Question:

Recently a senior ranking 'alim in the UK from a certain community has severely criticized Imam Ghazali (RA). What is your opinion of this scholar.

Answer:

Imam Abu Hamid Muhammad al-Ghazali's, (born1058 c.e and died 1111ce. in Iran), place amongst the greatest scholars and revivers of this Deen is such for any person to disparage him would only tell us of this person's own lack of knowledge and deviancy. His case is similar to what Imam Ahmad said concerning a critic of Imam Malik, namely if you hear a person criticising Imam Malik know that he is a person of Bid`ah.

Imam Ghazali had mastered every aspect of Islamic Knowledge. He was a famous Shafi jurist and wrote a multi volume book in Usul al-Fiqh called "Al-Mahsul." His writings are acclaimed by all the scholars of the Umma. "Ihya Ulum al-Deen" is unique in its depth, scope and simplicity. The Imam played a major role in repelling the threat of heretical philosophers of the time and wrote a work called: "Tahafut al-Falasifah" in which he conclusively refuted their arguments.

So great was his intellectual contribution, modern studies on the renaissance have traced much of the writings of T. Aquinas and others to the Imam's writings as if they must have had Latin translations of his works in front of them when they wrote.

His life was a rare example of piety, fear of Allah taala, erudition, worship, devotion and defense of the Religion. It is a pity that today that our state has sunk so low that instead of honoring such great Imams of the Umma and trying to emulate their feats and sacrifices, we are busy in picking out phantom faults.

Mufti Mohammed Sajjad

Wallahu Aalam bis-sawab

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The answer to this question is the opinion of the scholar and does not reflect the opinion of other scholars of As-Suffa Institute and As-Suffa Institute as an organisation.