بِسْمِ ٱللَّٰهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

date: 3/16/2024

author: hawa ali drammeh

status: in progress

introduction:

imam al-ghazzali was born in the city of tus in khorrasan, 1058 A.D. his name comes from being the son of the dealer of cotton (al-ghazzali). he lost his father in his early years and was raised by a sufi who was a heavy influence on him and his career. he became a professor of theology at Baghdad. this treatise is the history of ghazzali’s pursuit of truth.

his journey for truth involves him examining the 3 different sects of those who search for knowledge/truth:

1. theologians → follow reason and speculation
2. philosophers → masters of logic and demonstration
3. sufis → immediate intuition, perceive real manifestation of truth beyond the common perception of most people