Contribution to the Biography of al-Ghazālī: Al-Ghazālī’s Seclusion Life in the Light of His Letters
In this study, the seclusion life of al-Ghazālī, which began with his departure from Baghdad in 488/1095 and continued until his death, is analyzed. In light of his letters, qualitative research methods were used to analyze and classify al-Ghazālī’s period of seclusion, and the meaning of the period...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | Arabic |
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Istanbul University Press
2024-09-01
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| Series: | İslam Tetkikleri Dergisi |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://cdn.istanbul.edu.tr/file/JTA6CLJ8T5/6800E801CC064C5AAEE448DB04D6861F |
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| Summary: | In this study, the seclusion life of al-Ghazālī, which began with his departure from Baghdad in 488/1095 and continued until his death, is analyzed. In light of his letters, qualitative research methods were used to analyze and classify al-Ghazālī’s period of seclusion, and the meaning of the period of seclusion was emphasized. While al-Ghazālī was at the height of his popularity in Baghdad, he abandoned everything and went into seclusion. It seems that this process was interrupted by the transition to teaching again in Nishapur after more than 10 years of halvah (seclusion). Even though al-Ghazālī described himself as someone who retreated into seclusion, it is understood from his letters compiled under the title of Fezāil al-Anām that his seclusion refers to his opposition to working in state institutions and under the orders of the ruling class. During al-Ghazali’s seclusion, he wrote books, worked as a muderris, and maintained relations with the ruling class through his letters. As a result, it can be seen that he did not refrain from lecturing and engaging in theo-political relations until his death. He maintained his correspondence with the political elites, especially the Nizam al-Mulk family, for reasons such as issuing warnings, offering advice, providing references, lodging complaints about bad rulers, and explaining about the situation of the people of Tus. Therefore, he was not an ascetic solely who devotes himself to the hereafter, but rather a person who was aware of the realities of his age and had not severed his ties with the ruling class of the time. |
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| ISSN: | 2717-6967 |