THE ETHICAL PHILOSOPHY OF AL GHAZZALI pdf

The Ethical Philosophy of Al Ghazzali by Prof. M. UMARUDDIN

THE ETHICAL PHILOSOPHY OF AL GHAZZALI

The title of the book, “The Ethical Philosophy” calls for explanation. The term Ethics (ilm al-Muamala ), ‘science of practical ethics’ or Akhlaq is used bv al-Ghazzall in his ethico-religious system in a much wider sense than is usually done by modern ethical writers.

 It includes all the activities of man, religious as well as social, consequently, there are many topics included in the present work which would have been omitted in a book dealing strictly with ethics.

 But such an omission would have presented a distorted picture of al-Ghazzah’s ethical theory.

My aim in this work is to present the basic principles and the practical implications of al-Ghazzah’s ethical theory, and to re-construct the whole system of his thought as presented in his works. No systematic treatment of al-Ghazzafl’s ethical philosophy has come to my knowledge.

Dr. Zaki Mubarak’s book, ‘al-Akhfaq ‘ind al-Ghazz so far as its title goes, may create the impression that it has the same scope as the present work. But this book has an altogether different scope.

The basis and the principles of al-Ghazzali’s ethical theory discussed in parts 11 and III of my work do not find any place in Dr. Mubarak’s book. Concerning other topics my point of view is quite different.

The presentation of the material in this book is based on al-Ghazzftli’s original works in Arabic, particularly the Ihya’ and Mizan al-‘Amal, and the important works by ancient and modern writers on the subject have been consulted. Of the two great orientalists,

Professor Macdonald and Asin, who devoted their lives to the study of al-Ghazzali, the works of the former which are in English were accessible to me, while Professor Asia’s works on al Ghazzal