Muslim theologian and philosopher Abu Hamid al-Ghazali of Persia worked to systematize Sufism, Islamic mysticism, and in The Incoherence of the Philosophers (1095) argued the incompatibility of thought of Plato and Aristotle with Islam.
Born in 1058, Ab奴 岣つ乵id Mu岣mmad ibn Mu岣mmad al-Ghaz膩l墨 ranked of the most prominent and influential Sunni jurists of his origin.
Islamic tradition considers him to be a Mujaddid, a renewer of the faith who, according to the prophetic hadith, appears once every century to restore the faith of the ummah ("the Islamic Community"). His works were so highly acclaimed by his contemporaries that al-Ghazali was awarded the honorific title "Proof of Islam" (Hujjat al-Islam).
Al-Ghazali believed that the Islamic spiritual tradition had become moribund and that the spiritual sciences taught by the first generation of Muslims had been forgotten.[24] That resulted in his writing his magnum opus entitled Ihya 'ulum al-din ("The Revival of the Religious Sciences"). Among his other works, the Tah膩fut al-Fal膩sifa ("Incoherence of the Philosophers") is a significant landmark in the history of philosophy, as it advances the critique of Aristotelian science developed later in 14th-century Europe.
"it is odd that one may say: 'I know only God', and be right, and say: 'Only God - great and glorious - knows God', yet also be right". (47)
When speaking of knowledge of a divine essence that transcends everything human, we must have a method that conforms to our own level of understanding - and human levels of understanding are themselves varied and diverse according to the individual. Hence one reason the Qur'an itself is such a divine miracle, it is uniquely constructed to have multiple levels of meaning which are able to fill to overflowing the "shape" of the cup or receptacle of the individual person, a metaphor that is often used in Islamic thinking.
Names are a way of knowing. The name can point to uniqueness, definition, meaning, the nature of the individual object, but the name is not that object in its essence. This is a fundamentally important distinction that Ghazali clarifies in his first section - philosophical in nature - where he discusses the differences between "the word, the knowledge, and the object known" (7) and elsewhere the differing concepts of "name, naming and named" (9).
In knowing a name, we can have a limited understanding of something, and in the case of God, we can only hope to have an understanding of the divine attributes through the names, which each signal a part of the nature of God. Yet the attribute is not the essence in and of itself. It is simply a form of self-disclosure of the essence of The Real, a divine grace that has been given enabling proximity to God to the capacity of our human abilities. Ghazali talks about three ways of knowing God through the names or attributes, the first being a witnessing or unveiling, which is described as similar to "the certainty achieved by man in regard to his own inner qualities" (31). The second way of knowing is an intense longing to "possess" the attribute so "that they may grow closer to the Truth - in quality not in place" (31). Finally, there is the "effort to acquire whatever is possible of those attributes, to imitate them and be adorned with their good qualities..." (32). To speak of this in Sufi language, we would say that self-realization through imitation of the attributes works at combating the self of the lower soul which increases proximity to The Real. The Sufi practice of repetition and invocation of the names has deep mystical meanings of assuming the maximum human potential of the attribute and through this way participating in remembrance or "dhikr" of God.
The Ninety-Nine Names of God as a doctrine came about from a Hadith of the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) which states: "God has ninety-nine names - one-hundred minus one - and whoever enumerates them enters paradise" (175). This particular tradition was expanded on by one of the Prophet's companions, Abu Hurayra, who was one of the most important and reliable transmitters of Hadith statements. Huraryra himself went on to collect the list of Ninety-Nine names which Ghazali delineates. The Prophet (s.a.w.) also said that "God is characterized by the ninety-nine names, and whoever is characterized by one of them enters paradise" (149).
Of course the most important of the Ninety-Nine Names is "Allah" which unites all other possible attributes of divinity, and which Ghazali describes as the closest to a "proper name" as it is used "for no one other than Him, neither literally nor metaphorically..." (51).
Ghazali was a towering figure in Islamic history, largely due to his ability to bridge the gap in the Middle Ages between the exoteric and esoteric sciences. This work is authoritative on the names, and will remain for me close at hand as a constant reference.
The completion to faith after knowing yourself, is knowing God. Praise be to Allah, for endowing such sagacity to Imam Ghazali. The book has attributes, explained in Ninety nine names, with counsel, on how individual believers might themselves have a share in this divine attribute, to work to perfect themselves in eyes of God. A wonderful read for a student of Islam, and for understanding the importance of Dikhr in daily lives.
Very insightful book. There are moments throughout the book where I had to quote passages and re-read them several times. At times I had to put the book down, knowing that it would be best to ruminate on what was written than to keep reading. Doing this helped me to fathom the depth of what was being read.
Finished reading this last night. A short read but nice nonetheless. Not many books out there that discuss the 99 Names of God in Islam and so this is one of the few. I was glad Imam Ghazali wrote this but I had a few misgivings.
The positive stuff is he tries to cover every single Name in its relation to God and sees how it can be applicable to a practicing Muslim, whether they can embody it or not- you can be generous, but can't create. Also there are some good linguistic/etymological distinctions between some of the Names. Some of the Names are more broader than others, while others are very specific in a way only God is. I had misgivings about the fact some Names were very shortly described, that Imam Ghazali gets brief near the end so he didn't sound repetitive, even though I think this is one topic worth exploring endlessly. Other odd things include a 4 page description of a water-clock as an analogy- that...was a little much.
If all else, this book is good to foster 'high-minded' thinking and spiritual inspiration. A little perspective from the Most High.
Imam Ghazali is one of the most prominent scholars of the islamic world particularly in terms of islamic jurisprudence. Ghazali is credited with forming a bridge between sufism and traditional shariah. Although, his teachings are still orthodox, his views on the sublime and divine are much more refined than regular religious scholars. This book and its translation seems difficult to comprehend but it must be kept in mind that it was written over a thousand years ago. Ghazali has endeavored to explore and explain one of the most tough topics in religious thought. Understanding and deciphering the names and qualities of the one True God. The book explores each and every name and comes out with the remarkable idea that human beings have a share in Godly qualities and it is having these qualities that brings him closer to God and will be a source of his entry into paradise on the day of judgement. But Man's share in God's qualities are a mere speck of the whole. A man learns to play chess while God made chess itself. There is no comparison but only a share. Overall, the book is not easy to read and requires multiple readings. Many of God's beautiful names have similar connotations and the difference requires careful examination. It is still an excellent book, a masterpiece in its own and one of a kind. One that makes the effort to understand qualities and names of the Omnipotent God. Obviously, all is not clear and the creation cannot understand the creator just as a bulb cannot begin to understand thomas eddison. The best part of the book is the connection of names of God with sufism, the sayings of the Holy Prophet and deeper meaning of names of God and what it means for human beings as creations who must strive to be closer to their Creator in the grand scheme of things.
A bit of a hard read, esp the first part, but a very unique account of the names, and how one should apply them to one鈥檚 life and how to think of them.
A really useful book because it gives the Names of Allah with a description of how it relates to Allah and then how people can manifest those Names in their lives. It is brief in this matter, but very beneficial.
A simultaneously philosophical yet practical look at the ninety-nine magnificent names of Allah. Part one is theoretical; part two makes Allah's name relevant and Ghazzali brilliantly shows us how we can make manifest each of Allah's names in our life.
鈽呪槄鈽呪槄鈽� (5/5) A selection of my favorite passages from the book
鈥� The nobler the thing sought after the less help there is. 鈥� Existence as individuals is the fundamental real existence, while existence in the mind is cognitional, formal existence; and existence in speech is verbal and indicative. 鈥� For example, were a text to mention 'the Forgiver' [al-Ghafir], 'the All-Forgiving' [al-Ghafur] and 'He who is full of forgiveness' [al-Ghaffar], it would not be improbable that these be counted as three names. For 'the Forgiver' [al-Ghafir] indicates the basis of forgiveness only, while 'the All-Forgiving' [al-Ghafur] indicates a multiple forgiveness in relation to many offenses 鈥攊nasmuch as whoever forgives only one kind of offense is not said to be 'all-forgiving. The 'One who is full of forgiveness', however, signifies multiplicity by way of repetition, that is,* he forgives all one's offenses time and again 鈥攕o that whoever forgives all one's offenses the first time, but does not forgive those who repeatedly commit offenses, would not deserve the name 'He who is full of forgiveness' [al-Ghaffar]. 鈥� If these meanings were presented to him, he would [i] receive them and memorize them, [ii] believe them in his heart and [in] persist in them. 鈥� Those who have drawn near to Him share in the meanings of the names of God the most high in a threefold way. i. The first share is a knowledge of these meanings by way of witnessing and unveiling, so that their essential realities are clarified for them by a proof which does not permit any error; and God's possession of these meanings as His characteristics is revealed to them in a disclosure equivalent in clarity to the certainty achieved by a man in regard to his own inner qualities, which he perceives by seeing his inward aspect, not by outward sensation. ii. A second way of sharing in these meanings belongs to those who so highly esteem what is disclosed to them of the attributes of majesty that their high regard releases a longing to possess this attribute in every way possible to them, so that they may grow closer to the Truth iii. The third share follows upon the effort to acquire whatever is possible of those attributes, to imitate them and be adorned with their good qualities 鈥� For knowledge is the seed of longing, but only to the extent that it encounters a heart freed from the thorns of the passions, for unless the heart be empty the seed will not bear fruit. Knowing something is to know its essential reality and its quiddity, not the names derived from it. 鈥� 'The ninety-nine names become attributes of the servant following the spiritual path, while he is still on the way and has not yet arrived' 鈥� And the totality of them may be resolved into those which indicate (1) the essence, (2) the essence with a negation, (3) the essence with something added, (5) one of the seven attributes, an attribute with negation, (6,7,8) an attribute with something added, (9) an attribute of action (10) with something added or negated 鈥攁nd these make ten possibilities. 鈥� Regarding the seven attributes, which are life, knowledge, power, will, hearing, seeing, and speaking, they contend that all of these resolve to knowledge, and then that knowledge resolves to the essence. The explanation they offer is that hearing is the same as His perfect knowledge with regard to sound, and sight is the same as His knowledge with regard to colour and other things seen. 鈥� Now it is noted in the hadith: 'Do not say "Ramadan is coming", for "Ramadan" is a name of God most high. Say rather "the month of Ramadan is coming".
This was the first book I read on a theological matter, specifically focused on one aspect of Islamic creed (Aqeedah), which is Allah (May He be praised and exalted). This was also the first work I read of Al Ghazali, a giant from the 5th century of Islam, renown for his theological studies and his excellent intellect.
As such, I found the first chapter a little difficult to comprehend and had to read over it a few times. It discusses the definition of 'labelling words' in detail and how they are used (such as names and attributes). This discussion was necessary for a thorough understanding of God's Ninety-Nine Beautiful names. A key lesson I took away from this was the limits in human comprehension of God - our understanding of God's names and attributes are limited to our understanding and experience of those names. For instance, we will understand God's name, The Merciful, relative to the extent of mercy we have experienced in life - however, God's mercy is far beyond what we come to know.
As I kept reading I couldn't help but refer back to my intention in every action I performed. The following section of the book described how true knowledge is tied in with action. And thus, the greatest understanding of God's names and attributes is to strive to embody them within our own lives. This helped me shift my perspective of actions - it went from seeking good reward from God to instead trying to embody His attributes so that I may come nearer to Him. This exposed me to the purity of faith and the true meaning of 'Fisabillilah' - doing something purely for the sake of God. It also made me desire the ultimate delight of every believer, which Allah tells us about in the Quran - to gaze at the face of Allah. I want to see our remarkable Creator more than ever before, and be amongst His nearest and dearest of servants.
Finally, I am in total admiration of the amazing intellect Allah swt blessed Al Ghazali with! As he explains the names and attributes of Allah, his reasoning is clear, one can follow his thought pattern, it's as though we are reading the discussion he is having within his own mind. The questions that you may have, he asks and answers. And even the questions we may have not thought of, he asks and answers. And I love that in answering his questions he has tried to remain concise so that one may understand without being confused. He was definitely a man of clarity, so no wonder why many referred to him as 'the proof of Islam' and the one who revived Islam in the 5th century.
And great credit must also be given to the translators who made this work accessible in English. An excellent job! The level of detail and care poured into their work is evident by something as simple as including Al Ghazali's consistent praise of Allah, Prophet Muhammad PBUH and the excellent companions, every time they are mentioned. So beautiful to read.
(1) What were my expectations? I expected to learn the deeper meanings of 99 of Allah's names, how we could use His names in our daily duas, how we could achieve the attributes as human beings, and as a result, to increase our love for Him. (2) Did the book meet my expectations? Yes, in the sense that the book gives us the deeper meanings of each name of Allah. It does not directly tell us how to use Allah's names when we make du'a, but at least now I can use more than "ya Rahman, ya Raheem." For example, I can use "ya Jabbar" if I need something to happen, to be expedited, or "ya Wahhab" for gifts such as a pious, loving family. The way imam Al Ghazali talk about how we can aspire to take Allah's attributes (as a human, of course), is often by reminding us that it is impossible to achieve most of His attributes because we are human beings. The way he explained things to us is humbling, and that is something that exceeds my expectations. Another thing I did not expect is the level of philosophy that Imam Ghazali expressed in this book is rather deep. It does make reading the book, esp the first part, rather difficult because of long and wordy sentences. Looking back, I should have expected this because imam Al Ghazali's works are more philosphical than legal. It is useful for people who needs to understand the deeper meaning of what they learn. That is all good for me, but it does take a considerable amount of time and effort to peel all the layers with him
I am thankful that the book Reflecting on the Names of Allah (by Jinan Yousef) is published in 2020. This book, despite its size, is a lot easier to digest. And somehow it makes Al-Ghazali鈥檚 book easier to understand too.
鈥滳an the gates of heaven be opened to one preoccupied with concerns of the world and enslaved to greed and passion?鈥�
What a beautiful book.
I struggled to grasp the concepts outlined in the first third of the book. A lot of grammatical and philosophical ideas that unfortunately went over my layman brain. But Allahumma Barik, the 2nd section was an experience to read. Every Name was so thought provoking and it re-emphasises what I mentioned during my update;
This is a book you read over a prolonged period, it鈥檚 a book directed at contemplating over a selected Name as opposed to completing the entirety of the book in a designated sitting.
Definitely a book that requires several rereads and a solid foundation of knowledge.