A LIST OF WORKS BY AL GHAZZALI[11]

A: CANON LAW.
Title. Subject. Place and date of publication.
K. Wajiz (Compendium). Canon Law. Cairo 1317 A. H.
Risalat-ul-Qudsiyya. (Transcendence of God) included in Ihya as the 3rd section of the 2nd Chapter of its Book 1.
Anqud ul Mkhtasir. Summary of Jowim’s Mukhtasar.
Ghait ul Ghor fi Masail il dor. Divorce.
Gaur ul Durar.
Qanun ul Rasul. The Canon Law of the Prophet.
B: JURISPRUDENCE.
Al Mustafa. Jurisprudence. Boulac 1322 A. H.
Al Manhul wal Muntahal. Doctrines falsely attributed to others and falsely claimed by some. Jurisprudence.
Wajiz fil Furu. Jurisprudence. Egypt 1305 A. H.
Khulasat ul Fikh (Quintessence of Jurisprudence). Jurisprudence.
Al-durr ul Manzum fi sirr il Muktum Wasit. An Exposition of Shafite Jurisprudence.
C: LOGIC.
Mizan ul Amal. Logic. Cairo 1328 A. H.
Mihakkul Nazar fil Mantaq. (Whetstone of reflection). Logic. Cairo
Maayar ul Ilm. Logic.
Al Maarif ul Aqliyyah wal Allahiyyah Al Mutaqid. Discourses on Logic.
Mayar ul Ilm Fannil Mantaq. (the weighing scale of the science). On Logic. Cairo 1329 A. H.
D: PHILOSOPHY.
Ihya u-Ulum-id-Din. (The most important book for his philosophy). Cairo 1322, 1324 A. H.
Egypt 1282 ”
Lucknow 1281 ”
Meerut 1280 ”
Maqasid ul Falasafa. (The aims of the philosophers). Cairo 1326 ”
Maznun bihi ala Ghairi Ahlihi. Exposition of Ghazzali’s own views. ” 1328 ”
Kitab-ul-Arbain. Abridgement of Ihya. ” 1328 ”
Risalat ul Luduniyya. Knowledge (Ilham and Wahi) ” 1328 ”
Al-Kashfu-wat-Tabyin fi Ghurur il khalqi Ajmain. On the delusion of men in general. (On the margin of As-Shurain’s Tanbihal Mughtarrin.) ” 1324 ”
Faysalut-Tafriqa baynal Islami-wa-z Zandiqah. Refutation of Atheists. Cairo 1325 A. H.
Al Fikratu al Ibrah. Meditation and Contemplation.
Tahafat ul Falasafa. Destruction of the Philosophers. ” 1321 ”
Iljam ul Awam. Abbreviation of the Ihya.
Al-Imla-u-’ an ishkalat-il-Ihya. Statements on disputed passages of Ihya. In the margin of 1334 edition of Ihya.
Mustazhiry. A guide for novices.
Al Hikmat-u-fi-Makhluq-i-Ilahi. Wisdom of God. Cairo 1326 A. H.
Hakikat ul Ruh. On Soul.
E: ETHICS.
Badayat ul Hidayah. Ethics. Cairo 1317, 1326 A. H.
Kimiya i Saadat. Ethics. ”
Tibr ul Masbuk. An ethical mirror for princes. A letter. ” 1317 ”
Ayyuh al Walad. A letter of faith and conduct. ” 1328 ”
F: THEOLOGY: EXEGETICAL AND DOGMATICAL.
Al durr ul Fakhira. On eschatology. ” 1322 ”
Yaqut ul Tawil fi Tafsir il Tanzil. A commentary on the Quran in 40 vols. Not found.
K. Iqtisad fil-I’tiqad. Exposition of Faith. Cairo
Fadhaih ul Abahiya. The exposure of the Doctrines of the Free-thinkers
Al Quistas ul Mustaqim. (No Imam is necessary except the Prophet himself). ”
Al Qual ul Jamil fil Raddi Ala man Ghayyar al Injil. Criticism of those who have changed the text of the Bible.
Haqiqat ul Qualain. An Exposition of truth of two sayings.
Tadlis Iblis. The intrigue of the devil.
Jawahir ul Quran. A collection of the best verses of the Quran. ” 1329 A. H.
Risalat ul Wahdah wal-I’tiqad. A brief letter on preaching and Belief.
Risalat-ul-’Aqaid. Doctrines of Islam and the duties of rulers. Cairo 1325 A. H.
Al Maqasid ul Khilaf fi fan il Kalam. Different theories of Kalam.
G: SUFISIM.
Al-Adab-fid-din. (Fitting behaviour in religion). ” 1328 ”
Al-Qawaid ul-Ashara. (A very brief summary of general advice of religious matters). ” 1328 ”
Maqasid ul Hasana Sharh Asma i-illahi’l Husna. An exposition of Divine names. ” 1322 ”
Minhaj ul Abidin. The path of the devout. (Said to be the last of his work). Cairo 1313 A. H.
Nasihat-ul Talmiz. An Epistle. ” 1295 ”
Kitab Asrar al Anwar.
Madkhal ul Suluk ila Manazil il Muluk. A Guide for kings.
Al Munqid min ad Dalal. (Deliverer from error). Autobiographical statement of his spiritual progress. ” 1303, 1320 A. H.
Tajrid fil-Kalimat il Tauhid. Exposition of Kalima. ” 1325 ”
Murshid ul Talibin. A Guide for novices.
Mishkat ul anwar fi Lataif il Akhbar. (Niche for the lights). Esoteric exposition of the verse “God is the light of heaven and earth.” ” 1325 ”
Kitab ul-Madnun-i-Saghir. Esoteric exposition of the verse “Then shaped him and breathed of His Spirit into him.” Cairo 1328 A. H.
Makashifat-ul-Qulub. (Abridgement of a work of doubtful authorship ascribed to Al Ghazzali). Boulaq & Cairo 1360 A. H.
Cairo 1306 A. H.

MORAL AND RELIGIOUS
TEACHINGS OF AL GHAZZALI

THE NATURE OF MAN[12]

Though man shares with the other animals external and internal senses, he is at the same time also endowed with two qualities peculiar to himself, knowledge and will. By knowledge is meant the power of generalisation, the conception of abstract ideas, and the possession of intellectual truths. By will is meant that strong desire to acquire an object which after due consideration of its consequences has been pronounced by reason to be good. It is quite different from animal desire, nay, it is often the very opposite of it.

In the beginning children also lack these two qualities. They have passion, anger, and all the external and internal senses, but will finds its expression only later. Knowledge differs according to the capacity for it, according to the latent powers in a man. Hence there is a variety of stages amongst Prophets,[13] the Ulamas, the Sufis and the Philosophers. Further progress is possible even beyond these stages, for divine knowledge knows no bounds. The highest stage is reached by one to whom all truths and realities are revealed intuitively, who by virtue of his exalted position enjoys direct communion and close relation with the Most Holy. The real nature of this position is known only to him who enjoys it. We verify it by faith. A child has no knowledge of the attainments of an adult; an adult is not aware of the acquisitions of a learned man. Similarly, a learned man is not cogniscant of the holy communion of the saints and the prophets, and of the favours bestowed on them. Although the divine blessings descend freely, those are fit recipients of them, whose hearts are pure and wholly devoted to Him. “Verily,” says the Hadis, “the desire of the virtuous is to hold communion with me, and I long to look at them”. “He who approaches me a span, I approach him an arm”.[14] The divine favours are not withheld, but hearts bedimmed by impurity fail to receive them. “Had it not been that the devils hover round the hearts of men, they would have seen the glories of the Kingdom of the Heaven”.[15]

The superiority of man consists thus in his being cogniscant of divine attributes and actions. Therein lies his perfection; thus he may be worthy of admission to God’s presence.