76123, 10:28 PAM Delverance from Error Abu Hamié alGhazall- Sunnah Muakada Sunnah Muakada Allah has encompassed all things in knowledge (65:12) Deliverance from Error — Abu Hamid al-Ghazali Posted on December 25, 2012 by Ibn Masud Abu Hamid al-Ghazali (1058-1111 CE): Munkidh min al-Dalal (Confessions, or Deliverance from Error), c. 1100 CE The Deliverance from Error A Translation of al-Mungidh min al-Dalal by Muhammad Abulaylah INTRODUCTION In the name of God, merciful benefactor, Praised be to God -with such praise every message and address should begin — and blessed be Muhammad, His chosen prophet and messenger: Blessings be upon his kin and companions who have guided people away from error.1 My brother in faith,2 you have asked me to reveal to you the purpose and secrets3 of the sciences, and the dangerous and complex depths of the schools of thought. You would like me to tell you what Thave undergone in order to distinguish the truth4 from error in the different sects, despite the differences in their paths and methods You wish to know the daring it took to rise above the plain of conformism (Taglid)5 to the heights of observation and independent investigation.6 First, what profit I drew at the beginning from Kalam7 (or theology). Secondly, how I then turned away from those who defended Ta‘lim8 (teaching) because they were impeded in reaching the truth by their subjection to an Imam.9 Thirdly, how much I mistrusted the methods of philosophers,10 and finally how I came to appreciate the way of Sufism.11 You would like to see the “pulp of the truth” as it appeared to me after I came to doubt my efforts to analyze what different people said, and you would like to know what caused me to abandon my teaching in Baghdad despite the great number of my pupils there, and what made me take it up again, a long time later, in Nishapar.12 I promptly fulfilled your wishes, which I recognize as sincere, and, counting on God to grant aid, confidence, success and protection I now plunge into my subject. Advertisements hitpsisunnahmuakada wordpress. com/2012/12/25/delverance-rom-errr-abu-hamid-al-ghazall 11387116123, 10:28 PM Deliverance from Error— Abu Hamid al-Ghazali - Sunnah Muakada REPORT THIS AD You should know — may God set you on the right path, and lead you gently towards the truth — that people have different religions and beliefs, that there are different theological systems among religious leaders, and that the community of Islam has different sects and paths. All of this constitutes a deep sea in which most have foundered and only a few have survived. Yet each group believes it has found salvation, “each party rejoices at what it possesses.”13 This was accomplished by what the Master of prophets — peace be upon him — foretold sincerely and truthfully when he said: “My nation will divide into seventy-three sects, and only one of them will be saved.” What he foretold has indeed almost come true. ‘As for myself, since my early youth when I reached puberty, and before twenty, up to the present time when I am over fifty, I have not ceased to delve into the depths of the deep ocean (of the various beliefs of mankind), to plunge into its depths boldly, not as a cautious coward; to bury myself in obscure questions, eagerly seizing upon difficulties and leaping bravely into difficult and obscure issues; and to scrutinize the beliefs of each sect, examining from the doctrinal point of view the hidden aspects of every religious group. 1 do this in order to distinguish those who promote truth from those who advocate falsehood, and the faithful follower of the Sunna (tradition)14 from the innovator.15 I do not leave an interiorist” (Baini) without attempting to discover his doctrine, or a “literalist” (Zahiri)16 without seeking to know the essentials of his belief. I want to know the real thought of the “philosopher” (Falsafiyy);17 I try to understand the purpose of the theologian’s” (Mutakallim)18 discussion and argumentation. I wish to penetrate the secrets of the “mystic” (Sufi); I observe the devotee and what he gains from his severe devotion, as well as the nihilist materialist (Zindig)19 in order to discover the reasons for his bold attitude. From my youngest years in the prime of life, my thirst to seize the profound reality of things was a natural instinct or tendency which God placed in me not by my choice or conscious decision. As approached adolescence, while still young, the traditional bonds had already loosened and my inherited tendencies20 had broken down. I perceived that Christian children grew up as Christians, young Jews grew up in Judaism, and young Muslims in Islam. I had heard the tradition (hadith)21 that the prophet — peace be upon him — Everyone is born with a sound nature (fitra),22 itis one’s parents who make one into a Jew, a Christian or a Magian.”23 Advertisements hnips:fsunnahmuakada wordpress. con/2012/12/26/deliverance‘rom-error-abu-hamid-al-ghazal! 21957623, 10:28 PM Delverance from Error Abu Hamié alGhazall- Sunnah Muakada REPORT THIS AD An interior force drove me to research the reality of original human nature, and that of the beliefs which derive from conformism to the authority of parents and teachers. I tried to discern among the elements which are taught by rote and accepted without question, which discrimination gives rise to so much controversy regarding what is true and what false.24 ‘Then I said to myself, “My aim is to perceive the deep reality of things; I wish to seize the essence of knowledge. Certain knowledge is that in which the thing known reveals itself without leaving any room for doubt or any possibility of error or illusion, nor can the heart allow such a possibility.25 One must be protected from error, and should be so bound to certainty that any attempt, for example, to transform a stone into gold or a stick into a serpent would not raise doubts or engender contrary probabilities. | know very well that ten is more than three. If anyone tries to dissuade me by saying, No, three is more than ten, and wants to prove it by changing in front of me this stick into a serpent, even if I saw him changing it, still this fact would engender no doubt about my knowledge. Certainly, Iwould be astonished at such a power, but I would not doubt my knowledge. Thus I came to know that whatever is known without this kind of certainty is doubtful knowledge, not reliable and safe, that all knowledge subject to error is not sure and certain. CHAPTER I THE WAY OF SOPHISTRY AND THE DENIAL OF ALL KNOWLEDGE Advertisements nitps:sunnahmuakada wordpress. com/2012/12/25!delverance-rom- ‘or-abu-hamid-al-ghazall 31957623, 10:28 PM Delverance from Error Abu Hamié alGhazall~ Sunnah Muakada REPORT THIS AD However, when I examined what I know, I found myself lacking this kind of certain knowledge, except as concerned things I could confirm with my senses27 or necessary (self-evident) for reason.28 So I said, “Now that despair has overcome me, there is no point in studying any problems except on the basis of what is self-evident, namely, the affirmations of the senses and the necessary truths of reason. I had to look clearly at the nature of my trust in what I could confirm with my senses, and my confidence in being safe from error by following the requirements of reason. Are these feelings similar to my previous trust in the opinions of authority29 and the feeling of most people regarding speculative knowledge?30 Or is it a question of a certainty without illusion or surp: I proceeded therefore most earnestly to consider the evidence of my senses and the requirements of reason to see if I could make myself doubt these. This led me to lose faith in the evidence of my senses. This doubt, which became completely pervasive, can be expressed as follows: How can one trust the evidence of one’s senses? Sight is the most powerful of our senses, and we could stare at a shadow and judge that it is fixed and not moving at all. Yet, at the end of an hour's watching, we find that the shadow has moved, not all at once, but gradually or little by little: it has. been moving all the time, and never was in a state of rest. The eye looks at a star and sees it reduced to the size of a coin (dinar), whereas geometrical computations show it to be larger than the earth ‘This and similar cases exemplify how the evidence of one’s senses leads one to a judgment which reason shows irrefutably to be totally erroneous. Thus, I told myself that there is no security even in the evidence of one’s senses. Perhaps such surety can be found only in intellectual truths which play the role of first principles of thought, such as: ten is greater than three; the same thing cannot simultaneously be affirmed and denied; nothing here below can be both created and eternal, existent and non-existent, necessary and impossible.31 Advertisements hitpsisunnahmuakada wordpress. com/2012/12/25/delverance-rom-errr-abu-hamid-al-ghazall 41967116123, 10:28 PM Deliverance from Error— Abu Hamid al-Ghazali - Sunnah Muakada REPORT THIS AD But the evidence of my senses replied, Are you sure that when you trust the requirements of reason it is not the same sort of trust that you had in the evidence of your senses? You trusted us, then reason accused us of being in error; without that word of reason, you would trust us still. Perhaps there is something beyond reason which would show that reason in turn is in error, just as reason showed the error of the evidence of the senses. The fact that this further intelligence is not manifest does not prove that it is impossible. Iremained for some little time speechless. Then the difficulty appeared to resemble the problem of sleep. I told myself that when one is asleep one believes all sorts of things and finds oneself in all sorts of situations; one believes in them absolutely, without the slightest doubt. When one wakes up, one realizes the inconsistency and inanity of the phantasms of the imagination. In the same way, one might ask oneself about the reality of beliefs one has acquired through one’s senses or by reason. Could one not imagine oneself in a state which compares to being awake, just as wakefulness compares to being asleep? Being awake would be like the dreams of that state, which in turn would show that the illusion (of the certainty) of rational knowledge is nothing but vain imagination. Such a state might be the one that the mystics (Safis) claim, for they assert that, when they become totally absorbed in themselves and completely abstract from their senses, they find themselves in a state of mind which does not agree with what is given by reason. Perhaps this state is none other than death? Did not Allah’s messenger, peace be upon him, say: “Men are asleep; in dying they awaken.”32 Life here below may be a stream, compared with life beyond. After death, things would appear in a different light, and, as the Quran says, “We have lifted your veil, and today your sight is penetrating.”33 Then these thoughts came to my mind and gnawed at me I tried to find some way of treating my unhealthy condition, but this was in vain. They could be dispelled only by reasoning, which is impossible without recourse to the first principles of knowledge. If these are not admissible, no. construction of a proof is possible. Advertisements hnips:fsunnahmuakada wordpress. con/2012/12/26/deliverance‘rom-error-abu-hamid-al-ghazal! 61357116123, 10:28 PM Deliverance from Error— Abu Hamid al-Ghazali- Sunnah Muakada L eehesig REPORT THIS AD My disease grew worse and lasted almost two months, during which | fell prey to skepticism (safaa), though neither in theory nor in outward expression. At last, God the Almighty cured me of that disease and I recovered my health and mental equilibrium. The self-evident principles of reason again seemed acceptable; I trusted them and in them felt safe and certain.34 | reached this point not by well-ordered or methodical argument, but by means of a light God the Almighty cast into my breast,35 which light is the key to most knowledge.36 Anyone who believes that the “unveiling of truth is the fruit of well-ordered arguments belittles the immensity of divine mercy. God’s messenger — peace be upon him — was asked about spiritual expansion and the sense in which this is found in the word of God; “Him who when God wishes to direct, He opens his breast to Islam,”37 he said, “It is a light which God the Almighty throws upon the heart.” When they asked him, “How may we recognize it?” he replied, “By this, that a person abandons every vanity to return to eternity.”38 Muhammad — peace be upon him — said, God the Almighty created mankind in darkness, and then scattered some of His light upon them.”39 It is to this light that one should look for inspiration. In certain circumstances it springs up from the depths of divine goodness. We must be on the lookout for it, according to the saying of Muhammad — peace be upon him — “It happens that your Lord sends messages of grace on certain days of your life; be ready for these messages.”40 To sum up, know that in the quest for truth one must strive for perfection, even to the point of seeking the unseckable. Primary truths have no need of being sought because they are present in the mind. What is present will disappear if you seek it, but one who seeks the unseekable will not be suspected of negligence in seeking what can be sought. CHAPTER IL Advertisements hnips:fsunnahmuakada wordpress. con/2012/12/26/deliverance‘rom-error-abu-hamid-al-ghazal! 61357623, 10:28 PA Delverance from Error Abu Hamié alGhazall- Sunnah Muakada REPORT THIS AD THE CATEGORIES OF SEEKERS When God the Almighty had cured me of this disease through His mercy and immense goodness, I perceived that the categories of those who seek (truth) are divided into four groups: 1. The scholastics (mmutakalliman), who claim discernment and speculative capabilities. 2. The interiorists (bainiyya), who claim to be the masters of teaching (faim) and are characterized by their belief in the need for an infallible Imam, 3. The philosophers (Falasifa), who consider themselves exponents of logic and proof. 4. The mystics (safiyya), who seek the privilege of divine presence (AhI-Al-Hadra), vision and inspiration.41 I said then to myself: truth does not escape these four groups of seekers, for they follow the path which leads thereto. Were truth to elude them there would be no hope of even finding it, especially not by conformism. The conformist is excluded from the beginning for he could succeed in finding, the truth only by realizing that he is deceived in being a conformist. Then his glass shield would shatter; the pieces could never be reassembled, but would have to be melted down and recast once again as a new form. Isoon set myself to follow these four paths and to examine what these groups hold, beginning with scholasticism, passing through philosophy and interiorism, and finishing with the mysticism of the Suis. PARTI Advertisements nitps:sunnahmuakada wordpress. com/2012/12/25!delverance-rom- ‘or-abu-hamid-al-ghazall 1957623, 10:28 PA Delverance from Error Abu Hamié alGhazall- Sunnah Muakada L REPORT THIS AD THE SCIENCE OF KALAM ITS AIMS AND ACHIEVEMENTS I began with the study of scholasticism and studied it thoroughly. I read the books written by its well- established scholars and wrote some myself. I discovered it to be a science that served its own. purposes, which, however, were not mine. Its only purpose is to preserve the creed of orthodox (Sunnite) faith and to protect it against the confusion brought by innovators. God transmitted to His people, by the voice of His prophet, a creed which is the true faith concerning both this world and the hereafter, as is stated in the Qur‘an and the traditions (Sunna).43 Then, through the ideas of the innovators, the devil introduced heresies contrary to the tradition (Sunma).44 Vigorously quoting them, the innovators were on the point of corrupting the true creed for its adherents. That is when God raised up the scholastics to defend the tradition by a series of well-ordered discourses which revealed the heresies which had been mischievously innovated. That is the origin of scholasticism and its teachers.45 Some have carried out their task honestly: they have defended the tradition, repulsed the attacks on the faith of the prophet, and fought against religious innovations. But in doing this they used arguments borrowed in a Spirit of concession from their adversaries. They accepted these either uncritically or based on the consensus of the Muslim nation, or by too simply accepting (a supposed meaning) of theQur‘an and tradition.46 Most often their argument was restricted to revealing the contradictions in the opposing view and to attacking their conclusions from their premises. This was not of great use to anyone who does not concede anything beyond the basic certainties. For myself, scholasticism brought little satisfaction and could not cure the sickness from which I suffered.47 Advertisements nitps:sunnahmuakada wordpress. com/2012/12/25!delverance-rom- ‘or-abu-hamid-al-ghazall 81957116123, 10:28 PM Deliverance from Error— Abu Hamid al-Ghazali - Sunnah Muakada REPORT THIS AD Itis true that after a long time the advocates of Kalam wished to defend the tradition by searching, deeply into the nature of things. They have undertaken research into substances, accidents and natural laws.48 But since the purpose of their science lay elsewhere, what they said fell short of its goal; due to the differences of opinion the result has not helped to dissipate the dark confusion due to the differences of opinion among persons. 1 do not doubt that others have had a better experience than I, perhaps even a whole category of persons. But for them this was mixed with a blind acceptance of questions which have nothing to do with basic principles. My present goal is to reveal the state of my soul, not in order to blame those who have sought a remedy in scholasticism, for healing medicines vary according to the disease: those which benefit some patients will harm others. PART II PHILOSOPHY On the essence of philosophy: What is blameworthy in it, and what is not? What makes its patron an unbeliever and what does not? What makes one an innovator or heretic and what does not? What philosophers have plagiarized from the works of the people of truth and incorporated this into their writings in order to propagate their own falsehoods together with those truths? How do souls come to refrain from truth, and how to distinguish unadulterated truth from the falsehood and deceptions found in the philosophers’ teaching?49 Having finished with scholasticism, I passed over to philosophy (al-falsafa). I knew very well that it is impossible to detect the distortions in a branch of knowledge without a deep understanding of it rivaling those most knowledgeable in that subject. One must even outstrip them to sound the depths and explore the perils which its teachers had ignored. Only in this way may one hope to expose its weak points. But I do not know any Muslim scholar who has taken up this approach. Advertisements hnips:fsunnahmuakada wordpress. con/2012/12/26/deliverance‘rom-error-abu-hamid-al-ghazal! 91957623, 10:28 PAM Delverance from Error Abu Hamié al;Ghazall- Sunnah Muakada Loo heehewig REPORT THIS AD The books of the scholastics, in so far as they were concerned to respond to the philosophers, contain nothing but obscure and sparse allusions. They have evident contradictions and errors and do not seem capable of convincing a person of average intelligence, let alone one familiar with the subtleties of the science, Thave learned that to attempt to refute a system without understanding it or knowing it through and through is to do so blindfold. Therefore I set myself to a serious study of this science (of philosophy) through its written works, reading them without the help of a teacher. I did this during leisure moments while working on the composition and teaching of religious law50 — at this time in Baghdad I had 300 pupils to teach and instruct. Thank God, reading alone in these stolen moments allowed me to understand the deep secrets of philosophy in less than two years. I continued after this to reflect upon the subject for nearly a year: returning to it, taking it up again, and reexamining its depths and its hidden dangers. Finally Twas in a position to sum up with great certainty what it contained of heresy and of both practical and abstract delusions.51 Here is my expos¢ of the philosophers and the results of their sciences, There are many categories of philosophers and many branches of philosophy, but throughout their numerous schools they suffer from the defect of being infidels and irreligious,52 though among the different groups of philosophers the older seem less distant from the truth than do others. A. The Categories of Philosophers and Their Atheism Considering their many groups and their different theories, the philosophers can be divided into three categories: materialists, naturalist and theists: 1. The materialists (dahriyyan).53 This oldest group denies the existence of the creator — ruler, omniscient and omnipotent,54 —maintaining that the universe always has existed by itself without a maker. According to them, the animal issued from the sperm, and the sperm from the animal continuously. These are atheist (zanadiqa).55 Advertisements nitps:sunnahmuakada wordpress. com/2012/12/25!delverance-rom- ‘or-abu-hamid-al-ghazall 1013571623, 10:28 PAM Delverance from Error Abu Hamié al;Ghazall~ Sunnah Muakada REPORT THIS AD 2. The naturalists (tabi’iyyan)56 have carried out much research into the natural world and the wonders of the animal and vegetable kingdom; they have advanced the anatomical study of animal organisms. What they have seen of the wonders of creation, the works of divine wisdom, has obliged them to acknowledge a wise creator, knowledgeable about things and their ends. It is not possible to study anatomy and the marvelous functioning of the organs without perceiving the necessary perfection of Him who formed the body of the animal, or above all that of human beings.57 Nevertheless, the naturalists have concluded on the basis of their research that the balance of one’s humors58 has a great influence on one’s physical constitution. They believed further that the faculty of reasoning depended on this, to the extent that the faculty would disappear without this balance. And it seemed inconceivable to them that once it ceased to exist it could be reborn Hence, they held that the human soul dies and does not return to life. They denied the last things, paradise and hell, resurrection and judgment.59 The reward for good behaviour and the punishment of the bad becomes pointless. Unchecked, these naturalists have plunged like animals into lechery. They are also atheists, since faith has to be in God and the day of judgment, whereas even if the naturalists believed in God and His attributes, they have denied the existence of the last judgment. 3. The theists (ilahiyyan)60 are the most recent. Among them were Socrates, the teacher of Plato, the teacher of Aristotle. Aristotle put them on a logical footing, systematized the philosophical sciences, developed them and brought their fruit to maturity. In general, the theists refuted the pretensions of the materialists and naturalists and, by exposing their shameful errors, saved others the task. In this way, God saved the believers the trouble of combatting such errors.61 At great length and sparing no effort, Aristotle refuted the allegations of Plato, Socrates and those theists who preceded them. He distanced himself from them, although he could not avoid preserving, traces of their ugly heresies and innovations. They all should be regarded as heretics, as should their successors: such Muslim, philosophers as Ibn Sina (Avicenna)62 and al-Farabi,63 and their like.64 More than any, these two contributed to the spread of Aristotle's ideas. Advertisements hitpsisunnahmuakada wordpress. com/2012/12/25/delverance-rom-errr-abu-hamid-al-ghazall 11957116123, 10:28 PM Deliverance from Exror— Abu Hamid al-Ghazali - Sunnah Muakada REPORT THIS AD The errors and confusions in the work of the other philosophers have so troubled their readers as to appear unintelligible. But how can one reject or accept something that one does not understand? ‘Aristotle’s authentic philosophy, if we keep to what al-Farabi and Avicenna transmitted to us, consisted of three parts: the first two would be condemned, one for disbelief, the other for innovation or heresy; the third would not be condemned without appeal.65 B. The Divisions of the Philosophical Sciences The sciences that concern the philosophers in relation to our aim are divided into six categories: mathematics, logic, the natural sciences, metaphysics, politics and ethics. 1. Mathematics. This deals with arithmetic, geometry and astronomy, but nothing in them relates positively or negatively to religious matters. Mathematics treats demonstrable matters66 which in no way can be denied once they are known and understood. However this presents two risks. The first risk from studying mathematics is that the student is struck by the precision of this science and the imposing power of its proofs. He extends this high esteem to all the philosophical disciplines and attempts to generalize the clarity and firmness had by mathematical proofs. Then, when he hears mathematicians being reproached as heretics, for having negative attitudes67 or for being scornful of revelation, he rejects the truths which he had admitted previously through pure conformism. If faith were true, he will say to himself, how is it that these mathematical experts have not perceived it? As people say that they are heretics and irreligious, truth must consist in rejecting and denying religious beliefs. How many people have lost their faith because of this simple argument! ‘The answer is that each technician is a specialist. The lawyer or scholastic is not necessarily a good physician; one who is ignorant of metaphysics is not necessarily ignorant of grammar. Every technique has its unrivalled experts who are ignorant and stupid in other fields. The mathematics of the ancients68 was founded on proofs, their study of divinity was founded on speculation. But this can be known only to an experienced person who has made a thorough investigation of the matter. Unfortunately, these considerations escape those whose faith is only a matter of conformism. They persist in having a good opinion of all the philosophical disciplines, driven as they are by vain passions 69 destructive irony, and the desire to appear clever. ‘As the risk is considerable, itis fitting to warn regarding mathematics. Although it has no connection with religion, it provides the basis for the other sciences; anyone who studies it risks infection by their vices. Few who study it escape the danger of loss of faith.70 hnips:fsunnahmuakada wordpress. con/2012/12/26/deliverance‘rom-error-abu-hamid-al-ghazal! 12195