Auteur: L. Cranmer-Byng

Abu Hamid Muhammad ibn Muhammad al-Ghazali, known as Al-Ghazzali in the Western scholarly tradition, was a polymath born in 1058 in Tus, within present-day Iran. Renowned as one of the most brilliant philosophers, theologians, jurists, and mystics of the Islamic Golden Age, Al-Ghazzali »s intellectual legacy reverberates across centuries and cultural borders. His magnum opus, « Ihya » ulum al-din » (The Revival of the Religious Sciences), has had a profound influence on both Muslim and Western philosophical thought. The « Confessions of Al Ghazzali » is an autobiographical account that gives insights into his profound spiritual transformation. Al-Ghazzali »s works often delve into the intricacies of philosophy, Sufism, and theology, reflecting a commitment to synthesizing reason and faith. Esteemed for his reconciliation of the philosophical spirit of the Greeks with Islamic thought, his writing style is characterized by rigor and a clarity that seeks to make complex theological concepts accessible to a broad audience. Al-Ghazzali remains a towering figure, not only within the discipline of Islamic studies but also in the annals of world philosophy and religious thought. His literary contributions continue to be the subject of extensive scholarly research, forming a crucial part of the curriculum in studies of medieval philosophy, Islamic theology, and Sufism.