God has sent on earth prophets to teach men the prescription of happiness. This alchemy may be briefly described as turning away from the world to God, and its constituents are the knowledge of self., the knowledge of God, the knowledge of this world as it really is, and the knowledge of the next world as it really is.

"This man, if ever any have deserved the name, was truly a 'divine, ' and he may be justly placed on a level with Origen, so remarkable was he for learning and ingenuity, and gifted with such a rare faculty for the skilful and worthy exposition of doctrine. All that is...

"The Book of the Lawful & the Unlawful" is the 14th chapter of "The Revival of the Religious Sciences," which is widely considered as the greatest work of Islamic spirituality. Written by one of the most famous of theologian-mystics of all time, "The Book of the Lawful & the Unlawful" is unlike other Islamic works concerned with legal issues; here, Abu Hamid al-Ghazali aims to teach his readers firstly the theory of what is lawful and what is unlawful and how to deal with dubious or ambiguous issues, and secondly how to apply the knowledge they have gained to their everyday lives. The main...

The 38th chapter of the Revival of the Religious Sciences, this treatise follows on from "Al-Ghazali on Intention, Sincerity & Truthfulness." Here, Ghazali focuses on the different stations of steadfastness in religion (murabaha), vigilance and self-examination being its cornerstones. As in all his writings, Ghazali bases his arguments on the Qur an, the example of the Prophet, and the sayings of numerous scholars and Sufis. As relevant today as it was in the 11th century, this discourse will be of interest to anyone concerned with ethics and moral philosophy."

In this translation of the 17th book of the Revival of the Religious Sciences, Ghazali explains the different outer and inner reasons for travel. Outer reasons include the pilgrimage, the search for knowledge, and the flight from danger; while inner reasons include the acquisition of virtue and the disciplining of the soul. He then follows this with a practical chapter on the use of religious concessions while traveling and concludes with a final chapter on how the traveler is to establish the proper direction and times for prayer.

The Book of Knowledge is the foundation of the forty books of the Revival of the Religious Sciences, Imam al-Ghazali s magnum opus. In the Book of Knowledge, he defines knowledge, its relation to faith, theology, and jurisprudence. The book deals with the virtue of knowledge from both rational and traditional points of view. It elucidates the types of knowledge and the nature of people s obligation to seek knowledge. Imam al-Ghazali defines jurisprudence and theology as branches of Islamic knowledge, then outlines those fields that people incorrectly consider to be Islamic disciplines, and...

This is the first English translation of a key section of al-Ghazali s Revival of the Religious Sciences, (Ihya Ulum al-Din), widely regarded as the greatest work of Muslim spirituality. Its theme is of universal interest: death, and the life to come. After expounding his Sufi philosophy of death, and showing the importance of the contemplation of human morality to the mystical way of self-purification, al-Ghazali's takes his readers through the stages of the future life: the vision of the Angels of the Grave, the Resurrection, the Intercession of the Prophets, and finally, the torments of...

Al-Ghazali on the Manners Relating to Eating is the eleventh chapter of The Revival of the Religious Sciences which is widely regarded as the greatest work of Muslim spirituality. This volume begins the section dealing with man and society, and the norms of daily life. While concentrating on a daily activity, eating, al-Ghazali presents the importance of aligning every aspect of one s life with religion and spirituality. Referring extensively to the example of the Prophet and to that of the early Sufis, al-Ghazali illustrates how the simple activity of eating can encourage numerous virtues...

The 4th edition of Nakamura's acclaimed translation of Book IX of the Revival of the Religious Sciences now including Ghazali's Introduction. Probably the most widely read compendium of prayers in the Muslim world. Popular for its comprehensiveness and for its exploration of the psychological and spiritual effects of prayer. With Arabic text.

This is the fourteeth chapter of Abu Hamid al-Ghazali's magnum opus Revival of the Religious Sciences. In this title, the author firstly aims to teach the reader on what is lawful and what is unlawful, how to deal with dubious or ambiguous issues; and secondly how to apply the knowledge they have gained to their everyday lives.