O My Son
Imam Al-Ghazali (450 – 505 AH/1058-1111 CE)
Imam Abu Hamid alGhazali rahimahullah is seen as one of the most influential scholars in Islamic history. A man who reached lofty status as the head professor of the prestigious college of alMadrasat alNizamiyyah and advisor to the elite Seljuk Sultans in the bedrock of Muslim civilization in 6th century AH Baghdad, Iraq. He was a well known Persian jurist and theologian that felt the benign consequence of grandeur and status as well as the detached reality of philosophical, legal, and theological debate that many were engaged in his time. It led him to leave it all. Imam alGhazali rahimahullah embarked on a 10 year journey of searching for the intricacies of disciplining the soul. He sought what was not to be learned by the pen, but by deep reflection, discipline, and to experience gnosis through practice.
He undertook a path of existential discovery guided by the spiritual direction of the Quran and Prophetic example. He spent his moments of thought writing during his spiritual journey in the most sacred of lands which began with seclusion in the beauty of the Levant in Damascus. This journey also led him to spend three years in the holy land, Jerusalem, and live in the confines of alMasjid alAqsa. He then set out to pilgrimage and staying in the two holy sanctuaries, Makkah and Madinah, in alMasjid alHaram and the Prophet’s Mosque, to then return to Damascus and then back home. In these ten years Imam alGhazali confined himself to deeply reflect the very nature of the soul, and its refinement which were of the greatest objectives of Islamic guidance. Whether it was in the minutia of philosophy, the mechanics of law, or seeking status of grandeur, he felt that this essential objective of refinement became lost for many in pursuit of faith. He sought to remedy this within his own self-discovery. He penned his work, Ihya Ulum al Din, The Revival of the Religious Sciences as a guide to revive the spirit, objectives, & purpose behind the sacred sciences. Marked as one of the key revivalists of the 6th century, Imam alGhazali’s works spoke to the souls of generations searching for the revival of Islam. Described as one of the main influencers in the lives of the likes of Salah alDin alAyyubi, as well as the average seeker, Imam alGhazali had an approach so piercing that it spoke to the soul of everyone who read his works. He lived his writing and developed it under careful dictation based on his own experiences with the soul and ego.
This work, Ayyuha alWalad – “O My Son!“, was a letter written toward the end of his life as a response to the questions of a dedicated student who sought a final advice before going forward on his own journey. This letter sought a brief and holistic instruction that the student wanted to keep with him and reflect over often. In reality, this precious letter summarizes the life experiences of Imam alGhazali in all of his works, especially his magnum opus, Ihya Ulum Al Din; as he refers to it often even within the letter. It can even be said that this letter is a beautiful summary of the Ihya by the author. Imam alGhazali speaks from heart to heart, and this rendition of an accessible translation hopes to relate to the reader the powerful message that he wishes to convey. It is through the works of great revivalists like Imam alGhazali that show true islamic revival begins with the soul. It is through reading his works that we may ourselves embark on our own existential journey of refining our souls, & it is through such refinement that revival can then take place.
“Even if you studied knowledge for a hundred years and collected a thousand books, you will never be prepared to earn the mercy of God except through action.“ – Imam Al Ghazali (Allah be pleased with him).
The forthcoming work is an accessible translation and commentary by Hasib Noor.
