the capital,
be compared to a pitcher (made of earth) which is unbreakable but as an after-thought and in view of the aforesaid
and ever-lasting, the wise men would certainly prefer the latter religious pledge to which I have bound myself, I have
to the former. made up my mind to cancel the proposed visit. Only
I beseech your Majesty to consider the right I have
As a matter of fact the reality is quite otherwise. This
in fulfilling a religious pledge and that I may not
world is a pitcher made of earth, while the next is a pitcher suffer only because I have been honest.
made of gold. Would you not condemn the folly in a man
who holds that the former is superior to the latter. If you If I may undertake to counsel, I think you shall do well
like a good life and fix your dearest hopes on Heaven, a day to refrain from forcing me to attend your court, nor could
of your life would be worth sixty years spent by others in you like it in me if I do attend in violation of the pledge.
worship, and God would certainly open to you sources of It would make me unworthy of your esteem. And now in my
happiness to which you are a stranger. last words I humbly beseech your Majesty to be pleased to
allow me to return to my native town Tus, for which act of

extreme kindness God will reward you with inexhaustible
bounties both here and hereafter, and raise you in the next
world to the rank of Sulaiman the great, who was a prophet (2)
as well as a famed king.
Your Majesty’s humble servant, To His Excellency Nizamuddin
Al-Ghazzali. Fakhrul Mulk
In the name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate.

Be it known that the Battering titles conferred on men
are a devilish invention and as such are improper for a pious
Muslim to accept. Our Holy Prophet has said:
“I as well as the humble and God-fearing men of jny
community hate the titles and high-sounding appellations. It
is very important, therefore, that one must know the real
meaning lying hidden in the word ‘Amir’. One who has the
virtues of a true 'Amir' both inwardly and outwardly is an Amir
even if the people do not call him as such and the one who
lacks these qualities is no an Amir, even though the entire world
may call him an Amir. According to the strict letter of Islam,
the Amir is the one who rules with absolute authority over his
lusts and passions. The forces under his command belong to
the various categories as laid down in the Holy Quran.—
“And none knoweth the hosts of thy Lord but He. (Al
Qur’an), 74:31) There are three chiefs responsible for the
discipline and maintenance of these forces one is lust which
misdirects one to unhealthy and immoral activities--the second
is anger which incites a man to murder and the third is greed
involving dishonesty and corruption. If these chiefs could be
presented in a material form, the fust would assume the form
of a pig, the second that of a dog and the third one that of
a devil.
Mankind is divided into two classes. The first one consists
of those who control these three chiefs forcing them to
surrender to their will. Such meh are kings and Amirs though
they appear in rags to the naked eye. The second category
consists of those persons who cannot but obey and surrender
24
Letters of Al-Ghazzali
to the wiH of these three masters. They are obstinate fools
who call the slaves of the passions and lust as kings, Amir and he cometh unto it and findeth it naught, and fmdeth in
the place there of Allah, who payeth him his due.” (Al-
vtziers. They would mislead you to believe that the light is
darkness, a thorn a rose and a howling desert a garden- They Qur’an, 24: 39).
doubt the integrity of one who holds that this world is a fast Of course it is very difficult for every ignorant and idle
fading shadow and that the creation is divided into two specimen of humanity to understand these things properly,
categories viz. the visible and invisible. The visible world therefore, I shall endeavour to make them easy of
(Alam-t-Sura) is the world of matter and is subject to the law comprehension by giving them an example. You must
of evolution to change and growth. The invisible world have seen the wonderful performance of whirlwind which
(Alamul-Malakut) is the spiritual world. The human soul is a mass of air moving rapidly round and round in a
belongs to this world whatever we see in the visible world is cylindrical or tunnel shape till it reaches a great height.
-nothing in reality though one perceives its existence. Different You think that it is the visible particles of the dust that
is the case of the spiritual world. The senses cannot perceive have set the whirlwind into motion. You cannot see the
it to exist whereas it does exist. The true believer sees with invisible wind which is the real mover and hence you err in
his spiritual d1scernment that which the surface investigator forming your opinion. In this example, the wind is being based
cannot see with ocular vision and he understands through his on not being and the particles of the dust are “not being” based
insight that which the superficial observer fails to catch a on “being”.
glimpse. Man sees the true state of things at the time of his
A better example culled from man’s body and soul would
death, when the veil is lifted up and the world looks like
further explain things to the satisfaction of the intelligent
something turned upside down. What appeared “to be” a
readers. The soul is “being” based on “not being”, since nobody
moment ago vanishes in an instant and what does not appear can exercise control over it, and every body is placed under
“to be” takes a permanent shape and makes itself felt. Placed its control. Obviously the human body is “not being” based
in such strange surroundings man would shout “O my Lord! on "being”. It is the soul that causes the body to move and
How I marvel at what I see!” A Divine voice will cry: “Thou act. We can see the thing moving, but not the mover. The
wast in heedlessness of this. Now We have removed from thee sensible world is a shadow and an imperfect image of the
they covering; and piercing is thy sight this day.” (Al-Qur’an intelligible mind and worldly virtue and vice are stages in the
50: 22) ’ development of the soul in attaining harmony, entangled as
Man would pray: it is in the world. If you care to think more deeply, you will
arrive at the conclusion that in all things He had wonder which
Our Lord! We have now seen and heard, so send us back: shows that He is One. Let us go a step further and we find
we will do right, now we are sure” (Al-Qur’an, 32:12) and that this very fact can be explained more appropriately by
the voice would reply: giving the example of Sustainer of universe Whose Presence
“Did not We grant you a life long enough for him to be is reflected in every particle, but He is Invisible. As all separate
mindful who would mind? And the warner acme unto you. intelligence, so all individual souls are embraced by the
Now taste (the flavour of your deeds) for evil-doers have universal soul. They are all same, because all are offshoots
no helper.” (Al-Qur’an, 35:37) of the same universal soul, yet distinct in individuals. Bodies
Again a Divine voice would address him thus: are formed by nature, the world-spirit which through energy
is the direct cause of shape, bulk quantity and quality of
“As for those who disbelieve, their deeds are as a mirage matter. Nature is the sum-total of all energies in the world
in a desert. The thirsty one supposeth it to be water till and assumes various forms made active by the reflection of
the Real. The soul is not in the body but the body is in the
called virtuous. They are some few and live in every age. They
26 Letters of Al-Ghazzali are saved by faith and are guided by ever helping grace.
(3) Those who know not the truth and pretend to possess
soul. Man’s real ego is pure, without motion or consciousness it, those who have the truth much upon their tongues, but
of the worldly objects never separated from its higher self and deny it with their acts. They want to secure a high place in
remains a faded form of the universal Soul. The Supreme this world with pretence of piety and holiness. Such wretched
Being, formless, attributeless, above goodness, above life, people who follow the dicutes of world pleasures will
above thought, motionless, neither increasing nor decreasing eventually perish and seal their doom in the next world. An
is yet the true source of all existence. He shines everywhere example will explain my point. Suppose a patient is suffering
and every thing is the reflection of Him. The distinction is from a serious disease and his health hangs upon the choice
caused by the successive stages of reflection and every lower of an expert doctor, but instead of a specialist, he turn for
state is comparatively a weak reflection turning to its higher his cure to a physician who neither understands the nature
for illumination. There is a divine ground in the human soul of his disorder nor knows how to prescribe a suitable
through which there can be a birth into newness of life and prescription, though apparently he professes to be an authority
a direct partaking of Eternity. The spiritual goal of life is the on medicine. Do you think that such a doctor would not kill
feeling of indwelling of God in man, in the unseen depths his patient? People who belong to the third category can be
of his spirit, where he sinks himself into the Divine Abyss. safely compared to such doctors who are devils in disguise.
When God finds a person simply and nakedly turned toward Armed with pretention and hypocrisy they kill innocent
Him, He bends down in the depths of pure soul and draws persons. The devil himself was one of such doctors, who
him up into His own uncreated essence so that the spirit declared on the authority of a little knowledge which he
becomes one with Him who is above vision and knowledge.
possessed:—
It is an inner living love which brings the soul back to its true
“I am better than Adam. Thou created me of fire, while
sources and into union with God Who Himself is love. Such
him Thou didst create of clay.” (Al-Qur’an, 7: 12).
things as the theory of emanation, ascetic life contemplation,
ecstasy, devotion, vanity of all earthly pleasures are meant for Those who are lost in the passions and lusts of the worldly
the men of pure habits, possessed of a religious and speculative life and rebel against the will of God are the disciples of an
turn of mind, but they could not make themselves understood successions to the Devil. God says in the Holy Qur an.—
by the illiterate masses. Men of pure habits know their own “Lo as for My slaves, thou hast no power over any of the
true worth and reason is their light and their beacon of truth, them." (Al-Qur’an, 15: 42).
so that by its light they do not only worship God but also see
themselves in their weakness and strength. Blessed are they Those who indulge in the variety of amusements that the
upon whom He has conferred the blessings of Reason. A world makes available and waste their life by doing sinful acts
number of nations have perished because He did not give them are the disciples of and successors of the Devil. God says:-
knowledge and they were involved in throat-cut competition “Lo! the devil is an enemy for you so treat him as enemy.
which eventually led them to their destruction. Men are He only summoneth his faction to be owners of the blazing
classified into:— fire” (Al-Qur’an 35:6). I most humbly beseech you, sir, to put
in your best efforts in following the dictates of the Almighty
(1) Those who are ignorant and have no freedom of
God and severing your relations with men who are taken to
thought and speech,, they are chained by customs and
worldly lusts and vanities, for perfect detachment from gods
traditions and do not know how to follow the light of their
involves perfect attachment to God; in mystical language it
own minds or the dicutes of their own conscience. These
implies union with God through love. This is the doctrine that
people will attain eternal salvation, thought their ranks will
not be high.
(2) Those who are wise, above the material world and are
inspires all religious and ethical sufism. If you tread the path
of sufism, it will give a new turn to your whole life and lead
you to the regions of eternal happiness. By spiritual
contemplation you will be elevated to the eternal bliss till you
will forget your limited self and see the ideal Beauty in higher
(3)
self.
I, therefore, exhort you to live the ascetic life and fear To His Excellency Nizamuddin
God and lay upon a store of good works against the day of
Reckoning. If you find any difficulty in understanding Fakhrul Mulk
mysticism, read my book Kimiya-i-Sa’adat which will direct you
to the right path and give you at least a fair chance of making
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
use of the talents with which God has endowed you. Besides,
you should also learn the rules of discipline and devotion from May God keep you alive and make it possible for you to
a spiritual guide whose guidance you should accept free yourself from your own worldly entanglements. Allah has
ungrudgingly and seek refuge with Allah Who will certainly said:
save you from the evil of the devil. “You should not forget your own share in the worldly
Your Excellency’s humble servant, wealth” (AI-Qur’an, 28: 77). This means that you should lay
upon a store of good works against the day of Reckoning,
Al-Ghazzali. because all men are travellers who have to perform their
journey through a valley where they have to stagger and slip
and where at every step there are so many dangers. How I
marvel at those pilgrims en-route to the Ka'ba staying at
Baghdad and amusing themselves with wine and sinful objects
of extravagance. This will not take them to Ka’ba, where they
want to go, but instead of that, lead to endless suffering and
misery. The fear of God is the least store that one could lay
up against the day of Reckoning, and it is based upon the
following:--
(1) Respecting and following the dicutes of God;
(2) Being kind to humanity.
Grave consequences would not follow if a king entrusts
the office of a minister or that of an executive officer to an
inefficient person, but it would be disastrous if he appoints
an undesirable man against a post relating to judiciary, since
an executive job or ministership is intended to run the affairs
of worldly institutions, while on the contrary judiciary is
expected to perform the duties delegated by our Prophet
Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). The
judges are required to arrive at their decisions in accordance
with what God has commanded.
“He should judge, according to Allah’s notion of justice,

revealed in the Holy Qur’an.” If you do not want to depart
from that affection and the true respect that you should ever
bear to the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon (4)
him) and wish to serve the Muslims with a sincere heart, you
will raise only such person to the rank of a judge, as is famous To His Excellency Nizamuddin
for his sense of responsibility, integrity and piety. As we know
the prophetic way of approaching things is quite different Fakhrul Mulk
from that of the executive that does not mean much for
mankind at large in the next world. One of the main duties
of a judge is to look after the properties of orphans. If he In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
is unjust and does not fear God he would entrust their I have already told you in one of my previous letters that
properties to the custody of dishonest and wicked persons with according to the saying of the Holy Prophet (peace and
the consequences of the most fatal kind. God says: blessings of Allah be upon hint) flattering titles are hated by
“Lo! Those who devour the wealth of orphans wrongly, the pious Muslims:-
they do but swallow fire into their bellies and they will be “I as well as the humble and God-fearing men of my
exposed to blazing flame.” (Al-Qur’an, 4:9) community have nothing to do with pomp and power”. Some
If a judge does not perform his duties honestly in respect people give the name of title to their lusts and all senseless
of orphans, how could he be expected to administer justice customs as love and regard. Those who cling fanatically to the
properly in respect of other persons. The case is quite titles rapidly lost touch with the inner spirit and life which
different with honest and pious judges who through their make religion a reality. When a man reaches the height of
sound decisions, console the down-hearted and shelter the his splendour, it is immaterial to praise him or not. If someone
poor and oppressed, who are being crushed under the calls Imam Shafi’i as Khawaja Imam Shafi’i or Imam Abu
injustices and evils of the State officials. Hanifa as Khawaja Imam Abu Hanifa, he can be safely accused
I must not forget that I have a favour to ask. A poor old of trying to advertise those who do not stand in need of
friend of mine who is also known to you and for whom I advertisement. It is sufficient for all practical purposes to call
have a very high regard has fallen upon very hard times. I the Sun the Sun, without prefixing the world “Shining”, which
would like to convey to you the estimation in which the people is superfluous. Similarly in worldly affairs your Excellency is
of Jurjan hold him for his distinguished talents and the so exalted that the greatest praise can affect you little. Now
usefulness and importance of his learning and piety. These let me turn to the affairs of religion which are certainly more
days he is dreadfully distressed as he is too poor to support important than those connected with this world. You do not
his large family. Now I want to secure for him that trifling think of religion or the next world, which is a pity indeed.
assistance which may enable him to earn his livelihood, and I am afraid that you would be condemned to endless misery
save him from all the sorrow that can be avoided. How this hereafter, while my wish is that you were in a better world
is to be managed, your Excellency best knows. The future is where peace is permanent and there is neither change nor
in God’s hands.
evil. God says:--
Your Excellency’s humble servant, “Their reckoning draweth nigh for mankind, while they
Al-Ghazzali turn away in heedlessness.” (Al-Qur’an, 21:1).
In times of emergency every state seeks protection in its
32 Letters of Al-Ghazzali 33
impregnable fortresses when attacked by an enemy. Some will be consigned to the consuming one. Ah, what will
politicians are of the opinion that magnificent horses and convey unto thee what the consuming one is. (It is) the
fire of Allah, kindled which leapeth up over the hearts
beautiful carriages and glittering coffers of gold can
(of men). Lo! It is closed in on them in outstretched
overpower the aggressors and that the land forces adequately
columns.” (104: 2 to 9).
armed with swords and guns are the best defending forces
while other hold that only the states with material resources God says further that the hoarders of wealth will cry on
that have built expensive and majestic fortresses can the day of Resurrection:—
successfully meet foreign aggression. “My wealth hath not availed me, my power hath gone from
The third group maintains that it is only through devout me.” (111:2).
prayer that a nation can escape disaster. And there is no doubt If you would take into account the suffering to which
that the belief of the third group is the soundest, because we ‘Amir of Khurasan was subjected you would be forced to the
know that true safety lies in a deep sense of religious devotion conclusion that a bowl containing soup and a loaf of bread
and that the Lord does not withhold protection from men, in possession of a denaish can work out a miracle which cannot
if they steadfastly trust in His mercy and pray for His grace. be performed by millions of gold coins or trained soldiers,
Others might fall in the hard crisis but the fakirs with their adequately equipped with deadly weapons, for God is a fortress
prayers must not fall. If they work perfectly in accordance and castle for all who seek His help. The prayer of a dervaish
with the Planning Will of the All Powerful Lord, they would nullifies the effects of swords and guns and unveils the truth
acquire immense power. It may all sound absurd to those who that the best fighting forces can safely be recruited from
suppose that strength and power are to be found only in great among the people who are observers of salat (prayers), fasts
armies and equipment or in scientific achievements or in the and night vigils and who weep during their prayers with the
vastness of economic resources, but as Islamic history reveals fervour of their emotions. The Holy Prophet (peace of Allah
that their fakirs who did almost nothing but made their souls be upon him) has said: “Prayers rid mankind of-its suffering.”
stainless mirrors for God, nothing but yearn upward into In another place he has also said:
fellowship with Him, they made the most effective contribution
to the defence of their country against foreign aggression. It “Prayer and calamity struggle with each other.” I have a
is not the might of the armed forces that save a nation from written document at my disposal to convince me that your
destruction, it is the humble and ardent devotion of a pure illustrious father, being given to understand that the king of
heart that can completely liquidate the forces of darkness of Kirman bore a reputation for his almsgiving and for his
all forms and build a new independent and prospering Islamic feeding the poor, was down-hearted and deeply grieved, not
state. You should take a warning from the tragic fall of Amir because he disliked almsgiving, but because he wished that no
of Tus. It must have made it plain to you that the expensive man upon earth should equal or exceed him in good works.
robes and glittering coffers of gold and silver could not avoid You are able to comprehend the powers of your father’s mind
the doom that overlooked them. Instead the material contact and you have for it all that veneration which it is both natural
of his soul was not a gain but a loss, not an assent but a descent, and proper that you should feel. Jealously is forbidden except
not a rise but a fall. This has been explained in the following in religious matters. The Holy Prophet has said:
verses of the Holy Qur’an: “If envy were proper, two persons would be the most
“Woe unto every slandering traducer, who hath gathered proper objects of it, one a man to whom God hath given riches
wealth (of this world) and arranged it. He thinketh that and appointed to bestow in charity; the other to whom God
his wealth will render him immortal. Nay, but verily he hath granted the knowledge of religion and who acteth
thereon himself, instructing others.” Let me tell you that this Letters of Al-Ghazzali 35
city was a howling wilderness due to famine and cruelty meted
out to the inhabitants by all government officials. Law and
but how to secure a high position in society, are the most
order were not disturbed as long as you personally looked after
wretched people, for they do not think that wealth has always
the welfare of the residents of Asfrain and Wamighan. The
deserted those who fell madly in love with it. They are
farmers disposed off the surplus food grains and the cruel
engrossed in pleasures, vices and sins till death walks silently
officials threatened the oppressed classes, lest they would lodge and slowly towards them, takes their hands, removes their
a complaint with you against them, but the moment you left reality and gives to the angels the heavy task of correction.
these two cities, security for persons and their properties have
disappeared. The farmers have against resorted to hoarding This is the most dreadful of all conceivable punishments.
the grains. If someone twists these facts and misinterprets the The Holy Prophet has said:—
actual situation to you, believe me he is your enemy and not “By suffering in this world, man is exempted from
a friend. Properly look after your objects. God has given you punishment in the next.”
knowledge so that by its light you may not only worship Him, I have renounced all pomp and worldly pleasures and have
but also see yourself in your weakness and strength. Each day severed my relations with kings, viziers and Amirs. That is why
look into your conscience and amend your faults; if you fail to the best of my powers I have enforced good opinions on
in this duty, you will be untrue to the Knowledge and Reason all occasions upon those subjects which are most important to
that are within you. Keep a watchful eye on yourself, as if mankind. You should learn how to value my advice and act
you were your own enemy; for you cannot learn to govern upon it, however painful sometimes it may be. There are
others, unless you first learn to govern your own passions, and certain men who hate me and try to discredit me with the
obey the dictates of your conscience. public. It is easy for them to twist or misrepresent the nature
You should be merciful to your subjects and God would of my writings but I am fully devoted to the great cause for
be merciful to you. Do not forget that the residents of Tus which I stand, and thought my enemies were to scorn and
are widely known for the miraculous powers of their prayers— neglect me I should bear their contempt with calmness.
the ones whom they adore are blessed and the ones whom In the name of Al-Mighty Allah and your illustrious father,
they curse are ruined. Several times I undertook to counsel I earnestly beseech you, sir, to leave your bed at midnight,
Amir of Khurasan, but he was head-strong, violent and when all mankind is asleep, wear dean clothes, perform
perilously disposed to justify whatever he wished to do with ablution and offer the following prayer, weeping with fervour
the result that his life has become pages of history for others of your emotions.
to take lesson from. You should know that Islam does not allow
“O Lord! I pray Thee or protect me against that vice which
capital to accumulate in the hands of an individual. Those who
Thou knowest.”
agree to part with or spend their wealth expose themselves
to a torture which is of three kinds. The first consists in giving Creator of all, All-Wise Sovereign Mighty! Assist me in
away the entire wealth to the needy and the oppressed. Those remembering Thee and being devoutly grateful to Thee, for
who do this are blessed by God, for thought it causes them what I am and what I hope to be. Sovereign of the earth,
suffering to part with their wealth, yet this contributes to the Whose kingdom is ever-lasting and Whose sovereignty is
general welfare of the society. The second class of men are abiding! Be merciful to the king whose kingdom is upon the
those who spend money in order to defend themselves against brink of the most dreadful of all conceivable dooms. Wake
vice. These two classes of men attain salvation but the third him up from the sleep of heedlessness and enable him to work
group of men who live a vicious life and think of nothing else honestly and with zeal for the common man, both morally and
economically. My years are darkened by anxieties as to the
future of the Seljuq Empire. Thou art the Helper of the
afflicted, the Reliever of all distress. Relieve me of my

anxieties. If You do not extend Your mercy to the sincere
like myself, there would be no other support for a broken
spirit; no other balm for a wounded heart”.
(5)
Meditate on possibilities for an hour or two and think
deeply upon the poor people, whose blood and sweat is being To His Excellency Nizamuddin
consumed by the Government officials. A few moments later Fakhrul Mulk
you will see how the secrets of God would be all opened to
you and your prayers would be heard and answered.
In the name of Allah, the Beneficient, the Merciful.
May God drive out infirmities and languors from your soul
Your Excellency’s humble servant,
and body and raise you to sublime heights never touched
Al-Ghazzali. before, so that He may give you what you should desire, a
clear spiritual perception of His grace and beauty, as explained
in the Holy Qur’an:-
“And whomsoever it is Allah’s Will to guide, He opens his
heart for Al-Islam and he whose heart Allah has opened
for Al-Islam he followeth a light from his Lord”. (6: 126).
When a man is blessed with such in inspiration and
illumination, he finds that the people of the world run after
material objects and are caught up in a dense and baffling
jungle of wild passions, low desires, and aspirations of the
animal-self. He takes to renunciation and has nothing to long
for. He has no worldly ambitions for he believes that so long
as there are desires in the heart, it cannot be cleaned and
purified. When all things other than God are effaced and
removed from the heart, then alone, the objective is achieved.
Begin to search and dig in your own field for this pearl of
spiritual glory that lies hidden in it. It cannot cost you too
much, nor can you buy it too dear, and when you have found
it, you will know that all which you have sold or given away
for it is a mere nothing, as a bubble upon the water. People
consign their dead parents to the grave and yet they do not
take lesson from the incidents, and feel as if they are immortal.
They indulge in unlawful things and get out of the law and
join the company of the devils who are the enemies of God.
So if death overtakes them before repentance, they would be
certainly among the losers. On the other hand, a good man
Letters of Al-Ghazzali “Destroyed We not the former folk, then caused the latter
38
folk to follow after. In this way We deal with the evil
believes that death hangs every moment over his head and doers”. (77: 16, 17).
so he lives such a pious life that he is always ready for death Why then do you choose to act in the same way as these
and departs contentedly as he is summoned by Allah, perfectly viziers did and why do you not leave those agitations, which
reconciling himself to his lot. He thinks of those whom he are foreign to your constitution? Look within. Within is the
has himself known distracting themselves about idle things, fountain of good and it will ever bubble up, if you will ever
neglecting to do what was in accordance with their proper dig. Remember, if God makes the end to shine for you in
constitution. All of them have passed away and became a the light of His grace, you will abandon yourself utterly to
mortal and complete oblivion has buried them. He remembers God and devote your entire energy to His service by adhering
continually how may tyrants who have used their power over to the principles of justice and equity. The observance of
men’s lives with terrible insolence, became lifeless packs of “Equity” means to dedicate oneself to religion in order to
decaying elements. What kind of people are those whom men become an enlightened servant of God, guided endowed,
wish to please and for what purpose and by what kind of acts? illuminated and sent forth as a guide to others whereas justice
How soon will time cover all things and how many it has means to be just to all the servants of Allah. A state cannot
covered already? How many, after being celebrated by fame, make progress, would indeed be subject to disintegration —
have been given up to oblivion, and how many who have unless internally administered among all persons. Islam
celebrated the fame of others, have been dead. Short lived provides a system by which injustice might be detailed and
are both the praiser and the praised and the remember and judged, whether perpetrated by rich or poor, high or low.
the remembered as explained in the Qur’an:-- When you are required to administer justice on behalf of
“Hast thou then seen, if We afford them opportunity (for) the Sultan, think as if being an ordinary citizen, you have been
long years, And then cometh that which they were oppressed by some one and you want the Sultan to redress
promised (How) that whereby they have derived benefit, your grievances and give you your due. Consider yourself no
would not availeth them”. more than any other citizen. In every thing which happens
(26:205) hold fast to the ruling principles of justice and equity and
always keep before your eyes those three things: Objective
Read the table of your heart and remember what thinking, acts conducive to social welfare and truthfulness. Do
happened to the viziers like Nizamul Mulk and Tajul Mulk, not forget that one who acts unjustly acts impiously. Be ever
who are now in the next world. These viziers saw with their watchful over the things which are necessary for the
own eyes and dreadful fall of their predecessors and yet they administration of the empire. Every moment think steadily as
did not take the warning. They knew that death must overtake a true believer to do what you have in hand with perfect and
them, but they made no preparations for it. They did not think simple dignity and feeling of affection and justice and free
over the transitoriness of the world and want of judgement your mind from all other thoughts. A man’s true greatness
in those who pretended to give praise and the narrowness of lies in the consciousness of an honest purpose in life, founded
the space within which it was circumscribed and now where on a just estimate of himself and every thing else, on frequent
are they? No where. God says:- self-examination and a steady obedience to the will of Allah.
“Is it not a guidance for them (to know) how many of The viziers who have already passed away did not have a
generations We destroyed before them amid whose readiness to listen to those who had anything to propose for
dwellings they walk? Lol Therein verily are signs for men the common weal and did not care to give to every man
of thought”. (20: 128).
He also says:
possessed of that inspiring trait of personality which makes
according to his desires. They relied on life, health and riches
his life count for much more than his words. He does not
and sought to build their houses upon the waves and hoped
teach out of the books, but out of his own heart’s experience
to find a foundation for them there. Now all traces of these
and makes it a little easier for ordinary people though his help
viziers have been obliterated:—
to live a good life. He has accompanied me for nearly twenty
“The likeness of those who choose other patrons than Allah years during my extensive travels through Tus, Nishapur,
is as the likeness of the spider when she taketh unto herself Baghdad, Syria and the Hejaz, where I taught more than one
a house, and lo! the frailest of all houses in the spider’s thousand disciples. I have learnt more from his conversation
houses, if they but knew”. than any other man ever taught me. His facile tongue has
(29: 41) illuminated the whole world and his life conforms perfectly
The day is not far off when you will be ashes or a skeleton with the truths which he preaches. I believe, if there were
and either a name, or not even a name. And there is nothing only one true friend of God in a country or among a people
more precious in the world than seclusion. I have carefully as Ibrahim Mubarik is, that entire country, or nation if it
avoided the pleasant visits to my friends and correspondence followed the counsels of such a man, would be preserved from
with them. the calamities that are to smite the world. Meantime his own
boldness of thought and speech have brought him under
You do not know with what pleasure I have heard the
suspicion on the part of some of the guardians of Orthodoxy
news of your assumption of the office of the Prime Minister
and charges of heretical teaching have been levelled against
of the Seljuq Empire. That is why I have dropped these few
him, but it is only because of his nobility and piety. Some of
lines by way of congratulating you and warning you against
the influential but ignorant Mullah, of course, have turned
the life of this world which is fraught with hypocrisy,
against him and he is scorned and hated, and consequently
deceitfulness and debased morality. After offering prayers for
he has withdrawn into a quite retreat to heal the wounds which
the state, it is the sacred duty of the deruaishes to advise the
the world has inflicted on him. I earnestly entreat and humbly
kings, Suitants and viziers and I am glad to think that by
pray that you should take a good care of him and draw him
writing this letter I have fulfilled my duty as a theologian and
near yourself and lavish your bounties on him, as it is your
a deruaish. A long time has passed since the city of Jurjan was
practice to do with the holy men, for it is out of the mercy
deprived of a learned man with true knowledge of religion
of the rich that He favours the poor with bounties. May God
and ability to act upon these himself and instructing others.
protect your kingdom against disturbance and decline and
I am gratified to know that Ibrahim Mubarak, a highly learned
bestow upon you the mysterious gift of mystic perception,
and enlightened man has come to reside permanently in
not for your own glory only, but for the sake of the whole
Jurjan.
world also.
Possessed of the Divine knowledge, he is the centre of a
powerful religious revival and has left and indelible impression
on the society. It is because of the fresh testimony of his own Your Excellency’s humble servant,
experience to the depth of the soul and the pathway to God, Al-Ghazzali.
his extra-ordinary power as a preacher and his rare gift of
interpreting the deepest truth of life and religion that he is
held in the highest esteem by the popular audience of the
learned persons. He is a God-taught man enveloped in a
radiant divine light, obedient to his heavenly vision and
“O David! Lo! We have set thee as a vicegerent in the

earth, therefore, judge aright between mankind, and follow
(6) not desire that it beguile thee from the way of Allah”.
(38: 26).
To His Excellency Nizamuddin The ones whom He strikes with His chastisement and
wrath are those who, as they attain to higher and even higher
Fakhrul Mulk stages of fame, wealth and power, pursue pleasure as good
and are very criiel to men. It is laid down in the Holy Qur’an:—
“Destroyed We not the former folk, then caused the latter
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
folk to follow after? In this way We deal with the evil doers".
The Holy Prophet has said that there are some enlightened (77:26)
servants of Allah whom He has blessed with beneficent
They are like those who build on the brink of a bank
favours. They are brothers to all the servants of Allah and
undermined by the corrosive torrent indifferent to their
have nothing to do with the wicked world and whatever they
fellow-men and ungratefulness to their Creator eventually
have, they distribute it, out of love of God, amongst the poor
forces them to declare (in the words of the Holy Qur an):—
and the needy. If they perform their duties honestly and
diligently, Al-Mighty God uses them as the organs and “I think not that all this will ever perish.” (8: 35).
instruments for bringing relief to the suffering humanity and The ones who are finally guided hold their wealth in trust
they become the transmitting centres of Divine light. There and use it for men's service, they have a whole and undivided
are no words to describe the way in which such persons are love towards all men and do not severe themselves from this
made to imbibe some of the qualities of Divine Being. It is spirit of universal love or miss this overflow of Divine love
true that God has also favoured some of the bad persons with which fills their vessels over brimmingful when God treasures
some of His bounties, but the main purpose behind this the graceful wisdom in the hearts of His good servants,
generosity is that He wants them to cultivate within themselves removing therefrom the thick veils of obscurity and brightens
a profound sense of remorse for their past life and a deep them with the light of understanding of His Holiness, they
regret that their will has been left free to go wrong. This has show an almost insane hostility to the forces of darkness and
been explained in the Holy Qur’an in the following words: feel compelled to engage in a ceaseless warfare with their
“And those who deny Our revelations, step by step, We enemies, till no trace of them is left. They rise through their
lead them whence they know not. I give them rein (for) good deeds to the highest plane, and they will experience in
lol My Scheme is strong." (7 : 182, 183). The persons the new world, “What no eye has seen, nor ear has heard,
having wealth are of the two types: which has not occurred to any human mind”-which in fact
surpasses understanding and which no explanation suffices to
“Lol We have shown him the way, whether he be regretful
cover.
or disbelieving”. (76:3).
I am sure, your Excellency will spare no pains to attain
The least of his graces in the worldly kingdom which he such proximity (qurb) in the high station and lofty standing
bestows upon his servants, and the best gratitude which could
in loyalty as I know you have the makings of these virtues
be offered on this account is to support truth, administer
justice, eliminate cruelty and oppression and be kind and in yourself.
merciful to those of the subjects who are humble and poor. Your Excellency’s humble servant,
God has hinted to this effect in the following verses of the Al-Ghazali.
Holy Qur’an:
Letters of Al-Chazzali 45
cannot cause more destruction to a herd of sheep than that

caused to the Muslims by wealth and power. These foolish
persons have failed to guard against the wolves who prey upon
innocent folk. The world is a prison and these men of the
(7) world are prisoners. How strange that the prisoners should
revel in misery? He who prides himself upon this world is
lowly; he who is rich is in fact poor and he whose power rests
To His Excellency Nizamuddin Ahmed upon’it is frail.'The Holy Prophet has said: “God.will inflict
bin Ishaq bin ‘Ali Ibn Ishaq punishment on those who worship wealth and put on costly
dress”. It is a characteristic of the spirit to hoard wealth and
adore the decoration of the exterior in all phenomena. This
In the name of Allah, the Beneficient, the Merciful. is a curtain that closes to the heart all the perceptions of the
unknown. The second type men, i.e. the wise compare this
God says: “And each one hath a goal towards
world with the next, and prefer the latter to the former, the
which he turneth; so vie with one another in good works”. (Al- true meaning of the following verse of the Holy Qur ai.
Qur’an, 2: 148). By these words He means that we should set
revealed to them:--
our own unconventional pattern or honest purpose in life and
a steady obedience to the rule which we know to be right. “The Hereafter is better and more lasting”.
(S’7 >7)
jiU-li) hints to the same effect, that is we should set
the best purpose in life. If true holiness is true mindedness, Evidently they attain to the higher position by di.uuduig
that is the best purpose of life, which fits the individual best the world by their occupying themselves with the Hereafter,
for all his relations as a social being and the wise person who for their ideals lies in the next world, which is higher and
would make the best of himself and the most of life will take more honourable and lasting too. They will be satisfied with
good care of this purpose gratifying every sense as well and what they will get in the next world, yet they are not
in as many ways as he can because the highest happiness exists enlightened on the mysteries of Divine affairs which is a pity
indeed. The truly enlightened persons belonging to the third
as the only consolation in the deep and habitual feeling of
devotion. Those who set the best purpose in life may be group are those who care not a fig for this world or the next
and purge their hearts of every thing except God. They know
divided into three groups: Those who are indifferent to the
that the final purpose of man’s life is to love and to know
realities of life are common sort of men. There are others
and to be united with his Creator God Almighty. They worship
who are wise and live in conformity to nature. The third group God for the sake of God, not for any personal end or reward.
of men belong to the category of men are enlightened on the They realise that to be pulled by the strings of desire belongs
mysteries of Divine affairs, and whose hearts are abode of the both to wild beasts and to men and that they should not yield
secrets of God. to the persuasions of the body. They further believe that
The first group of men look at the world which is a fast whosoever desires the life Hereafter, it is incumbent on him
fading shadow, and believe that the pleasures in this world to be indifferent towards this world and whosoever desires,
are ever-lasting. Being over-powered by pleasures and God it is incumbent on him that he should be indifferent
receiving the impressions of forms by means of appearances, towards the life Hereafter. Thus he should discard his worldly
they become the worshippers ofwealth and power. These are life for the sake of his life Hereafter, and discard his life
they whom the Prophet had in view when he said: “Poor Hereafter for the sake of his Lord. So he should not-try to
wretched, the slave of money! Poor wretched the slave of get any recompense and reward for his love for God. Lhe
gold!” Our Holy Prophet has warned that the two wolves
46 Letters of Al-Ghazzali Letters of Al-Ghazzali 47
truth contained in the Qur’anic words:-- “When a man treats you with kindness reciprocate him with
a better kindness”. Since I am too poor to give you a suitable
“Allah is better and more lasting” (20: 73) gift in reward for your generosity, with which you have
appeals to him and he knows that: favoured me, I invite you to spiritual lights so that you may
“Those who would live in Paradise will get fruit (and the be able to receive Divine gifts and get rid of your biological
pious would be firmly established) in the abode of existence.
Truthfulness near the favour of a Mighty king”. (36: 55). May you be able to behold beauty and splendour in your
Such persons reach above the summit of heavens and once own self and recognise that you are a part of the sublime
there, they will barter this experience for nothing the universe Divine world endowed even with creative life! In this discovery
holds. To these people the secrets of the Muslims’ profession of self you will be able to enter as pure substance into your
of faith (Kalimah) LA ILAHA ILLAL LAH (there is no god real self, turning away from all that is external to what is
but God) are disclosed. To express the Oneness of Allah in within. Remember, human mind, in longing to reach inio
practice is to know what it is and to know it, is to practise original source works on the one fundamental and common
it. For this reason he who knows it puts it into practice and principle of love. All mystics sing the same song of love for
he who acts in accordance with it knows it. So let your the beloved. There may be difference in detail or expression,
declaration of the unity of Allah be LA ILAHA ILLAL LAH. but in the main principle all are united as drops of one ocean
There are many classes of worshippers: Some worship or fingers of one hand.
themselves, others their wealth, some their wives, others their All are seekers of God and the ways leading to Him from
children, others their officers and professions. One must Tus and Baghdad are many, but He is One. If you fail to
worship something or the other. All these are the worshippers perform a single religious duty, or sleep soundly at night, or
of their self and follow its behests. But the real worshipper you are found guilty of committing a major sin or if a single
is one who does not obey the carnal self (nafs) and is always man throughout your vast empire is reported to have gone
taking it to task. These people subject themselves to the verdict to sleep without food any night, remember God’s wrath will
of a balance (mizan) and discover whether their scale shall rise descend upon you and you will have to lament your
or fall. They have their hearts balancing their progress, lest indifference in such matters for the rest of your days. You
either one of their scales be found lacking, for it is with these ought to imagine what are the trials, the troubles, the anxiety
two scales that they acquire two wings which they can set out and the sorrows of a vizier who has been entrusted to run
in accordance with righteousness in this world; just as the first the affairs of the Islamic state. Now I would like to turn to
group of persons when compared with the second is called the affairs of the Nizamiyya College and regret very much
common and vulgar folk, in the same manner the second class my inability to comply with your Excellency’s commands
of men, as compared with the third group is common sort directing me to accept the post of a Professor in the said
who cannot understand the hidden things revealed to the college. You know not how infinitely my happiness has
selected few. As your Excellency invites me to a place of new increased by retiring to Tus. I have no other desire but the
and un-imaginable possibilities of development, in the like quietness I enjoy here. If I leave Tus and go to Baghdad,
manner I invite your Excellency to the attainment of the obviously my intention in undertaking the journey would be
elevation of your life and its spiritual progress. When you will either to gain worldly wealth and glory or add to the religious
thus rise from the platform of the common people, you will achievements. Thank God, I have already renounced worldly
be made to plunge in one ocean of favours and kindness and pomp and glory. This world has nothing to give me and my
mercy and will be clothed with the robes of light and Divine heart as well as my hopes are in the next. The glamour of
secrets and rare knowledge Divine. The Holy Prophet said:
Letters of Al-Ghazzali 48 19 Letters of Al-Ghazzali
the worldly life around me during the period (that I was a (2) That I would not accept any emoluments from the
professor and grand Mufti) at the Nizamiyya College Government;
accentuated the bitterness of my early tragedy which I cannot (3) That I would not get myself entangled into religious
forget till my death. Even if the seat of the government of
Baghdad, together with its vast properties is shifted to Tus controversies.
it will not be possible for me to dedicate myself to public If I break this pledge for your sake, and accede to your
affairs. If I accede to your request, you would find that my request, I fear I shall long feel the effects of any anxiety which
influence (whatever it may be) over a good part of the public, will shake every fibre of mine.
would be greatly diminished, for every one will say that I have In Baghdad one cannot avoid religious controversies and
sold myself for the Sultan’s service. It is true that there are one has to pay homage to the Caliph and I must in the most
more chances and facilities in Baghdad for the advancement explicit and determined manner express my inability to do
of knowledge than else where and that the number of disciples such things. The most convincing explanation which I could
to be taught there would also be more than it is in Tus, yet
offer in this regard is that I can never agree to accept any
in view of certain preventions both worldly and religious, my
emolument from the Government, and, you see, Baghdad
services to be rendered in Baghdad in the cause of knowledge,
does not contain my ancestral property which I could fall upon
would not counterbalance the great loss which my disciples
in hard times. If it Should please God SQon to take me from
in Tus will have to suffer. Here there are 150 (one hundred
this world, my family would have resources in Tus quite
and fifty) students who study under me, and it would be
sufficient for their maintenance. If I leave Tus at this stage,
inconvenient for them to leave home and accompany me to
no one will properly look after my property and the result
Baghdad. It would be unjust on my part to injure their feelings
will be that the agricultural lands belonging to me will yield
for no fault of theirs. Besides, to leave them in the darkness
no harvest at all. I know there are people, who would be
of ignorance in the hope that a large number of disciples in
gratified to accept such offers, but so far as I am concerned,
Baghdad would derive benefit, is contrary to reason and laws
they are unacceptable to me. You should know further that
of natural justice. An example would explain this. Suppose a
it is the evening of my life and I have to prepare for death
man is expected to look after ten orphans. He leaves them
and not for a journey to ‘Iraq, therefore, I humbly beseech
uncared for and goes to another place to look after twenty
you to accept my explanation and forget my audacity lor
orphans. Do you think his act would be justifiable in doing
giving up a professorship for a mystical life. Suppose I die,
this? Another thing which you should take into account is this:
as soon as I reach Baghdad, would you not select someone
When I first came to Baghdad at the invitation of your father
else for the professorship in the Nizamiyya College? Think
Nizamul Mulk Shahid, I had no family. Now I have a large
family to look after, and my children would never agree to my death has actually taken place.
my quitting home and it would be cruel on my part to offend May God bless your heart with a Divine light and enable
or harm them. you to work for the prosperity of the state and its people.
I can live peacefully here in compliance with my children’s
earnest wishes. Were it not for them, I should wish to be in Your Excellency’s humble servant,
yonder graveyard. When I visited the tomb of Hadrat Ibrahim Al-Ghazzali.
(peace be upon him) fifteen years ago, I made a religious
pledge (covering the following three things) to which I have
been faithful to this day:
(1) That I would not attend a king’s court;
“Surely there is a reminder in this for him who has a

heart.”
(50: 37)
Everyone does not know the mysterious secrets of human
(8) mind, nor can he properly differentiate between food and
poison. There is a mystery about spiritual realities which will
always remain un-explored.
To His Excellency Shihab-ul-Islam “God is veiled between a man and his heart.” The Holy
Prophet has said: “Avoid the company of the dead”. “Who are
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. they?” inquired his companions. He answered: “They are the
rich”.
May God preserve you in the high station, protect you
against all calamities, enable you to guard yourself against the It is not the worldly riches which count but the treasures
mischiefs of the Devil and place you above all want or the of heaven and earth which lie stored in the human heart, the
fear of it, and may your heart be free from trouble. The Holy possessor of which does not stand in need of a physician to
Prophet has said: “Sadaqa and charity are a remedy of all your cure him or his diseases, but he undertakes himself to treat
ills”. Ordinary common folk think that physical ailments can his maladies with success. Sometimes he may consult a
be treated successfully with alms giving, while the prominent specialist, who is superior to him in spiritual powers.
among men believe that this refers to spiritual malady. God Any attempt at serious discussion of Tauhid or “The one
says: “Their hearts are diseased”. (2: 10) The physical disceases Reality as opposed to many” is practically foredoomed to
and spiritual maladies are as different as earth and heaven. failure; because it involves the impossible task of bringing
The most common and fatal diseases are those which seize together two attitudes which are not only diametrically
the human heart, for one man out of a thousand suffers from opposed to each other, but have no common basis of discourse,
a physical ailment, while on the other hand, one heart out and each of which resolutely closes the door upon any thing
of thousand is really sound. Only those who are blessed with like genuine inquiry and examination. One cannot achieve
sound hearts can claim freedom from spiritual diseases. When Tauhid by simply saying that Allah is One. That such
one suffers from a physical malady he has no appetite for introversion is not an easy thing, that it involves a habit of
articles of food and drink, similarly the health of a heart (or concentration and attention against which flesh and spirit alike
one’s spiritual health) depends upon one’s remembering and rebel is known to all the mystics who have tried to attain to
paying homage to God. it.
“Remembering God is the Divine cure of souls”. Mystical unity (Tauhid) and the path (Tariqat) consist of
(13: 30). acquired virtues (maqamat) and mystical states (ahwat) you will
find one of such mystics as have acquired these virtues in the
because the Al-Mighty God gives man what he desires most, personality of Mr. So and So who is personally known to you.
a clear spiritual perception of His grace and beauty. It is only A respectable classical scholar, he is thoroughly conversant
by remembering God that the human heart enjoys peace with Arabic and Persian and is an ardent student of Mysticism
aright; life of rest and peace in God is good; a life of pain with ideas on the subject that have tinged his whole attitude
in patience is still better, but to have peace in a life of pain towards life. There are deeper strata of life in him than any
is best of all. He whose heart is dead, does not develop logic of the time could fathom or than he himself could
intimacy with God:
explain. Whatever he says is so full of information, and

character and there is such a thorough good nature, kindness
and frankness about him that I never felt myself more
interested in any man’s company. He is one of the finest (9)
conversationalist of the time. Certainly he must have visited
almost every celebrated conversationalist, in Baghdad. If you
would listen to him you would testify on the point. I have
To His Excellency Shihab-ul-Islam
the highest respect for this man’s moral and intellectual
character, and as he is too poor to provide his family with
In the name of Allah, the Beneficient, the Mercijul.
the bare necessities of life, I earnestly wish it were possible
to obtain a pension for him, which never could be more May God bestow His grace upon you and enable you to
properly bestowed. I most humbly beseech your Excellency to surrender yourself in every thing so that He may do His work
make your best endeavours in those good offices that may through you. If it be a blessing, His servants devoted
procure relief for the suffering humanity in order to get that themselves to thanks-giving, and if it be a calamity, they either
blessed reward and honour to transcendent beyond all this show patience or try to cultivate patience and alliance with
world can bestow. God and make endeavours to earn His pleasure, so that their
lives may become harmonious to His Planning Will. There are
Yours Excellency’s humble servant,
two kinds of maqamat or acquired virtues. One is truth, and
Al-Ghazzali. the other one is falsehood. One lifts himself upon Him attains
truth and the other one who values worldly objects more than
Him achieves nothing but falsehood. God says in the Holy
Qur’an: “I am the friends of those who remember Me”. He
further says:
“And he whose sight is dim to the remembrance of the
Beneficient, We assign unto him a devil who becomes his
comrade”. (43: 206).
“When thou seest, thou wilt see there bliss and high state .
The ones who prefer the friendship of others to that of
the Almighty Allah, are mentioned in the following verses of
the Holy Qur’an:
“As for those who disbelieve, their deeds are as a mirage
in the desert. The thirsty one supposeth it to be water till
he cometh unto it and findeth it naught and findeth in
the place thereof Allah, Who payeth him His due, and
Allah is swift at reckoning”. (24: 39).
As this world is a means for reaching the next, a wise and
enlightened person does not make the means an end in itself.
He stands condemned who sells the next world for this.
The Caliph ‘Umar bin ‘Abdul ‘Aziz was a practical moralist.
Before his coming into power, when a piece of cloth costing society of a mystical type, the members of which believe that
one thousand dinars was brought for him he would say: “Alas! they could be organs of the Divine spirit. He is an old man
It is too coarse for me to wear”. But after his coming into and too weak to earn his livelihood. His manifold hardships,
power when a dress costing rupees five only was brought for his arduous labours and the ill-treatment that is meted out
him, he would say, “Alas! It is too fine for me to wear. You to him are quite sufficient to explain the ill-health that he
do not know how I wish my dress was made of coarse sack suffers from. Besides, Abu Bakr ‘Abdullah, who is said to be
cloth, so that by its touch, the skin of my hand was scratched so favoured as that the hidden things of Heaven are revealed
all over”. to him, has asked me to introduce him to you with a request
to help him out of his financial difficulties. Of him he has
People inquired of him of the two opposite attitudes of said in his letter addressed to me that, “Whatever may have
his mind and he said: “Prior to my accession, my self (nafs) been his theory of knowledge, there can be little doubt that
had such a refined taste as it could not be satisfied with what to him more than to any other mystic that ever lived, we owe
it got and strove after better but after my accession, I have the conviction that man’s soul is allied with a realm of Eternal
been following a rigorous discipline and living such a simple Reality and can in a moment travel thither”.
and austere life as the poorest fakir. I want a little and I always
have the little that I want. There was freedom for him from I pray to God Almighty to open the doors of His
perturbations with respect to things which came from the everlasting kingdom unto your soul, so that it may behold all
external cause and there was justice in the things done by that happens on this earth and may He enable you to renounce
virtues of the internal cause. He ceased to be held by pains your own worldly advancement for the sake of the life Divine
and pleasures which are as much inferior as that which is to which is better.
be served by them is superior, for the former are loose and
corrupt and the latter is intelligence and piety. Man is given Your Excellency’s humble servant,
a limited will. It depends upon him either to identify his being
with his selfness, and its interests or throwing aside his selfness, Al-Ghazzali.
identify himself exclusively with the Divine within and without.
This is the path of enlightenment.
God has raised you to the high rank of the premiership
of the Seljuq empire. The time has come now when you should
wish for a rank higher than this and when you get it and feel
satisfied with it, you will be transferred from this stage towards
another which is higher than this, and you will be turned
towards one which is more honourable and you will be
rewarded with a feeling of self-sufficience and the doors of
salvation will be opened unto you as explained in the traditions
of the Prophet. I have written this letter with a definite
purpose of introducing you to one of my old friends. Both
his inspiration upon his disciples and his dedication to a noble
life are due to intimations from beyond what seems to him
to be domain of his own self. He is the father of religious
There are those whom God says:

“The likeness of those who choose other patrons than Allah
is the likeness of the spider whom she taketh into herself
(10) a house and lol the frailest of all house is the spider’s
house, if they but know”.
(29: 41)
To His Excellency Shahab-ul-Islam There is no power or strength except in Allah. When you
see one who trusts in men and depends on them relying on
them in all his deeds, yet professing a station of loyalty and
piety certainly beware of him, for he is a man of conceit and
I praise God for the bounties He has conferred on you dissension. If you trust more in your Master than in your own
and thank Him for ridding our Islamic State of the enemies, fellow-men, then you are loyal to Him and He is your Master
unholy conspiracies and calamities of time and space. I am indeed. In this age the commoners are involved in various
glad to know that you have safely returned from your kinds of difficulties and humiliations only on account of their
expedition, and congratulate you on meeting your family pre-occupations with the world and their attachment to it and
again. I hope you are fully recovered from the tedium of the their indifference towards the Hereafter and its problems and
journey. It will not be out of place to remind you that your their unmindfulness of the Day of Judgment. May God keep
prosperity as well as the welfare of the State depend upon you in harmony with His commandments and spiritual glories
the fervent prayers of the pious who saved you from all which are more important than any that could be discovered
dangers both internal and external and lifted you to your in the world of matter, and may He enable you to perform
present pomp and grandeur. I believe He will accept prayers all the offices and duties which man of God could perform
about you in future also, and raise you to such heights as are for people in distress. Power of strength lies with God Who
beyond the reach of the worldly accidents. This will be possible is the Beneficient and the Merciful.
only when you weed out whims, exercise restraint on the
desire, extinguish appetite and keep the love for power well
within control. You should entirely dedicate yourself to studies Your Excellency’s humble servant,
and do every thing possible to promote the cause of religion
Al-Ghazzali.
and trouble yourself about nothing else. Depending upon God
in utter humility is one of the first" steps on the high way of
holiness. One must lose all desires to set himself above others.
The soul must sink down into absolute seclusion and become
“lost” so that it may be “found". Your real enemy is in yourself
and should go to battle with that enemy. True devotional spirt
demands that you should be thankful to God in prosperity and
resigned to His Will in adversity. God says:
“Say: In the bounty of Allah and in His mercy, let them
rejoice therein. It is better than what they hoard.”
(10: 58).
It is a pity that people depend for happiness upon human
beings, most of whom disturb the world by doing wrong.
“And neglect not thy portion of the world”.

(28: 77)
For the Prcphet has explained man’s due share in this
world, “You possess the right of ownership only in the articles
(11) of food which you eat and dispose of, but the money you give
away to the poor (by almsgiving) can never be spent, since
To His Excellency Mujir-ud-Deen Allah gives increase manifold to whom He wills”.
Those who try to get any recompense and reward for their
piety from God, the Mighty, the Glorious, in this world or
In the name of Allah, the Beneficient, the Merciful. in the Hereafter in the form of Paradise are not true lovers.
God says: Those who have surrendered their will to God, they have
undoubtedly nothing to do with Paradise and its comforts.
But seek the abode of the Hereafter, in that which Allah Their only object is nothing but the friends. The only true
hath given thee and neglect not thy portion of the world, mystic motive is the love which desires not the gifts of God
and be thou kind even as Allah hath been kind to thee”. but God Himself and which cannot rest until it is transformed
(28: 77)
to the Divine thought. Those who desire the gifts of God,
Your Excellency must mediate upon the secrets of the instead of God Himself fail to understand the meaning lying
Divine message contained in these verses, each one of which hidden in:
is the pearl of Divine knowledge. If you are blessed with a “And be thou kind even as Allah hath been kind to
spiritual enlightenment, you would be able to cast yourself thee”. (28: 77)
headlong into this divinely ocean, in order that you yourself
The Holy Prophet who was asked by Gabriel to explain
may find the pearl that is worth more than all the goods of
the meaning of beneficence replied “Worship God, as if you
the earth. You should dig deep for the pearl that was never see Him with your own eyes”. It is obligatory on the part of
hidden in any earthly field. He who worships the gods of the one favoured with Allah’s grace that he should be grateful
position and wealth and is overpowered by basic pleasures, is to Him. Subject yourself to the verdict of your conscience and
too ignorant to appreciate the true meanings contained in: think deeply whether you can attain to a still higher type of
“But seek the abode of the Hereafter in that which Allah Divine grace. If so try by all means to achieve it and do not
hath given thee.” be satisfied with the portion which has already been given to
you. If you are able to receive more through firmness, then
God says about him: you shall be among the owners of stations and ranks. Thus
“Whoso desireth the life of the world and its pomp, We you will attain to higher and even higher stages of Divine
shall repay them their deeds herein and therein they will grace, till you are enriched with a wealth after conformably
not be wronged. Those are they for whom is naught in which there is no poverty. Hadrat ‘Umar b. ‘Abdul ‘Aziz, by
the Hereafter save the Fire (All) that they contrive here living to this ideal of contentment obtained all that he wished
is vain and (all) that they are won’t to do is Fruitless.” or expected. He was not fond of building houses, nor curious
(11: 16) about what he ate, nor about the texture and colour of his
clothes. All pride was taken away from him and he had been
My God! How strange, the one whose lifetime runs out
fully convinced of that it is possible for a man to live in a
while he hoards gold. Poor he is with all he has amassed. It
palace without guards and embroidered clothes, and without
is impossible to make known to him the meanings contained
in the verse:--
grace of God, after he has taken the steps of purgation and
torches and such like goods of pomp and show. We have bodies preparation which makes his life meaningful in the spiritual
and senses like animals, but we have reason, intelligence and sense. Then he stands at the beginning where he can catch
insight which bring one near to God. There are three quite the glimpses of the spiritual world. There the Divine
diverse types of men. There is the person who has little or kindnesses flow in his veins till he is covered with celestial light
no interest in this world, which is a place of voluptuous and till he can sing and rejoice and delight in God, as the angels
sensual enjoyment, for he believes that man should get rid do, as revealed in Qur’an:
of the desires of the flesh and cast away his earthly limitations “But unto Allah belongeth the after (life) and the former.
and worldly trappings. Whosoever sets the religious trap of And that thy Lord, He is the goal”.
artfulness against the world, shall thereby capture hope for (53: 42).
being among those who fear Allah. Though this sort of
May God favour you with the rank of the chosen few, who
renunciation is not of the superior type, yet people belonging
to the category will achieve salvation. The other type of man belong to the third type of persons and enable you to meditate
has unveiled before him the picture of abstract beauty in which upon the meaning of J f°r secrets
is manifested the splendour of His name, the exalted, that is lying hidden in this verse have not been disclosed even to those
resplendent in all creation through various phenomena. He, who are famous for their learnings. I think I should be a little
therefore, abandons struggle in the narrow straits of lower exalted by remembering that you had been once my friend.
regions of this world and rises th^vJgh his energy to the higher You do not know how I am filled with gratitude to remember
plane. He can never be content with biological existence. That the days when I received kindness from you in Baghdad. I
is why he does not respond to the world which his senses have never forgotten you during my extensive travels through
report to him, and instead he exclusively confines himself to
Syria, the Hejaz and ‘Iraq, during which period I have always
the other world. Being more responsive to another realm of
prayed for your long life and prosperity. Now for the past
Beauty, he seems from the first to have come with trailing
several years I have preferred a life of seclusion and
clouds of glory from God and is aware that he belongs to the
renounced court-life and correspondence with the Sultans and
father land of the spirit. The third type of man is one who
has stripped himself of all property and pleasures, either of the Amirs. There are two reasons to justify my violation of
this world or the next world, for the sake of his Lord. He this principle by writing to you this letter. Firstly, I wanted
understands the logic behind. to meet you, and since it was not possible for me to do so,
I thought it were better to contact you through correspon
“God is Best and Eternal”. He maintains that so long as dence. The people of Tus join me in extending to you our
any desire from among the desires of this world and that of warm greetings and cordial felicitations on the auspicious
the world beyond that continues to disturb his heart in regard occasion of your assumption of the Prime Minister’s office. You
to the various things of food and drink and dress and marriage are held by the common folk as a great vizier of whom they
and residence and conveyance and rulership, he is certainly entertain high hopes, admiring your talents and giving you
not a pious man because in every one of these things there credit for your virtuous desires.
is a relish and pleasure for the self of man and liking for
Secondly, many evils have taken root in this part of the
urges of flesh. The animals share some of these desires and
country, which could only be weeded out with your careful
it is humiliating for man to be content with what animals
attention, and I write to you for this purpose.
possess, for though man had a body and senses like an animal,
yet having reason and intelligence he is superior to animals Mr. So and So who is personally known to you, hearing
in all respects. His disinterested love brings him near to God. the good news of your assumption of office, made up his mind
It is not industry that brings him to the goal. It is finally the
63
Letters of Al-Ghazzali Letters of Al-Ghazzali
62
disposed to justify whatever they may wish to say. These
to attend your court and congratulate you, as soon as it was theologians are objects of envy and jealousy and victims of
possible. Prior to his proposed visit to your goodself, he wished their selfish desires. I have never felt half so much excitement
me to advise him if his departure from the city at this stage in political events as the present state of Tus has given me.
would be justifiable in view of certain works that required his Party squabbles and the Government’s ineffectiveness have
immediate attention, and I replied in the negative, telling him opened the door to a wave of social violence which has gripped
that he should postpone his visit to a later date, till he is in the country. The judge whom I have referred to (if re-instgted)
receipt of your definite instructions. would report to you the underground activities of the mischie -
As a large number of disciples study under him, I think mongers as he is a most reliable person and his knowledge
his absence from Tus would keep them off their usual pursuit covers every thing that happens in the country.
of knowledge and the city would wear a deserted look till he Now I would like to request you to grant him that trifling
arrives back. He has served the State sincerely and honestly assistance, which may enable him to earn his livelihood in
as a judge in one of the district courts, but some of his reward of which the country would be saved from calamities
influential enemies in the Sultan’s court, raising certain false
and people would pray for you.
allegations against him have been successful in throwing him
May God accept the prayers of the Muslims in respect of
out of service. He has to make his living chiefly by his
profession as a judge and I am sorely disturbed to find that the Mujir-ud-Deen.
he, whom I value as one of my dearest friends, should find
himself too poor to support his family. Circumstances have Your Excellency’s humble servant
forced him to resort to the religious teachers’ profession for
Al-Ghazzali.
the time being to earn something that his family should fall
upon, but I do not see any reason why he should be deprived
of his post for long. He is the most capable judge, devout
and orthodox Sunni, harsh towards heretics, especially the
Shi'ites and Ismailies, a liberal patron of the men of letters,
a sincere friend to men of virtues and learning and
unremitting in his efforts to secure public peace and justice
and to promote religion and education. Since the Government
always stands in need of the services to be rendered by such
a judge, I hope your Excellency’s announcement will give an
indication of your next move towards the reinstatement of the
official on his former post so that the people of this part of
the country mav pray for you, for the rest of their days.
Tus is a rich and secure city and the peaceful haunt of
scholars and learned men. Their prayers serve as a shield
against wrong, but the age in which we live is one of the most
critical in Islamic history. Party feelings run high and they
have led the people into narrow and separate views and
suspicions. Some of the prominent men and the so-called
theologians of Tus are head strong, violent and perilously
from heaven as Jesus Christ once said “Verily, he to whom

God hath granted the knowledge of religion and who acteth
there on himself, instructing others will attain to a high station
(12) Hereafter”.
To be just to one’s own soul means to be purified of all
To His Excellency Mujir-ud-Deen the inner impurities including low desires: anger, lust, hatred,
greed, pride and revenge etc. Take pity on your soul and be
kind to it and bring into use all the instruments for the service
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. of your Lord and surrender whatever is to Him. You should
show an almost insane hostility to yourself, and ride on your
God says: animal self and after disciplining it, traverse on its back the
“Respond to the call of your Lord before there cometh paths of safety. The moment you do this, you will feel the
unto you from Allah a Day which is no averting. You have first divine illumination and you will acquire the immediate
no refuge on that Day, nor have ye any (power of) knowledge of God .which is the highest thing which a man
refusal. But if they are averse, We have not sent thee as can attain. The Prophet has said: “Had'hot the devils imsled
a wonder over them. Thine is only to convey (the men, the latter would have held sway over the kingdom of
message)”. (42: 47). heaven. One who clearing away through the senses, rises past
That which cannot be avoided is death which hangs every his own mind to the wisdom of God, deserves to be honoured
moment over the head, and when it comes, you will be sorry, in heaven with the title of Mujirud Daulah. Since you are the
but your sorrow will not benefit you, and you will make wisest of all the viziers who have passed away, I feel sure,
excuses, but no excuse will be accepted and you will cry for you would remember that the attention given-to every thing
help, but no help will be forth-coming. has its proper value and proportion. Do not forget this then
that the day is not far off when this little compound of yourself
The wise man par excellence is one who by renouncing would be dissolved or removed and placed elsewhere. You
desires of the flesh does not fall into evil, remain prepared should fear death and learn to live according to nature.
for death every moment and collects goods that shall
accompany him on the last journey and you cannot collect Take pity on your subjects and be kind to them, for I
goods for your last journey unless you retire unto yourself. have reliably learnt that there is no limit to the tyranny
For nowhere with more quietness or more freedom from exercised by the strong over the weak. A year ago when I
trouble does a man retire than into his own soul, particularly saw people who were wasted away by a long anxiety and under
when he has within him such thoughts that by looking into whom their limbs trembled, I could not bear the agonizing
them he is immediately in perfect tranquillity and tranquillity sight and left Tus consequently, but when urgent private
is nothing else than the good odering of the mind, and when affairs forced me to visit Tus again, I found that the same
he lays aside all carelessness and passionate aversion from the forces of darkness were still in the ascendent and that the
commands of reason and all hypocrisy and self love, he people had become poorer and more oppressed and no body
becomes strong enough to serve the suffering humanity. Every cared to save them from the clutches of the tyrants.
town and city in the country has turned into a battlefield where Refrain from torturing the innocent masses or else great
the strong wrestle down the weak and the rich exploit and will be your disgrace from Allah. If you want to escape this
tyrannize over the poor. Whoever helps such poor people, his punishment, fight the forces of cruelty and injustice like a
title in the heaven would be Mujirud-Daulah. Titles come down spiritual here and do not yield to their behests, for if you
purge yourself of selfness and help the cause of God by
opposing the enemies of his servants, you will develop justice. As means of living in conformity to nature, we must
friendship towards men and obedience to God which will lead develop wisdom or the knowledge of good and evil which is
you to the highest rank beyond the reach of the kings of this one of the chief virtues, each one of which has its proper
wicked world. If you want to serve suffering humanity, you sphere. He indeed is the wisest who hates the things which
will have to realise that it is possible for a man to live without constitute worldly life. And he loves the things which
the rich or embroidered dresses which is the mark of pride. contribute to his life in the Hereafter where he is going to
Can a common man by wearing the garments of a woman remain for ever and gets composure of mind and satisfaction.
become a female? If that is not possible, how can you by If all the kings of world want to serve him, he would decline
wearing women’s garments become like them? He who offends to accept their offer. Those who accept kings in their services,
through precious dress, seems to be in a manner more are still the servants of their desires and their happiness and
intemperate and more womanish in his offences. Nothing is sorrow depend upon others. The Holy Prophet (peace and
more wretched than a man who tries to look like a woman. blessings of Allah be upon him) said to Hadrat ‘Ali: “If other
If you think a while, you will know that nobody bothers about people seek salvation through good deeds seek entering into
you. Should men befriend you, it would only be serving their union with them through your knowledge of good and evil .
own ends. Many a people adore you, because as a Prime He said this as he knows that the seekers of God are like those
Minister you are the god of position and wealth. They who who are possessed of the knowledge of Kimia: a precious metal
are praising you now, will blame you and praise another, as upon the mere touch of which solid things turn into gold and
soon as you quit your position and some one else is appointed those who seek God through good deeds are like the persons
in your place. When you behold a man who welcomes praise who have some money to support them for a few days. It may
know that he is verily a liar and a potent danger for you. be explained that with enlightenment and knowledge, men
You should provide for the smallest without display and check seek to illumine their surroundings, with the light proceeding
immediately popular applause and all flatter. The seeker of from God in the midst of darkness of destiny, and hold fast
false prestige among men is a cheat, he shall not be able to to the injunctions and prohibitions of God and traverse under
impress men and instead he would incur the wrath of his the direction provided by the Qur’an and Sunnah, the path
Master. The words which were formally familiar are now towards their Lord. They renounce pleasure, wealth and
antiquated, so also the names of those who were well known power of which are the general objects of human ambition
in the past, are now in a manner antiquated, for all things that entails suffering. One of their ambitions is to make their
soon pass away and become a mere tale and are soon cast souls a stainless mirror of God and to crucify every thing that
in oblivion. And I say this of those who were well-known to hinders in coming of divine illumination. It is the peculiar
the world. For the rest as soon as they have breathed out their office of the national and intelligent motion to circumscribe
breath, they are gone and no man speaks of them. The frailest itself and never to be overpbwered either by the motion of
of the ties is the one based on deceit and pride, it is like writing the senses or of the appetites for both are animal, but the
on water or choosing to go away against the tide: intelligent motion claims superiority and does not permit itself
to be overpowered by the others. When man is free from the
“The likeness of those who choose other patrons than Allah bondage of desires relating to this world and the next he would
is as the likeness of the spider when she taketh unto herself see God with his own eyes and be united with Him. Those
a house, and Lo! The frailest of all houses is the spider’s who love God for the sake of Paradise are not among his
house”. (29: 41). friends or auliya’, for they worship Him not for the sake of
Let there be movement and actiop terminating in social pure love, but for His bounties like people who worship kings
and viziers for the sake of their favours. As God has blessed
you with knowledge and enlightenment I beseech you to seek been liberally educated in the science of God. “You should
your Lord through the two channels the Qur’an and Sunnah, inquire from people possessed of the knowledge of God in
so that you may attain to the position to the wisest. Meanwhile matters which you do not know" (16: 43).
I must warn you again against falling into the trap of the Just as a physician knows through his reasoning faculty
mirage of life, where your thirsty soul would find nothing and and experience that man lives upto a certain age and that he
you would suffer a great deal. Those who respond to the world eats different foods to keep him in health. He also knows that
which their senses report to them and seem to care little about poison brings death to man. Similarly we know that man is
intrinsic values or have little or no interests in things beyond destined to live an eternal life which death cannot take away
the world of sense are unconscious of the ascendent realities and that his salvation lies in forgetting all earthly things even
because they are careless and ignorant and their lust over himself so that in the enveloping light he may see marvellous
powers them to seek an extent that they have no time to things and be filled with divine joy. Salvation is one thing and
meditate upon transcendent Realities. There are two reasons to be blessed with divine grace quite another. No amount of
for their refraining from traversing the path towards the good poetical imagination or religious institution of a very high
of life. order could attain to these truths, which cannot be picked up
Firstly, they are slaves to their passions and cannot part out of books, for the soul may see more in an instant than
with wealth and fame they have earned. The best remedy to can be written in the voluminous books. The words are all
cure this disorder is that they should love God simply and coined to express things which belong to the realm of space
constantly and accept piety and renunciation as their ultimate and time and obviously they do not even quite fit a reality
goal. The enlightened understand this secret. This world is which stands in eternity. We see and feel and know imperfectly
the abode of misery and suffering and the moment we get very few things in the few years that we live and all the
rid of our personal relationship with it, God makes the end, knowledge and all the experience of all the human race is
so to shine for us in the light of His grace, that even while positive ignorance of the whole which is infinite. The
on earth, we feel as if we sit in heavenly places. development of the soul is not something that comes from
nature, it derives from the grace of God, without which all
Secondly, they look upon the next world with suspicion works which man can even work to the end of the world are
and refuse to believe that it really exists. It should be made an absolute nothing. The mind’s eye of the meditator perceives
plain to them that even in the belief of God all men do not the vision of the beauty of the presence which at one glance
agree, though their lives furnish an opportunity to seek peace fills his mind to the exclusion of all other objects. This is
of mind through God. The most reliable cure for this disease “tauhid”. In view of these spiritual truths I request you to keep
is that the patients snould retire into themselves, for it is in a watchful eye over your self each day, and find out the causes
their power to do so. This retirement into themselves will send which have led you astray and then amend your faults so that
them back to Allah, free from all ideas of pantheism. This if you cannot administer justice in respect of your poor subjects
type of men, however, are not completely devoid of spiritual you may at least learn to govern yourself properly and obey
capacity but are composed entirely of material stuff. Their
the dictates of your conscience.
unconcern for God or the life Hereafter is due more to the
influences of nature and social pressure than to an original
bent of mind. They should be told that the soul has an eye Your Excellency’s humble servant,
as surely as the body has by which we may know the sovereign Al-Ghazzali.
truth and may learn to love the sovereign goodness which is
God. This type of truth can be got from the mystics who have
Then came the turn of Muyid-ul-Mulk. He too was not shaken

awake, though he had already seen many, who after mutual
enmity, suspicion, hatred and fighting were dead long ago.
Like others he also recalled to his mind this conclusion. “The
(13) viziers who have already passed away sought power for mean
ends, therefore, all hearts were hardened against them and
To His Excellency Mujir-ud-Deen they were deprived of all their desires. I do not belong to
the category of such viziers. I will use my country for my own
benefit, as I deserve it, being a legal heir to the premiership.”
Soon the fate removed him to another sort of life. Now
The Holy Prophet has said: “Whosoever is kind to you, it is the turn of Mujir-ud-Din or Mujirud Daulah, and an
reward hirn with a superior kindness”. Truth is always bitter affectionate Divine voice addresses him thus:
and the one who patiently bears bitter things being said against
“Is it not a guidance for them (to know) how many a
him, dose not fail of valid spiritual achievement, for he generation We destroyed before them, amid whose
possessed of extra-ordinary self control. dwelling they walk? Lo! therein verily are signs for men
Due to this reason you deserve my whole-hearted prayers of thought.” (20: 128).
and I sincerely hope that God Al-Mighty would enable you The message meant for you in these verses is : “O, vizier,
to appreciate the value of true blessings which He would set do not deprive yourself and your family of the good wishes
aside solely for you. You should know that the blessed is the of the wise and the enlightened. The other viziers who are
one who carefully follows the advice of others. This involves now in the next world had erroneously separated themselves
a steady and searching discipline. The first man who was with the devoted prayers of the pious with the inevitable result
deprived of this blessing was Tajul Mulk. He saw the tragic that a dreadful doom overtook them.
end of Nizamul Mulk’s reign with his own eye, yet he did not “How many were the gardens and the watersprings that
take any warning and instead being led, astray by false hopes they left behind. And the corn lands and the goodly sites.
about himself, said to himself, “Nizamul Mulk was too old to And pleasant things wherein they took delight! Even so
adminisier things efficiently and I am a handsome young (it was) and We made it an inheritance for another folk
man”. Soon he was stretched dead and reduced to ashes. not for them, nor were they reprieved”. (44: 25).
Majidul Mulk ought to have taken a lesson, from Tajul Mulk’s
Look into yourself and if you spend your life like others, what
life, but he too failed as the glamour of fame cheated him
explanation you will offer:
and he said to himself: “The well wishers of Nizamul Mulk
turned enemies to him and accused him of serious charges “Hast thou then seen, if We content them for (long) years,
including corruption. No body can find fault with me and I and then cometh that which they were promised (How)
have every right to govern the people as I will. His life too that where-with they were contented naught availeth
is gone. He indeed has not been remembered even for a short them”? (26: 205).
time. On his death-bed the angel of death delivered to him I must bring it into your notice that none of the viziers of
the following message of God: the by-gone days was as notorious for his bad deeds as you
“Did not We grant you a life long enough for him who are. The mass of wretchedness and of ruin which your
reflected to reflect therein? And the warner came unto administration has occasioned is beyond all calculation and yet
you.” (35: 37). you do not feel pity towards the inhabitants of Tus who have
already suffered heavily. Though you would dislike these for the redress of the grievances. Many people have died of
things being said against you, but the Holy Prophet has said starvation and it is impossible to restore them to life, but there
in his traditions that on the Day of Judgment the guilty alone is still a ray of hope left for those who are dying. The kindness
would not be held responsible for their crimes, but their and sympathetic treatment at the hands of Mujirud-Daulah can
relatives would also be subjected to humiliating punishment. save them from starvation. I, therefore, beseech you to do
You must realise that no one is concerned or worried about every thing possible to ensure that in future the people will
you, therefore, you should feel pity towards yourself, avoid not be exploited so mercilessly. I pray that a Government
too much social contact with men and dedicate yourself to circular letter be issued soon to put a stop to such irregularities
good deeds so that you may earn peace of mind in this world on the part of Government officials in the interest of common
as well as in the next. To attain the Divine grace that is the folk whose prayers have saved your premiership from
ultimate hope for man’s salvation, you should make your destruction. May God help you and open for you the doors
memory a tablet on which the actions of the deceased Viziers of worldly and heavenly bliss and enlightenment which you
like Nizamul Mulk, Tajul Mulk, Mujeerul Mulk and Muyidul are not aware of.
Mulk are inscribed. Carefully read these inscriptions and then
you would be able to turn away from worldly traps and
Your Excellency’s humble servant,
vanities. If you cannot get rid of these vanities as it is too
late now to do so, collect good for the journey to the next Al-Ghazzali.
world and no good is superior to your efforts you make for
the climmation of poverty and cruelty at the hands of which
the poor people are suffering. As soon as possible and so far
as it lies within your power you should spare no pains to ensure
that corruption, nepotism, injustice, bribery, cruelty and other
ills are completely wiped out. The people are the glory of our
kingdom and the source of its wealth. You do not know the
present state of their finance. You can have no idea of an
anarchy that exists in this part of the country. The corrupt
revenue officials exploit the ignorant masses for their own
profit and do not credit the amount of taxes and other
Government dues (charged at exorbitant rates) into the
Government treasury. Think upon your subjects, broken in
body and groaning under poverty and of hunger. Their limbs
tremble under them. Long anxiety has reduced them to a
skeleton, while you are leading a life of luxury and
indifference. If any thing can ruin Khurasan and ‘Iraq too,
it would be because of such ministers who have been made
the incharge of affairs.
Don’t let any feeling of pride withhold you from
acknowleding to yourself how grievously and fatally you have
erred. There is not one statesman amongst us who has either
wisdom or virtue to set things right. It is useless to look behind
and preventing them repentance and doing good deeds for

the present. If there lives are extended by a few years,
certainly they would again resort to the same base passions
(14) and forgetfulness of the Day of Judgment. Sometimes they
suppose that they would live longer than others and that good
deeds could be conveniently done later on. Have they entered
To His Excellency Mu‘inul Mulk into an agreement with the Angel of death to this effect? Woe
to them, they do not know that most of men have perished
in a wretched condition, simply, because the devil misled them
In the name of Allah, the Beneficient, the Merciful. into false hopes. If you want to take such risks in the evening
God says: of your life, none would be more miserable and regretful than
you.
“As far that abode of the Hereafter We assign it unto those
who seek not oppression in the earth, nor yet corruption. “Are the people of the townships then secure from the
There sequel is for those who ward off evil”. (28: 83). coming of Our wrath upon them as a night raid while they
sleep? Or are the people of the townships then secure from
Salvation is of two kinds namely (a) The rise above others
the coming of Our wrath upon them in the day while they
through relentless struggle (b) to keep away from bad
play? Are they then secure from Allah’s scheme? None
associates and from the disobedient among men. Undoubtedly deemeth himself secure from Allah’s scheme, save folk that
the one who has ambition of conquering other countries is
perish”. (7: 97 to 99).
possessed of magnanimity and magnificence, and the one who
does not restrain himself from things forbidden and from evil May you and all of us awake from deep sleep of indifference,
and sinful acts disturbs the world and pollutes it. It is futile and may Mu’inul Mulk be warned against what one of his
to expect salvation without fulfilling the necessary conditions, friends has told me these days. The things reported to me
and those who refuse to believe that salvation depends upon against him are the source of incalculable danger in respect
fulfilling the two conditions already mentioned are deceived of Hereafter. So far as he is concerned, I have become
by greed and led astray by the devil, because they do not act extremely worried. There is nothing at my disposal except a
upon the teaching of Qur’an. It is unwise to be satisfied with deep feeling of devotion, good wishes, verbal warnings and
wretchedness and disbelief in the next world. It will not be written advice which I have exclusively reserved for him.
out of place to mention here that there are certain men who Though you do not feel pity towards yourself, let me look
strictly observe these two conditions, yet the passions of the at yourself with the look of mercy.
animal self overpower them. The reason is that they believe You amuse yourself with drinking wine that blinds your
that God being merciful and kind would eventually forgive eyes and heart to your duties towards your people and an
them, but they are not wise enough to remember that God understanding of the laws of human nature. I advise you to
is gracious only to those who lead good lives:— renounce drinking wine, even if it is so hard for you to severe
“The garden will be the home of the good and the hell your ties with the cruel and corrupt Government officials, for
be the abode of the evildoers”. (82: 13). when personal sin is associated with cruelty, it is beyond
human power to get them separated from each other,
On other occasions they say to themselves, “We shall start particularly, in one’s old age drinking wine is one of the worst
living a life of repentance from tomorrow”. They know fully crimes. Nizamul Mulk renounced the major sins including
well that for the last several years the devil has been playing drinking wine and other wicked things when the frost of age
tricks with them and exploiting them with hopes for the future
was upon his head. Till the last days of his life he resolutely
maintained in full vigour the religious pledge that he would
never drink wine or abandon repentance. He used to say: “If
the king of Khurasan does not despise the things prohibited (15)
by Him, the Lord of the kingdoms of earth and heaven would
not forgive him and no excuse would be acceptable to Him.” To His Excellency Sa'adat Khan
I sincerely hope you would despise wine and make up your
mind to hate it for the rest of your days. .1 have said these
things in the interest of friendship which has mutually In the name of Allah, the Beneficient, the Mercifid.
developed between us. God says:
“And there is not a thing but with Us are the stores
Your Excellency’s humble servant, thereof. Any We send it not down save in appointed
measures”. (15: 21).
Al-Ghazzali.
The treasures belonging to the kings are limited; while the
treasurehouse of bounties belonging to the Owner of the
Kingdoms of earth and heaven is infinite. One of these
treasures is His blessings and the other His curse, and both
of them lie hidden mysteriously. There are two keys to them.
One is called obedience and the other sin. These keys lie in
the two treasures of God to whom all mysterious things are
disclosed. One of these keys is also known as Divine guidance
and the other disappointment. The pearls of success and
failure are contained in other mysterious treasures. One of
them is widely known as contentment and the other anger,
and the pearls of contentment and anger are also found in
the two treasures, which are beyond the reach of the vulgar
who cannot even catch the glimpses of these pearls. There are
mysteries about spiritual realities which will always remain un
explored. These are the types of ecstatic state, of inspiration
and illumination which is a most glorious attainment that
cannot be expressed by knowledge. As for most of the learned
and the enlightened, they are not pre-eminent for an authentic
first hand intimate personal knowledge of God. The inner
secrets of faith are purposely shrouded in mystery and
carefully hidden from the learned. The mysterious gift of
mystic apprehension is bestowed upon elect souls, not for their
own glory but for the sake of the whole humanity; to gauge
the mysteries, we must gauge them with the mystics, for the
ground of mysteries and the mystics are one and the same,
God refers to them thus: themselves which enables them in the end to catch a glimpse
of this wonderful world, to their utter astonishment and fear.
“Those for whom We have already reserved good Soon they begin to be consumed in the fire of humiliation
reward.” (21: 101).
and misery, as a result of the love they bear for their Beloved
They are the persons who know the secrets of these treasures. and being to declare steadily, “The most praise-worthy! The
Besides, those of whom: most holy!” The Holy Prophet has confessed in these words:
“Truth has dawned upon most of them” (36:7) has been “I cannot praise Thee. Thou art as glorious as Thou hast
said are competent enough to disclose those things. Both of praised Thyself’.
these holy verses refer to a secret which is the most wonderful
Abu Bakr Siddiq who was the most faithful witness of the
of all mysteries. The height of wisdom is to remain quite dumb
truth used to state: “My power has failed me and the
and silent about these realities. There must be absolute stillness
and distraction must cease. transcendent truths of the spiritual world are quite beyond my
natural apprehension”. Sometimes he suffered seriously due
One should be carefully watchful of what one utters in to extreme humility and powerlessness, which on other
the respect. Fate is a secret of God, which should never be occasions, mistaking modesty for natural apprehension his joy
disclosed at all costs. knew no bounds. This is an account of the treasures belonging
There is another treasure lying beyond these closely to the king of heaven and earth and these are the exhilarating
guarded treasures from which all the treasures originate. sights relating to them. So far as the hoards of silver and gold
Words fail to convey what this really is. The Holy Prophet in possession of the kings of this world are concerned, suffice
reached this stage step by step. First he said, after making it to say that they are the keys to hell.
the profession of faith.
“The worshippers of gold and silver will certainly perish”.
“Through thy pardon my soul seek refuge with Thee”.
A proclamation will be made on the Day of Judgement,
Then he said: “Open the doors of the treasures of hell, and bring those to
“With Thy will I seek shelter from Thy wrath”. our court whose names are mentioned in the records
maintained by Our angels”.
Then he was visited by spiritual forces which he had never
known before and he said: Suppose the poor Sa’adat Khan finds his name included
therein what will he do? Neither the Sultan of the Seljuk
“I seek shelter from Thee in Thee”.
Empire will support him that day, nor the Amirs and viziers
Then he was promoted to a higher rank till he said: will come to help him, as they would themselves stand in need
“I cannot praise Theet Thou art as glorious as Thou hast of supporters.
praised Thyself’.
The learned at. tin to the rank explained in: Your Excellency’s humble servant,
Al-Ghazzali.
They cannot reach beyond this, and the prophets alone
have access to the inmost and highest secrets of being as
mentioned in dl; . There is another world beyond
all this where neither the Prophet can reach, nor the most
learned. It is their steady and unremitting struggle with
down in the Holy qur’an:

“And it was not (vouchsafed) to any mortal that Allah
should speak to him unless (it be) by revelation or from
(16) behind a veil or that He sendeth a messenger to reveal
that He wills by His leave. Lol He is Exalted
To one of the Amirs Wise”. (43: 51).
If the best cure is to be sincerely sought, it is always to be
found in the prayers of the holy and it is through the agency
In the name of Allah, the Beneficient, the Merciful. of the angels that the afflicted persons feel the heavenly drop
The disorders of the human organism which is the most upon their souls:
intricate and complex structure in the world, and the exact “And there is not a thing but with Us are the stores
means of putting them right are the most difficult and complex thereof. And We send it not down save in appointed
study, and being so, they yield a large scope for fallacies of measures”. (15: 21).
observation and inference. You cannot avail, yourself of the devotional spirit of the
Many, therefore, are the false theories and many the pious unless you benefit them by almsgiving and kindness.
monstrous remedies for them, so man and great errors and Almsgiving brings relief both for the doctor and his patient
evils having flowed from wrong observation and reasoning, it and provides the patient with the most effective remedy
is natural for me to be full of worries. The physicians who borrowed from the treasures placed in the custody of the
try to cure these diseases, as if they proceed from natural angels are revealed in the hadith, “Get rid of your diseases
causes are ignorant persons who know nothing of medicine. through almsgiving”. What then is that about which we ought
The truth of the matter is that the One Who creates diseases to employ our serious thoughts. This one thing that there is
is the One Who knows how to cure them, but the vulgar no god but Allah Whose goodness overflows all things and
believe that medicine should be bought from chemist, whose inner power animates the innermost hearts which hence
according to the prescription of a physician, and then used become wider than the heaven and earth. The eternal God
as directed. This is the most serious error. It it, through the is found at a point within ourselves, which as the mystics hold,
mercy and guidance of God Almighty that the patient selects is equally God’s central reality and ours, where spirit with spirit
the most suitable doctor for his treatment and again it is meets. “They will ask thee concerning the spirit. Say: The
through Divine Revelation that the physician prescribes the spirit is by command of my Lord”. (17: 85).
best remedy, taking into account the suitable quantity and These things are too difficult to understand and God has
quality of the medicine which is to be used with due regard forbidden as to disclose the mysteries about the human soul.
to time and interval, for if a doctor ignores these important It is not wise to waste one’s time on what man cannot
factors, he is of no use to the patient who will ultimately understand. However, it is sufficient for us to know that the
abandon his treatment as useless or pernicious. The best and spirit and spiritualism are inseparable and proportionate to
most reliable medicines are not obtained from the shops of each other, since the time that this planet was first cre^d’
chemists, because the key to them lies in the treasure of the no research scholar in any age, and of any country has been
angels who are the agents responsible for the administration able to discover this closely-guarded secret on the basis of this
of affairs of the kingdom of heaven. By Allah’s command men vast knowledge and experiments with truth. In short, care
are provided with the most useful guidance by the angels depends upon almsgiving which is linked with prayers that
under whose control heavenly treasures are placed, as laid
82 Letters of Al-Ghazzali 83
bring health and healing to the body and produces a rare
obedience is like the hand and the possessor of it. It was the
clarity of mind and enhances moral and spiritual power, pen of God which at His command wrote down the simple
therefore, it is said that prayers keep away all sorts of suffering Natures and in the twinkling of an eye started into being, the
and troubles. intelligence, souls, Elements and Natures, the Heavens and the
And it is mentioned in the hadith that: stars. These then took up the task and obeyed the second
“Prayers and disorder struggle with each other”. mandate by writing down the compound bodies and
straightway the mineral, vegetable and Animal Kingdoms
Prayers are like assembled armies that invade and wipe sprang into existence. These are the scribes of God and the
out all the sources of evil and mischief, prayers for rains and words they write are the compound bodies of nature. Since
congregational worship in mosques explain this point, and we men is finite he cannot see the Infinite or His work. He can
have seen on many occasions in response to the prayers of only see the pen, but it is not the pen that writes but the holder
the pious, refreshing and life giving showers fall on the of it. Man does not fully understand that His Knowledge, Will
parched ground and the desert is made to blossom as the rose. and Power comprehend and pervade the whole range of
A specialist in metaphysics can question my knowledge in this natural causes and effects. He fails to observe that causes as
regard and argue that the diseases caused by fever requires well as effects yield and are subservient to His Will and
cool medicines for their treatment. There is no reason why attribute every event to the action of some natural law.
almsgiving could not be effective in such disorder. Doctors
have made mistakes before. Why should not they be wrong “The hearts of the believers lie between the two fingers
now? They fail to realise that the human organism which is of the Beneficent”:
a fabric of such complicated correlations of parts and functions “So like Himself God made Adam that nothing else in
that the more the mechanism is known, the more the wonder earth or heaven resembles God so closely as does the man”.
grows that it ever keep itself in working order so well and “And he who knoweth his own self, knoweth God.”
for so long as it does. This is not due to one’s efforts for
keeping good health. It is all due to the grace of the merciful The mind of the writer, his hand and fingers are above the
Allah. A metaphysician, being misled by faulty observation pen and his body lies below, He alone is the wisest who rise
arrives at the conclusion that a variety of external influence stage by stage from the lowest level to the highest spiritual
have caused the ailment and his shortsightness is responsible stage.
for his jumping at the wrong conclusion. His eyes fail to see “Surely We created man of the best structure. Then We
the depths and the summit of the human soul in which there reduced him to the lowest of the low.” (95: 4, 5). It is a pity
is a principle untouched by external influences, which flows that some people believe in the miraculous cures by a doctor.
from spirit, remaining in the spirit itself, altogether spiritual
A policy of total reliance on medical aid would be
in its content. In this principle is God, ever verdant, flowering
disastrous. When we are ill, the best course left upon to us
in all the joy and glory of His actual self and no man can
is that we should surrender ourselves entirely, taking refuge
in any wise behold it. An example will explain this. Suppose
with God, as men in sore affliction, who have no other
an ant walking along a piece of paper beholds that a line is
resources or supporters left. If one is pious and learned, his
caused by a pen. It can see neither the heart of the writer
prayer can easily reach the Malakute world of self which is
where the idea of writing has taken place, nor the writer’s
the highest of the high. This height is not to be reached with
hand which is the real mover of the pen. In this example
an astronomic ladder to stars or with the wings of an angel.
human nature is a pen, the angels are the fingers holding the
Perception or intelligence can never lead to his conviction or
pen and God Almighty to Whom all the angels bow in
reveal this glorious mystery, that is the province of the Divine
Light alone. Wealth and dignity have strayed away many from
the right path, they are the gods people worship. Renunciation
is the practice of those who know God and the characteristic
mark of the wise, if then you see that one has expelled the
(17)
love of this from his heart you may be sure that he will arrive
at his destination. The guide that shall conduct him on his To The Administrative Heads of all
path assumes the form of good words.
Government Departments
“Good deeds would elevate him to the contemplation of
spiritual things through the medium of his most impres
sionable feelings”. In the name of Allah, the Beneficient, the Merciful.
One cannot attain to the good of life by distributing breads God says:
and meat among those who do not pray, for it would only
“And whose doeth good an atom’s weight will see it
add to the greed of the needy and their desires. Such
then, And whoso doeth ill an atom’s will see it
almsgiving should be exclusively confined in respect of holy
then.” (95: 7, 8).
and God-fearing. Now there is no mercy better than to devote
one’s self to the perfection and improvement of others both Man’s conduct, his speech, silence and generosity or
by precept and example. It is essential that almsgiving should avarice are either a glorious treasure which he cannot part
be strictly and confidentially confined to those “Faqirs” who with, or these are the seeds of wretchedness which he sows
are pure in spirit and in their lives, and who, in spite of their in all direction. Though he is indifferent to what he does, yet
best efforts are too poor to support their families. If they are the guardian angels record every good or ill that he does. God
benefited both temporally and spiritually, they would surely is always near to those who seek Him, while those only are
pray for the well being of their benefactors and thus the far removed from Him who do not remember Him, and who
services of a specialist who knows how to treat the physical by their actions fail to acknowledge that He is Omnipresent
and spiritual diseases by heavenly guidance would be readily and Omniscient, knowing and seeing all they do. The moment
available. There is no approach from unaided sense to the cure man dies, a register of his deeds from the early period of
of the mind or the body. It is unwise to depend upon the his life to the end of his days is shown to him:-
treatment by those who do not know what medicine is. Every “On the day every soul will find itself confronted with all
doctor fancies that he alone possesses the knowledge of that it hath done of good and all that it hath done of evil,
medicine but this is an attribute of the mind and unless one (every soul) will long that there might be a mighty space
is possessed of this knowledge, one cannot say for certain of distance between it stnd that (evil)”. (3: 30).
whether he or is not an expert physician.
Then good having an atom’s weight would be placed in
one scale and ill having the same quantity would be placed
Yours sincerely, in another, and man would be subjected to the verdict of a
balance (Mizan) and he would be awfully worried and anxious
Al-Ghazzali.
to know which of the scales rises and falls:—
“Then, as for him, whose scales are heavy (with good) he
will live a pleasant life. But as for him, whose scales are
light, Hell will be nursing mother to him. And what should
make thee know what that is? It is a blazing

Fire”. (101: 6 to 11).
On that day the scales of the rich would be light, for
they spent their money to satisfy their animal passions and (18)
the scale of the humble would be heavy, because they used
their money in carrying out the commandments of God. Those To Qazis of Maghrib-i-Aqsa
who have much are often greedy, those who have little always
share. Those who spend their whole wealth in almsgiving attain
to perfect salvation, no doubt to escape the danger involved In the name of Allah, the Beneficient, the Merciful.
in worldly possession. Abu Bark Siddiq disposed of his estate
“Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds. Salvation is
and large property and placed the proceeds at the feet of the
confined to the believers, and His wrath would strike down
Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).
those who are cruel, and I testify that our master Muhammad
When asked as to what he had left for his dependents. Abu
(peace be upon him and his descendants) is the head and chief
Bakr Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) replied: “I am
of His Messengers”. It is mainly due to the efforts of Imam
sure God and His Messenger can confer on me a substantial
Marwan a distinguished Judge that a mere acquaintance
benefit sufficient to relieve me from anxiety concerning the
between myself and honorable Sardar Mu’tamadul Mulk Amin-
means of the subsistence of my family”. This happened when
ud-Daula has ripened into a deep friendship which is dearer
the Prophet once declared, “The rich have perished and he
to me than if he were one of my nearest relatives for he is
alone has survived who has scattered his wealth in all
the greatest mystic in the mystical movement of today and one
directions, helping the poor and carrying out the command
of the greatest mystics of the whole of Islamic history. I do
ments of God”. Since a man is miserly by nature and does
not remember whether or when I have sent him a written
not want to spend his money except in his own personal
reminder of my affection, but in the moments of leisure, it
interest, therefore, it is incumbent upon him to spend his
has struck me that there has been a disproportionate silence
money only upon those who are really in need of his financial
between us. It is essential, therefore, that we should write to
help, so that God may reward him with manifold increase on
each other more frequently. To promote the friendship which
the Day of Judgment, when the exchange value for £1.00
already exists between us, I would like to employ a rich counsel
(given to the needy) would be equal to more than £ 1000.00.
which I offer you as a gift from the learned. I want to let
The money gifted by a rich man must be honestly earned and
you know that if you want to know the right and avoid
distributed among the pious and the learned, who have no
ignorance you should cultivate a disposition which gladly
source of income to fall upon in hard times. God says:
accepts association with the wise. The Prophet (peace and
“O ye, who believe! Render not vain your almsgiving by blessings of Allah be upon him) was asked: “Who is the best
laying obligation and injury”. (2: 264). of men”. He said: “The one who is the most pious among
them”. He was further asked, “Who is the wisest?” He replied:
“The one who remembers death and is always prepared for
Yours sincerely, it”. It is laid down in a hadith, “He is alone wise who is a
Al-Ghazzali. master of his self and ignorant is the one who is a slave to
his desires”. Surely he is the most wretched fellow who is not
revivified and illumined and it is impossible for him to attain
to intelligence at all. The intelligence is a light in the heart,
distinguishing between truth and vanity. The intelligent person
casts away the love of worldly objects and lives in submission object and thus without any command from God and His
and resignation to His will, while on the other hand it does permission. The result is forgetfulness of God and sin. God
not appeal to the ignorant whether his abode would be in the seizes them (the mind, and the heart) with ignominy and
Paradise or Hell. God has clarified the situation in the plainest calamities and subjection to people and injury and anxiety and
of words: pain and disease. You should open your eyes and look into
the future and find out what good deeds you have done for
“Those who do good works would enter Paradise, and the tomorrow. Remember none is more sympathetically inclined
evil-doers would be cast into Hell”. towards you than your own heart. Think deeply for a minute
(82: 12). or two and decide what it is that you run after. Perhaps you
In another place God says: are dissatisfied with that which is assigned to you out of the
“The, as for him, who rebelled and chose the life of the universe and you want to found a city? If so, consider:
world, Lol Hell will be his home. But as for him “And how many cities We have destroyed”. (7: 3).
who feared to stand before his Lord and restrained his If you want to dig up wells or canals, think how many
soul from lust, Lol the garden will be his of them have fallen into ruins with time. If you intend to build
home”. (79: 37 to 41). a grand house, remember how fast the magnificent buildings,
Again God says: already erected have disappeared and if you want to lay out
“Whoso desireth the life of the world and its pomp, we a beautiful garden read:
shall repay them their deeds therein, and therein they will “How many were the gardens and the watersprings that
not be wronged. Those are they for whom is naught they left behind. And the corn lands and the good sites
in the Hereafter save the Fire (all) that they contrive and pleasant things wherein they took delightl Even so (it
here is gain and (all) that they are wont to do is was) and We made it an inheritance for other folk: And
fruitless”. (11: 15, 16). the heaven and the earth wept not for them, nor were
The universe is the mirror of the universe, if you then would they reprieved”.
know God, and the heart of man is the mirror of the universe, (44: 25 to 29).
if you then would know God, you must look into your own And read the following verses of the Holy Qur’an:
heart. The guide that shall conduct you on your path is there “Hast then thou seen, if We contend themselves (long)
“a still small voice”, that ever bids you “eschew the evil and
years, And then came that which they were promised
choose the good”. It is the heart that promises freedom from (How) that where with they were contented naught availeth
hasty judgment and friendship towards men and obedience to them?” (26: 205).
God. It will certainly lead you to the goal of eternal bliss. When
you turn to the very innermost deepest consciousness of your God forbid, if you want to serve the king, you should read
real self you have a perception of indwelling of God within this hadith; On the Day of Resurrection the kings and the
you realizing that to turn inward to the light within you is viziers would rise like ants from earth and the common folk
to live in the presence of God or your divine self, you soon would tread them roughly under their feet. If you are not
discover the unreality of the objects to which you have hitherto satisfied with this read what God said in connection with:
been turning and which have engrossed you without, and when "There is an oppressor for every proud man”.
yourself moves the heart in search of any object of desire and
The Prophet has said:
any enjoyment and the heart responds to this demand for the
“Let people mourn for him (in his lifetime) who indulges out, while they hoard gold for their personal benefit. There
in pride and cherishes a desire to become a chief among men”. are the people who would be punished and incur the wrath
He has also said: of God. Being lost in the desires of the flesh, they are never
shaken awake:
“Two wolves cannot harm a herd of sheep so much, as
do the wealth and ambition cause havoc among the Muslim “Rivalry in the worldly increase distracteth you until
section of mankind”. ye come to the graves. Nay, but ye will come to
know!” (1,02: 1 to 3).
If this is not sufficient to satisfy you, refer to a saying
of Jesus Christ (peace be upon him): There are the false hopes and base desires which have
“O my friends wealth is the source of worldly happiness subdued human hearts trapped by the devils. If a disease takes
and the cause of endless suffering in the other world. By God. toot in one’s heart, it can only be treated by one who is an
I say that rich would not enter the heavenly kingdom”. enemy towards his self. Intellectual cure is more important
than physical treatment. They alone are immune from spiritual
The Prophet has said: ailments who are possessed of pure hearts. There are two kinds
“On the Day of Resurrection the rich will rise in groups. of medicines suggested for the treatment of heart troubles.
The first group would be constituted of those who earned The first consists in remembering death and meditating upon
money legally and spent it lawfully. God would say to His it always, taking into account the dreadful end of the fallen
angels, “Ask them if they spent their wealth on forbidden kings and the worshippers of wealth-how they amassed
objects contrary to my commandments, or whether they immense riches, built magnificent palaces and wasted their
disturbed the order in which they ought to have worshipped lives in pride and hypocrisy, till death walked silently towards
Me, by committing mistakes in the performance of ablution them, and turning their palaces into graveyards obliterated all
and in kneeling before Me properly. It is also possible that traces of their pomp and grandeur.
they did not give due attention to charity and pilgrimage and “Is it not a guidance for them (to know) how many a
“Zakat” which are to be performed with appropriate attention generation we destroyed before them, amid whose
to deatil and the utmost solemnity and decorum. Addressing dwellings they walk? Lo! therein verily are signs for men
the angel they would explain, “We amassed wealth through of thought”. (20: 128).
honest means, and performing the obligatory duties, we spend
Their palaces and houses which now lie in the ruins, tell
it in the name of Allah and did not misappropriate a single
their story, and again there are others who have disappeared
penny”. Then they would be asked: “Did you show mercy to
even from fables. The second medicine prescribed for healing
those of mankind who were poor and did you give your
the human heart is to meditate deeply upon the contents of
neighbours their due?”
the Holy Qur’an which contains the best cure and divine
Meanwhile a crowd of men would appear from the blessings. On his death-bed the Prophet advised us to keep
opposite direction prostrating and crying: “Our Lordl They in touch with two advisers. He said:
were the richest men among us and you had forced us to stand
“I have left two advisers among you, who sometimes speak
in need of their financial help, and yet they did not care to
to you, while on other occasions they prefer silence. One of
help us”. Accordingly, they would be chained, dragged and
them is the Qur’an and the other the Laws of His Messenger".
thrown into Hell”. This will be the fate of those who earn
money legally and spend it on the welfare of His servants. “You will not stray as long as you hold the fast”. Though
God alone knows what will happen to those whose lifetime runs the people look alive, yet in reality they are dead, for they
have lost all interest in the Book of God. They read the Qur’an
with their tongues, no doubt, but actually they are dumb. They and power and from whose great soul our Islamic faith can
also hear it being read out of them, but in actual practice they and will be reborn. He is not a “rebel or a wilful heretic”.
are dead. They see it wrapped up in an expensive silk-cloth, He is a spiritual seer and has brought out of his store-house
and placed in an almirah, yet they are blind to its meanings things both new and old. He is essentially loyal to Islam, but
and mysteries. They explain the meaning of the Book of God he speaks in a new tongue and it sounds strange to the
in their commentaries, yet they themselves are quite ignorant guardians of the old heritage. The goal of life can only be
as they do not follow the teachings of the Holy Qur’an. They attained when we are constant and firm in love and accept
know that Satan is their enemy, but they do not deal with with delight and without any grudge all troubles and pains
him as such. 1 warn you against falling into deception by received from the friend, contrary to the practice of the evil
joining the company of such men as have gone astray from doers who sell the next world for the sake of money. You
the right path and do not perform the obligatory duties. Low cannot expect salvation, unless you severe all ties with the
desires and passions of the baser self overpower them and they Sultans and Amirs. One of the traditions says that the learned
are cut off from God’s help. So, if death overtakes them before are the tustees of Allah, so long as they have''nothing to do
repentance, they shall be among the perished ones. There is with the worldly objects, you should bear in mind that they
a verse in the Holy Qur’an which provides the enlightened are far away from religion and that you renounce their worldly
with a true light and guidance:-- ambitions. Allah has opened to you the knowledge of these
“O ye who believe! Let not your wealth nor your children things which are not difficult to achieve. It is, therefore, your
distract you from remembrance of Allah. Those who do sacred duty to be or amiable terms with your son, so that you
so, they are the losers”. (63: 4). may be benefited by his prayers. Remember, the humble
prayers which escape from the hearts of one’s soul are the
Beware lest you indulge in the accumulation of wealth for key to the contemplative life and the source of a great relief
this kind of happiness will create inner discords which will in respect of the parents, both in this world and in the next.
interfere with the absorption of consciousness in spiritual
things, and force you to forget the Day of Resurrection. The You should act upon your son’s advice, so far as it is
Holy Prophet has said: Such terrible doom would befall those concerned with the renunciation of the basic desires and the
who look at the wealth of others with eyes full of greed. It alluring temptations of the self, because though a son is like
is beyond human power to imagine what endless suffering lies a branch, yet through good deeds he can be likened to full
in store for those who hoard wealth and waste their lives in fledged tree. That is what Hadrat Ibrahim (peace be upon
him) said:
open rebellion against God’s commandments. So far as the
great Qadi Imam Marwan is concerned, I pray my God save “O my father Lo! There hath come unto me of knowledge
and preserve him for he is an eminent Sufi, a perfect devout that which cause not unto thee. So follow me and I will
and highly pious. He is possessed of both extraordinary lead thee on a right path”.
intellectual power and fear of God, and these virtues will (19: 43).
develop into a definite and permanent form only when his
father helps him and contributes towards a better understand You should treat your son with kindness. He should be
ing of his son, who being one of the most prominent as dear to you as your own soul. When the people of this
philosophers and mystics of Tran, is an organ for bringing world would be raised in the life hereafter, they would
peace and prosperity for his father both here and hereafter. earnestly desire that someone should recommend them to
Allah.
With uplifted hands and eyes he should pray for his son, who
being a spiritual seer, call for a new epoch of faith and life God says:
“He has no friend here today”. (69: 35).

I pray God Almighty may make this world appear a
contemptible thing in your eyes, as it is to Him and delight (19)
you with the realm of the spiritual and Real which could be
desired. May we severe all the bonds of convention and follow
God’s will and the track which leads to eternal life in Paradise. To Khwaja Imam ‘Abbasi
Yours sincerely, In the name of Allah, the Beneficient, the Merciful.

Al-Ghazzali. Someone asked the Prophet: “Inform me, in the matter
of Islam, so that I may have no occasion to ask others about
it". He replied: “Say, I believe in God, after which firmly obey
the commands and abandon the things forbidden .
To believe in God means that God and the spiritual world
are ever present realities in the routine of our daily life. Islam
teaches us that in order to devote exclusive attention to
fulfilling our duties to God and to our fellow beings, we must
abandon all vain and useless activities which distract us from
this end. When we are enlightened with the true light, we
renounce all desires and commit and commend ourselves and
all things to Allah. Then we are in a state of freedom, because
we have lost the fear of pain or hell and the'hope of reward
or heaven, and are living in pure submission to Allah. We
reduce our cognitive faculties to zero, to absolute inaction and
in this sacred silence contemplate things divine, by union not
in ourselves, but by going out of ourselves entirely and
becoming wholly of God. The universe has flowed out from
Him. It is a divine emanation and there is also a cosmic process
of “return” back to the eternal one. The only possible
approach, therefore, is the ways of negation. The stage of
obeying God’s commandments comes next.
The abandonment of the things forbidden consists in three
things-the heart should be purified of all the inner
impurities—we should improve our conduct so that other men
may be improved-and thankfulness for the blessings of
comfort in the limbs and the organs of the body is to use them
in carrying out the commandments of God and in restraining
ourselves from things forbidden and from evil and sinful acts.
One should always weigh his words and deeds. Wisdom means
the intelligent weighing of both sides of a situation and the
finding out of the right middle course between two extremes.

It is, therefore, very important that we should subject ourselves
to the verdict of a balance and discover whether our scale shall
rise or fall. When man’s self comes across the objects of (20)
pleasure, it naturally insists that they should be obtained for
the time being and that they would be abandoned next time.
The best course left open to us in this condition is that we
To Abul Hassan Mas‘ud bin Muhammad
should ask our “self’ to abstain this time from gaining the bin Ghanam
objects and that it would be more advisable to obtain them
next time. We should take our “self’ nor more seriously than
it takes us. We have the right to restore to a sort of personal In the name of Allah, the beneficient, the Merciful.
reprisal. In this way we return to the right quarter jest for I have received your letter full of knowledge and the
jest; we play the trick that has been played on us. If we cannot mystics experience through which it is vitally incorporated into
practise this continuously, at least we can make ourselves as your personality. It was so long since I had heard from you
familiar with it as possible. It is the recollection of God, the
that I felt a degree of uneasiness at your silence and I thought
thought of God which in all places and circumstances make
so much of your letter that to abandon'the thought was a
us see Him present. Let us commune respectfully and lovingly
considerable disappointment. The receipt of your letter has
with Him and full ourselves with the desire and affection of
Him. Never lose sight of the idea of God neither in prosperity gratified me and warmed my heart. It happened that I was
nor in adversity, nor on any occasion, whatsoever it may be. thinking about you at the moment when your letter came, but
Let your mundane activities of your life may not absorb you this is not so extraordinary coincidence as it might seem, for
to such an extent that you may ignore the Lord. Bear this you have been in my thoughts every day during my extensive
fact always in your mind that God sees you, that you are under travels. I think that the one thing which has impressed me
His eyes. If a thousand time an hour you forget Him, try to most is learning the fact that you have acquired such sterling
remember Him for two thousand time an hour. If beneath qualities of character like humility, modesty, truthfulness and
the weight of over-powering misery or in the intoxication of wisdom and practical ability of a very high order is joined
unwanted prosperity, you should waver for a moment in your with these virtues. I am glad to know that you have devoted
belief in God, you should atone for your error at once, by your whole life to the pursuit of spiritual knowledge, for which
a long and earnest course of penitence and prayer. We usually you are putting your best efforts like a sane and vigorous
make the ideals of life those material things which do not give person, who travels on the path of righteousness, perform
us peace and happiness. If we remember God and worship good deeds through his learning and gathers the fruit of his
Him, peace and happiness should come of themselves as labours before death and shall not regret the passing away
necessary and as the mere outcome or natural result of a far of his days. You should always bear in mind that the beginning
higher life permeated with spirituality through and through. of the performance of good deeds involves a steady obedience
This life is the real seeking of the kingdom of God and the to the will of Allah, Who keeps your mind at ease and your
desire for His supremacy in our hearts. If we are able to live thoughts in even course at the end. I am deeply interested
such a life, we would deserve salvation, peace of mind and to find that you are well-versed in literature and the religious
divine grace both here and Hereafter. laws. Don’t be satisfied with what you have already gained,
for it would be unwise to think that being a finite human being,
Yours sincerely,
you have comprehended the whole range of knowledge which
Al-Ghazzali. is infinite.
“The knowledge the wisest men have shared of Thy great from wrong is not so precious as the knowledge which provides
power and Thee, is less when with Thyself compared, than man with eternal salvation. The spiritual remedies are only
one drop in a sea”. known to the spiritual healers who observe that causes as well
Not till your renounce the worldly desires and exchange as effects are subservient to His will. We find sufficient
unimportant business for positive knowledge and humility for evidence to convince us that proper reform in mental attitude
honour, you shall not be fit to be called enlightened. Intellect would relieve many a sufferer of ills that the ordinary
working by itself is incapable of realizing the eternal value of physicians cannot touch and the faithful adherence to a true
man. This value lies in the spiritual serenity which you must philosopher of life will not keep many a man well, but would
always try to realize and attain. Your action righteously is your also enable him to finish his upward progress and reach
return to the real nature of man. for when you have finished Paradise. In just the degree that we come into a conscious
your upward progress and reached this, you are in Paradise realization of our oneness with the Infinite life and open
and in the presence of your Lord. The best knowledge is the ourselves to this divine inflow, do we actualize in ourselves
science of religion which is most beneficial to mankind, and the qualities and powers of the Infinite life, do we make
your object should, therefore, be to learn it and preach it ourselves channels through which the Infinite intelligence and
among your fellow men so that the human soul may be power can work? This sort of life is almost unrecognizeable
strengthened and purified by renunciation and contemplation, unless we live it into ourselves actually, but what can we say
until it reflects the true light, which is the spirit of the to those who do not understand? This, at least, we can say
Humanity. The love and regard for the oppressed enable one that it is a life whose experiences are proved real to their
to receive from God Almighty the reward of many years’ possessor, because they remain with him when brought closest
prayers. One fourth of worship consists in the administration into contact with the objective realities of the life. “The bird
of justice, i.e. giving every man his due. Many people which does not know what pure sweet water is, frequently dips
entrapped into ambition and worldly gain are divided and have its beak into saltish water”.
degenerated to such an extent that many of their acts and I have faith in the development of your philosophical
deeds are not only repulsive and repugnant to Islam, but are thought and rely on your great mystical knowledge which is
indeed flagrant violations of its basic tenets. Something must a genuine key for un-locking the world’s treasure-house to you
be done before the wrath of God seizes them. Though the who can use it practically. That is why, as a well-wisher, I have
knowledge of the laws relating to the administration of justice contributed these few lines towards your welfare, in my own
among men is indispensable, yet it is quite insignificant when human way.
compared with the knowledge of Divinity, which lights our way
to heaven and revives our spirit by its rich fragrance. True
knowledge leads us to a stage where we can remove the Yours sincerely,
cobwebs of alien philosophers from the real Islamic thought Al-Ghazzali.
and separate truth from falsehood, in order to save the
Muslims from doubts and deviation. The duty of acquiring
true knowledge can be easily performed by one who is a
specialist in the interpretation of spiritual realities. If he
commits an error in the interpretation in spite of his utmost
endeavour, he is rewarded for his sincerity and if he does not
commit any mistake in the process, he is rewarded two-fold.
The knowledge which enables the possessor to distinguish right
(22)
(21) To Khwaja ‘Abbas Khwarzam
To all the Prominent Theologians
In the name of Allah, the Beneficient, the Merciful.
Religious brotherhood and relationship in knowledge are
In the name of Allah, the Beneficient, the Merciful. deeply-rooted and unite two men more closely than all sorts
The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) has said: “This of other relations. Apparently you are not known to me, but
world is utterly vile and wicked. It has fallen into a deep by spiritual contemplation I have arrived at the conclusion that
abasement. Every thing it contains is cursed, save those things you are one of those persons whom I hold most dear.
which are exclusively meant for God”. The persons who lead Souls before being housed in bodies were like assembled
the life of conventionality, artificiality and personal ambition armies. One should look upon the hearts rather than upon
and indulge in the accumulation of wealth, sow only the seeds the bodies. It is a source of great strength and pleasure to
of mischief and wretchedness, resulting in the devastation of me to learn that you having come at the end of all this
the face of earth. This world is the means and the next the development of philosophical thought and mystical experience
end. The wise man is he who collects the goods here for his hold the unique position of being a heir to an immense
journey to the Hereafter. The Prophet has hinted to the same intellectual and spiritual wealth. I thank God who has blessed
effect in the Hadith. you with religious knowledge, mystical vision and faithful
adherence to the theory and practice of the companions of
“Honestly earned money is a source of great strerigth for the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him). These have endowed
an honest man”. you with rare virtues. I feel sure that the plan of salvation
The bes of virtues is the love of regard for the learned will flash upon you like a storm of light leading you to man’s
and pious and the best of money is almsgiving to them. There real goal of life, and then you will model yourself upon the
is no better way of salvation than by bringing relief to the companions of the Prophet, who are the models of the saintly
hearts of pious servants of Allah. life and the type of glorified humanity. If you inwork
ceaselessly and with single minded devotion to propagate the
Islamic teachings and the niystic ideas, the entire population
Yours sincerely, of our country will be benefited. Inspired by your teachings
Al-Ghazzali. they would trust in Him alone and acquiesce entire in His
will.
“And who is better in speech than him who prayeth unto
his Lord and doeth right, and sayeth: Lo! I am of those
who surrender (unto Him).” (41: 32)
Yours sincerely,
Al-Ghazzali.
religious knowledge is devoted purely to religion and the heart

of religion is always to be found in close contact with God
(23) in the fathomless depths of the inner life. If it is exploited
to serve our personal ends heie, it contributes to the gravest
of the sins. Some of the sages have observed, “The hardest
To Ibn-ul-‘Amil people in the world to argue with are those who seek religion
through such illicit means as are meant for seeking themselves
or their own things”.
In the name of Allah, the Benefident, the Merciful.
As a matter of fact, this world is a means and the next
Thank, you very much for your letter containing many an end. Woe unto him who sells religion for worldly gains.
things about the spiritual world and God’s knowledge and your This world is an agent and a servant and the next is the master
sincere faith in Him. and the ruler. They are obstinate fools who suppose that the
I pray God that He may enable you to dig still deeper master is a servant and vice versa. You cannot alter the Divine
for the hidden pearls of your heart so that you may become principles, nor rebel against the established doctrines by
sensitive to spiritual suggestions and have a quick insight into finding faults with His will. Natural laws do not change,
religious questions. The knowledge which provides us with though to a certain degree they appear to assume changed
things other than the fulfillment of the commandments of God form in this world which is like a fast-fading shadow, because
and His Messenger is harmful to its possessor. Our Holy matter, while admitting reflection which it cannot resist, takes
Prophet has said: the false appearance of motion. The world of matter and all
in it is but a dream, compared to the awakening which will
“Whosoever is granted the maximum of knowledge, but
come to man on his deathbed. The moment he closes his eyes,
is deprived of proper guidance stands poles apart from
the next world and the meaning of the mysterious realities
God.”
are unveiled to him. Every quality assumes a bodily shape and
The guiding knowledge leads you from the creatures to every man becomes an animal according to the ruling passion
the Creator, from this world to the next, from pride to of his earthly life. This idea is expressed in the words of the
humility, from greed to piety, from hypocrisy to sincerity, Hadith. My people will in the eternal life, rise up in groups-
from doubt to truth, from the slavery of those who live a life that is, some as apes, some as tigers and some as hogs etc.
of luxury to the doctrines of the mystics. Many people think At that time the men who earned their worldly livelihood at
that he who is busy acquiring the religious knowledge also the cost of their religious knowledge would fall into such a
walks along the true path. Actually this is not so, which is a deep abasement that it would seem to them reasonable that
pity indeed. It is recorded in Sahihain “that our Holy Prophet all creatures in heaven and earth should rise up against them.
once said: A Divine voice will cry:
“The wrath of God would descend upon those who seek “Now We have removed from thee thy covering and
knowledge of God with a view of gaining some worldly piercing is the sight this day”. (50: 22)
ends thereby”.
This situation is further explained in the following words of
The trouble with the learned is that they do not realise the Holy Qur’an:
that to hoard knowledge is more dangerous than accumulation “Couldst thou but see when the guilty hang their heads
of wealth, for wealth is intended for use in this world and
before their Lord (and say) Our Lord! We have now seen
is exclusively meant for man’s well-being on this planet, but
Letters of -Al-Ghaz2ali 105
I pray God to enlist us among the most sincere of His
servants, and save us from the fraud of those who indulge
and heard, so send us back; we will do right, now we are
in worldly pleasures.
sure" (32: 12).
Again a Divine voice will reply: Yours sincerely,
“Did not We grant you a life long enough for him who Al-Ghazzali.
reflected to reflect therein? And the warner came unto
you. Now taste (the flavour of your deeds), for evil doers
have no helpers”. (35: 37).
The Holy Prophet has warned,
“The thing to be most afraid of and which I am afraid
of in respect of my followers is the evil learned man”.
The evil learned men will have to endure endless suffering
and sorrow. The learned men can be grouped under the three
heads:
(1) Those who are ignorant and profane. They are
possessed of a kind of learning which is not knowledge, and
they neither care for, nor desire the eternal truth which is
known by experience. They are described in these words of
the Qur’an:
“They are those who are indifferent to the realities of
eternal life. Verily they would be the losers on the Day
of Judgement”. (16: 108, 109).
(2) Those whose immediate feelings have no content, and
who sit holding their heads in their hands and deeply
meditating upon their grief, for not having done good deeds.
(3) Those who guard the way of the ancient Muslims and
their illustrious men, i.e. the companions of the Prophet as
the true path of the ultimate goal-the attainment of nearness
to God and final peace in the beautiful vision. When the final
nearness is attained, their souls become absorbed in the
Divinity. Blessed are the eyes that have seen them or those
who have seen them. You do not know how fervently I wish
I could see them with my own eyes. The following passage
in the Qur'an refers to these three groups:
“But of them are some who wrong themselves, and of them
are some who outstrip (others) through good deeds by
Allah's leave.” (35: 32).
Usually they are overtaken by the devils and the stages of their
upward progress are blocked by the mischievous activities of
the latter. Near relatives, friends, money and property are felt
(24) as interfering distractions in addition to rift and enmity which
have ruined many a family. If they prevent a scholar from
going ahead with his prospect of studies, they can be safely
To whomsoever it may concern compared to the devils, whose sole aim is to disturb a scholar
in his studies. I believe he has the making of a true scholar
in him and is fit enough to be adored with the best of
In the name of Allah, the Beneficient, the Merciful. knowledge and enlightenment. It ought to be possible for you
God has reserved His bounties for those who are pious to provide him with the necessary facilities, to enable him to
and turn away from worldly gains and vanities and avoid attain to the height of knowledge and perfection, for which
forbidden things. There are only a few men out of thousands, act of kindness you will be liberally rewarded both here and
who seek knowledge in the truest sense of the term and Hereafter. But, if every moment you insist that he should
renounce pleasure, wealth and power which are the general return home without completing his course, you will definitely
objects of human ambition. And of the learned those are still spoil the whole scheme of his studies, and instead of being
fewer who know those things which are based upon the a patron to him, you would harm him incalculably. If you do
overflow of gifts, not upon constrained research or wearisome not refrain from this, you will be regarded among those who
struggle for acquisition, and the fewest of the men possessed place obstacles in the way of students and prevent them form
of knowledge are those who make God and the spiritual world the acquisition of knowledge. Our Holy Prophet has said.
ever present realities in the routine of daily life and whose “Don’t help the devils against your brothers”.
knowledge reveals to them that all interfering distractions must A student has told me quite innocently that going home
be removed entirely so that the heart may become purged of
for a few days only would not interfere with his studies.
all that is not God. They are the ones who have the knowledge
Through bitter experience I have learnt that if the link is
of religion and who act thereon themselves instructing others
broken, once, it is impossible to resume studies, for the home
and believing that attention given in theory and practice has
or the native village is such a store-house of mental worries,
its proper value and proportion. They are unmistakably the
and discouragements that the pursuits of studies has to be
most prominent and exalted religious personalities. dispensed with. I have said these things as one of your well
“And when they become steadfast and believe firmly in wisher. Every man has been assigned a special duty, and it
Our revelations, We appoint from among them leaders is easy for one to perform the duty for which he has been
who guide by Our command.” created and the blessed is the man who has been created to
6 (32: 24) do good deeds and help others in this connection.
They are not to be included among those of whom it has been “To every Science its own people; And each man finds
said: easy that for which he has been created apt”.
“Recite unto them the tale of him to whom We gave Our
revelation but he sloughed them off, so Satan overtook him Yours sincerely,
and he become of those who lead astray . (7: 174).
Al-Ghazzali.
There are very few persons who have the aptitude for the
acquisition of true knowledge and are endowed with piety.
Letters of Al-Ghaziali 109
making among the people. Whoso doeth that seeking the

good pleasure of Allah, We shall bestow on him a vast
(25) reward”.
(4:113)
To Qadi Imam Sa‘eed ‘Imadud-din Thus it would appear that correspondence too is a sort of a
Muhammad-Al-Wazzan convention and a secret conference held for the purpose of
seeking advice from others. I have a special favour to ask
abruptly. That is why this letter is being written. I have a
In tne name of the Allah, the Beneficient, the Merciful. friend, the dearest one I have ever had. I cannot tell you how
much I like him or what varied and extraordinary talents he
I am very glad to hear the news that some of the
possesses. His readiness for any idea in mysticism is the despair
administrators of the affairs of your country are sparing no
of other sufis and this fact has impressed me with his gifts.
pains to ensure the eternal security and implement wide
Time is against him, but he toils relentlessly to assert his
ranging reforms to alleviate the sufferings of the common
individuality. He wants to seek an interview with you, for
man. All the believers are like one self united on the basis
which purpose he has set on a journey to your place. He would
of piety and relationship in knowledge, acquaintance with one
be extremely grateful if you would receive him with regards
another and co-operation among themselves. Among many
and help him, in so far as it lies with you, for which kindness
treasures, the pearl of the greatest price is the knowledge we
God will favour you with His mercy and bounties.
have of the ancient Muslims who recognized God as the causer
of all causes and relied fully upon Him, rather than upon their
own energy and efforts or upon the things of this world. Those Yours sincerely,
indeed are the wisest of men who act in accordance with what
the ancient Muslims preached or did. They alone are to be Al-Ghazzali.
admired and congratulated who collect goods that shall
accompany them on the last journey. There are people whose
philosophy is that one must avoid contemplating the thought
of the next world and just enjoy as best as one can, the
pleasures of life that it has to offer at the moment. They are
completely devoid of spiritual capacity and composed entirely
of material stuff. If they are not shaken awake some day, they
will certainly bring evil on themselves through their own folly
and they will be seized by God’s wrath sooner or later. Since
unnecessary correspondence is a kind of formality and a mere
waste of time which I do not like, I resort to it only when
in view of my urgent requirements I cannot possibly avoid
it. God says:
“There is no good in much of their secret conferences,
save (in) him who enjoineth almsgiving, kindness and peace
Letters, of Al-Ghazzali 111
said that social affair (mu'amilah) starts with eating a mouthful

of well-earned victuals. There are four kinds of piety and
devotion meant for those who eat well-earned food.
One in which the observance of justice is essential.
(26) According to the verdict of the religious ‘ulema’, pious people
are required to avoid forbidden things—
To all those who want to live a peaceful Another in which good persons are not misled by doubts,
even though these doubts are not dedared illicit by the Shariat.
and pious life The Holy Prophet said to some of his companions:
“In spite of the verdict of the muftis in your favour, always
In the name of Allah, the Benefident, the Merciful. turn to your own conscience for a legal decision.
One has to cross many difficult stages and surmount In other place he said:
apparently insurmountable difficulties before one attains to “Leave altogether that which is doubtful and choose that
spiritual height by completing upon his onward march. The which you do not suspect.”
most important of these stages could be summed up in two This kind of piety is not obligatory. It is an optional virtue
words: Social affair and gnosis. Social affair is an introduction and contributes to man’s moral progress.
to gnosis and begins with eating a mouthful of simple victuals
earned by hard labour and ends in the sincerity of our actions The third kind signifies the devotional spirit of the
and deeds. When this stage is reached, the chapter on gnosis worshipper. The Prophet has said:
written by the pen of God in His own book flashes before “Man cannot become pious, unless he avoids even the
our sight and we find that the chapter is entitled: legitimate and harmless objects fearing J*St they should
“There is no god but Allah”. involve him in trouble”.
This is the reason why Hadrat Abu Bakr Siddiq used to
The Prophet has said:
place stones on his mouth to hold his tongue, so as not to
“The first words which God wrote in His first Book were: run the risky by speaking something which may not be very
“There is no god but I, My Kindness exceeds My Wrath.” desirable or of falling into some sin of which he might not
The chapter on social affair also bears the same words, but be aware. It so happened that once Hadrat ‘Umar bin Khattab
since it covers only one aspect of faith, it cannot reflect the smelt a diffusing musk lying in the government treasury, ,$s
virtues contained in gnosis. It is unwise to give a detailed he touched it, the odour spread on one of his fingers. He
account of gnosis, for the more one seeks words to express used to wash his finger continually and t ub it against the earth
it (ma'rifat), the more one feels the impossibility of describing sb that the fragrance may be removed completely. Though
the thing by any of our usual images. A hint in this connection there was no harm in it, yet he feared that if he indulged
may be of some use to those who are interested. Gnosis or in strong smelling substances he might commit the sin of
ma'rifat is a knowledge given in ecstasy peculiar to saints who excessive smelling.
behold God with their hearts. This knowledge differs The fourth kind relates to the piety of the true believers
altogether from intellectual and traditional knowledge on who abstain from the world and its wickedness, and whose
the other hand the more one seeks to discuss social affair in minds’ eye perceive the vision of the beauty of the presence
detail, the more one feels it is easily understood by the
listeners, and as such it is beneficial to them. I have already
which at one glance fills their minds to the exclusion of all the ancient Muslims. It is also incorrect to believe that the
other objects. If they eat, they shall eat for Allah, if they drink, persons in the employ of the Government, who receive pay
they drink for Allah, if they speak, they shall speak for Allah, and emoluments are tyrants, for the money earned by the
if they live, they shall live for Allah-all their affairs are from businessmen is inter-mixed, and as such it requires a thorough
Allah, in Allah and by Allah. God said: process of analysis, before it could be properly made use of.
Similarly the large fortune at the disposal of the kings also
“My servant draws nigh unto Me by means of voluntary
requires a thorough scrutiny and careful investigation. Seen
righteous acts, and I love him; and when I love him, I
from this point of view a king hoards three kinds of riches:
am his ear, so that he hears by Me, and his eye, so that
he sees by Me and his tongue, so that he speaks by Me (1) Money taken from some one by force.
and his hand so that he takes by Me.” (2) Money collected from the subjects on account of fine
Those who receive guidance from the chapter entitled or penalty.
“Social Affairs” are divided into three parts explained by God (3) Money realise from the subjects on account of tax and
in the verse. revenue at exorbitant rates.
“Then We gave the Scripture as inheritance unto those The above-mentioned types of wealth are forbidden.
whom We elect of Our bondmen”. (35: 32). Those kings and sultans are, of course, usurpers, and tyrants
who accumulate such wealth and do not return it to their real
(1) Those who acquire the virtue of administering justice
owners. There is a kind of money which is quite legitimate.
on contemplative basis and follow the right middle course
This is the price of the food-grains grown on one’s own farm
between two extremes. and disposed of. The goods on money stolen or taken away
(2) Those who do not appreciate the value of piety and from others with brute force is illegitimate. This verdict of
avoid the performance of duty towards their fellow-men Shari'at is quite clear about this. The one who is in possession
belong to the category of the tyrants, and serious afflictions of such goods or money should distribute it among the needy,
would be dispensed to them. “dervishes” or contribute it towards the welfare of the society.
(3) Those who rise higher and enjoy the rank equivalent It must not be left in the hands of the usurpers who will
to that of the ancient Muslims. In this age of ours it seems certainly mis-use it and disturb social justice. If the owners
impossible that one could belong to this third type, though of the money is a dervish, he should use as much of it as he
it is earnestly hoped that the people who can fulfil the is surely in need of. And if he is a rich man, he should not
conditions laid down for the pious and the just could be raised spend a single penny, but should contribute it towards the
to this high rank, as explained by the Holy Prophet: national reconstruction or the relief of the poor and the needy.
If this rich man is really in need of some money, he is allowed
“The day is not far off, when people who get one tenth to take as much of it as it is required to meet the bare
of your portion will attain to salvation.” necessities of his family. Mr. So and So has stayed for several
When his companions inquired of him as to how it could be years in the Convent adjacent to my home. He bears a good
possible, he replied: moral character and has discarded his worldly life for the sake
of his life Hereafter. If he is too poor to support his family
For you help others to do good deeds.”
and wants to be benefitted by the Sultan’s almsgiving or
It is wrong to think that the money earned by the farmers charitable endowments, he ought to secure a religious verdict
or businessmen is always legitimate and that the one who on this subject in his favour, and avail himself of the concession
makes use of such money is entitled to the rank enjoyed by with the approval of the competent authority. It is very
difficult to subject one’s self to the religious verdict of a

balance (mizan) in these hard times and discover whether he
and his family really stand in need of financial help from the
Government. If there is such a poor man, he deserves to be
looked after, instead of being deprived of the monetary
assistance which is his due, therefore, it is incumbent on Mr.
So and So to seek the help of his Muslim brethren and other
Shaikhs, who will certainly extend their helping hands, to
relieve him out of his financial distress. The peace of Allah
be on the Holy Prophet who is the Head and Chief of His
Messengers.
Yours sincerely,
Al-Ghazzali.

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LETTERS

22. A letter to Khwaja ‘Abbas Khwarzam 101

without verbosity. Like all else he wrote on the subject of

In the name of God, the Most Merciful, the Most

Al-Ghazzali is a figure of such towering importance that

(3) Courage thinking and acting of human beings is an utterly insignificant

You should know that by now I am fifty-three years old.

allow me to return to my native town Tus, for which act of

In the name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate.

“He should judge, according to Allah’s notion of justice,

afflicted, the Reliever of all distress. Relieve me of my

“O David! Lo! We have set thee as a vicegerent in the

cannot cause more destruction to a herd of sheep than that

“Surely there is a reminder in this for him who has a

explain. Whatever he says is so full of information, and

There are those whom God says:

“And neglect not thy portion of the world”.

from heaven as Jesus Christ once said “Verily, he to whom

Then came the turn of Muyid-ul-Mulk. He too was not shaken

and preventing them repentance and doing good deeds for

down in the Holy qur’an:

make thee know what that is? It is a blazing

“He has no friend here today”. (69: 35).

Yours sincerely, In the name of Allah, the Beneficient, the Merciful.

finding out of the right middle course between two extremes.

religious knowledge is devoted purely to religion and the heart

making among the people. Whoso doeth that seeking the

said that social affair (mu'amilah) starts with eating a mouthful

difficult to subject one’s self to the religious verdict of a

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