'It had already become clear to me that my only hope of attaining beatitude in the afterlife lay in piety and restraining my soul from passion. The beginning of all that, I knew, was to sever my heart’s attachment to the world by withdrawing from this abode of delusion and turning to the mansion of immortality and devoting myself with total ardor to God Most High. That, I knew, could be achieved only by shunning fame and fortune and fleeing from my preoccupations and attachments.'
'...I saw that I was immersed in attachments which had encompassed me from all sides. I also considered my activities — the best of them being public and private instruction — and that in them I was applying myself to sciences unimportant and useless in this pilgrimage to the hereafter.
Then I reflected on my intention in my public teaching, and I saw that it was not directed purely to God, but rather was instigated and motivated by the quest for fame and widespread prestige. So I became certain that I was on the brink of a crumbling bank and already on the verge of falling into the Fire, unless I set about mending my ways.'
'I therefore reflected unceasingly on this for some time, while I still had freedom of choice. One day I would firmly resolve to leave Baghdad and disengage myself from those circumstances, and another day I would revoke my resolution. I would put one foot forward, and the other backward. In the morning I would have a sincere desire to seek the things of the afterlife: but by evening the hosts of passion would assail it and render it lukewarm. Mundane desires began tugging me with their chains to remain as I was, while the herald of faith was crying out: “Away! Up and away! Only a little is left of your life, and a long journey lies before you! All the theory and practice in which you are engrossed is eyeservice and fakery! If you do not prepare now for the afterlife, when will you do so? And if you do not sever these attachments now, then when will you sever them?” '
Life-altering book, if there was ever one. Abu Hamid al-Ghazali Kitab Imam al-Ghazali ini wajar dimasukkan dalam senarai wajib baca bersama-sama karya magnum opusnya, Ihya Ulumuddin. Hujjatul Islam ini diminta oleh orang yang ikhlas untuk mengetahui sebab-musabbab beliau meninggalkan kedudukannya sebagai profesor besar di institusi ilmu terpenting di Baghdad yang ditubuhkan oleh Nizamul Muluk, iaitu Madrasah Nizamiyah sehingga kembali ke Naishapur. Al-Ghazali sebenarnya berdepan dengan krisis epistemologi sehingga beliau banyak menyelidik bagaimana golongan ahli kalam, ahli falsafah, Batiniyah (Syiah) dan ahli sufi memperoleh serta mencapai kebenaran yang secara tidak langsung memperlihatkan keluasan ilmu dan wacana yang dimilikinya.
Tulisan dalam bentuk autobiografi ini, memperlihatkan bagaimana akhirnya Imam al-Ghazali menerima epistemologi dalam pandangan Islam belum sempurna dengan hanya melalui kaedah yang diikuti oleh ahli kalam meskipun beliau mengakui kepentingannya tetapi seperti kata beliau, adakalanya ubat kepada orang lain adalah racun kepada seseorang. Ini kerana secara umumnya, Imam Ghazali melihat wacana dalam ilmu kalam bertujuan mempertahankan akidah Islam daripada penyelewengan pemikiran asing dengan menunjukkan kekeliruan dan kekacauan pada pemikiran berkenaan sehingga kurang menitik-beratkan bagaimana proses epistemologi dalam mengukuh pegangan dari dalam diri.
Dalam konteks falsafah dan Batiniyah pula, Imam al-Ghazali menjelaskan kerancuan dalam berfikir yang sebenarnya sudah pun dijelaskan dengan teliti dalam kitabnya yang lain, iaitu Tahafut al-Falasifah, manakala konsep al-Taalamiyah yang menekankan kewujudan imam yang tersembunyi pula dijawab dengan tuntas dalam beberapa kitabnya termasuk al-Mustazhiri - kita sebagai pembaca akan kagum bagaimana wacana yang dikemukakan oleh Imam al-Ghazali dalam hal ini meskipun secara ringkas dalam kitab ini.
Justeru, kitab ini menjelaskan proses pencarian kebenaran yang diterima dengan keyakinan yang tuntas dan tidak diganggu oleh keraguan meskipun sedikit yang ternyata diperoleh melalui jalan sufisme serta kerohanian. Proses inilah yang penting untuk dibaca dan dijadikan pengajaran kepada kita pada akhir zaman ini kerana tampaknya bukan saja latar zamannya hampir sama, bahkan serangan pemikiran dan krisis epistemologi umat Islam menerima gugatan yang sangat besar. Abu Hamid al-Ghazali first of all we ask Allah to grant him jannatul firdous.The book is very interesting.I did not fully understand the first part which is delivering from Error.The second part which is the beginning of guidance is very informative and interesting.It will teach you how to get started seeking knowledge with pure intention. The best part is he said that whoever increases in knowledge and does not increase in guidance, only increases in distance from God.its all about guidance.I would highly recommend. Abu Hamid al-Ghazali it's definitely the best book I've ever read !
many times this book had been mistaken for making muslims abandon their faith, but to the contrary this book actually will make your faith grows even stronger.
one of best philosophical book in the history and even until this time, many scholars couldn't understand what Al Ghazali tried to persuade us with his daunting question of faith Abu Hamid al-Ghazali The author is known as one of the most influential philosophers of all time. In this book, he tells about his spiritual travelling. Abu Hamid al-Ghazali
Mankind is hungry, but the feast is there, though it is locked up and hidden away. It is the aim of this Series to put it within reach, so that we may stretch forth our hands to the good cheer laid before us.
Deliverance from Error is the spiritual autobiography of Al-Ghazali, and The Beginning of Guidance, complements his spiritual autobiography and sets out his ideal of how the religious man should order his life from hour to hour and day to day. Al-Ghazali: Deliverance from Error The Beginning of Guidance
Still very relevant for our time! Abu Hamid al-Ghazali Enjoyed it. Though it's disagreeable on certain aspects, but still a time well spent. Abu Hamid al-Ghazali A very good book. It has basic guidances but very beneficial. I hope I'd read it when I was younger. Abu Hamid al-Ghazali Sufi mysticism and middle ages religious philosophical thinking on knowledge, the way of mysticism and prophecies Abu Hamid al-Ghazali Insightful Abu Hamid al-Ghazali
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