ghazali on self admiration
|

Ghazali on self-admiration. The difference between confidence, overconfidence and self-love

Imam Ghazali’s book, Kitaab Al-Arba’in Fi Usul ad-Din, ‘The Forty Principles of the Religion,’ which he wrote before his death, is a summary of Ihya Ulumuddin, and his life’s works and thoughts. In purification of the heart, Ghazali mentions 10 principles. Self-admiration which is closely connected to pride is the ninth principle. Self-admiration could be…

Ghazali on how to cure arrogance
|

Ghazali on how to cure arrogance

Imam Ghazali’s book, Kitaab Al-Arba’in Fi Usul ad-Din, ‘The Forty Principles of the Religion,’ which he wrote before his death, is a summary of Ihya Ulumuddin, and his life’s works and thoughts. In the section on purification of the heart, Ghazali mentions 10 principles. Pride (kibr) is the eighth principle and Ghazali proposes how to…

Ghazali on love of dunya
|

Ghazali on love of dunya (hub ad dunya)

Imam Ghazali’s book, Kitaab Al-Arba’in Fi Usul ad-Din, ‘The Forty Principles of the Religion,’ which he wrote before his death, is a summary of Ihya Ulumuddin, and his life’s works and thoughts. In his chapters on the purification of the heart, Ghazali mentions 10 principles. Love of dunya is the seventh principle. Love of status…

Ghazali on love of status vs true perfection
|

Ghazali on love of status vs true perfection

Imam Ghazali’s book, Kitaab Al-Arba’in Fi Usul ad-Din, ‘The Forty Principles of the Religion,’ which he wrote before his death, is a summary of Ihya Ulumuddin, and his life’s works and thoughts. In purification of the heart, Ghazali mentions 10 principles. Love of status is the sixth principle. Love of status (Al Jah) Love of…

Ghazali on how much wealth is sufficient for you
|

Ghazali on how much wealth is sufficient for you

Imam Ghazali’s book, Kitaab Al-Arba’in Fi Usul ad-Din, ‘The Forty Principles of the Religion,’ which he wrote before his death, is a summary of Ihya Ulumuddin, and his life’s works and thoughts. Miserliness – Bukhl Being a miser is very destructive. Ghazali gave many explanations on his view of miserliness from the Quran and Sunnah…

Ghazali on envy
| |

Ghazali on envy. The causes and cure of Hasad

Imam Ghazali’s book, Kitaab Al-Arba’in Fi Usul ad-Din, ‘The Forty Principles of the Religion,’ which he wrote before his death, is a summary of Ihya Ulumuddin, and his life’s works and thoughts. Envy is a fire that devours your account Envy is the fourth disease which effects the heart. The Prophet (peace be on him): Hasad eats…

Ghazali on breaking free from anger
|

Ghazali on breaking free from anger

Emily Bronte, in Wuthering Heights, noted the damaging impact that anger can have on those around us, as well as how self-destructive anger itself is. She said: ‘Treachery and violence are spears pointed at both ends, they wound those who resort to them worse than their enemies’ We are all familiar with the Marvel figure…

Ghazali on the problems with praise
|

Ghazali on the problems with praise

Imam Ghazali’s book, Kitaab Al-Arba’in Fi Usul ad-Din, ‘The Forty Principles of the Religion,’ which he wrote before his death, is a summary of Ihya Ulumuddin, and his life’s works and thoughts. In his chapter entitled Tazkiya al Qulub, ‘The Purification of the Heart’, he pinpoints blameworthy characteristics which we need to extract from our heart, in particular he…

Ghazali on Joking. Laugh with others, not at them.
|

Ghazali on Joking. Laugh with others, not at them.

Can Muslims take a joke? Imam Ghazali’s book, Kitaab Al-Arba’in Fi Usul ad-Din, ‘The Forty Principles of the Religion,’ which he wrote before his death, is a summary of Ihya Ulumuddin, and his life’s works and thoughts. In his chapter entitled Tazkiya al Qulub, ‘The Purification of the Heart’, he pinpoints blameworthy characteristics which we…

Why should our shuyukh be more in touch with our community and culture?
| |

Why should our shuyukh be more in touch with our community and culture?

It is important for those teaching the deen to their community to be in touch with it. In fact, Allah Almighty talked about this openly in Surat Ibrahim when He said:  ‘Wa ma ‘arsalna mir-rasoulin ‘illa bi-lisani qaw-mihee  ‘We have never sent a messenger but in the language of his people’. [14:4] The delivery of…

ghazali on backbiting
|

Ghazali on Backbiting – why people do it, when you can do it, how to stop doing it

Imam Ghazali’s book Kitaab Al-Arba’in Fi Usul ad-Din, The 40 Principles of the Faith is a summary of his great work, Ihya Ulumuddin which he wrote before he died. In the chapter on the purification of the heart, he breaks down the traits we need to excise from ourselves, and begins by focusing on the…