Al-Ghazali on Disciplining the Soul and on Breaking the Two Desires: Books XXII and XXIII of the Revival of the Religious Sciences (Ghazali Series) (Bk. 22 & 23) (Paperback)

~ T. J. Winter (Author)

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Product Description

The spiritual life in Islam begins with riyadat al-nafs, the inner warfare against the ego. Distracted and polluted by worldliness, the lower self has a tendency to drag the human creature down into arrogance and vice. Only by a powerful effort of will can the sincere worshipper achieve the purity of soul which enables him to attain God's proximity. This translation of two sections from The Revival of the Religious Sciences (Ihya' 'Ulum al-Din) detail the sophisticated spiritual techniques adopted by classical Islam. In the first step, On Disciplining the Soul, which cites copious anecdotes from the Islamic scriptures and biographies of the saints, Ghazali explains how to acquire good character traits, and goes on to describe how the sickness of the heart may be cured. In the second part, Breaking the Two Desires, he focusses on the question of gluttony and sexual desire, concluding, in the words of the Prophet , that 'the best of all matters is the middle way'. The translator has added an introduction and notes which explore Ghazali's ability to make use of Greek as well as Islamic ethics. The work will prove of special interest to those interested in Sufi mysticism, comparative ethics, and the question of sexuality in Islam.

About the Author

Abu Hamid al-Ghazali (1058-1111) theologian, logician, jurist and mystic, was born and died at the town of Tus in Central Asia, but spent much of his life lecturing at Baghdad or leading the life of a wandering dervish. Because of his success in revealing the compatibility of the outward forms of religion with the inner experiences of Sufi tradition, he is commonly regarded as the 'Renewer' of the fifth Muslim century, and the most influential thinker of medieval Islam.

Product Details

• Paperback: 277 pages
• Publisher: Islamic Texts Society (December 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0946621438
• ISBN-13: 978-0946621439
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #355,066 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Masterpiece, August 26, 2000

By	"ummtas" (Allah) - See all my reviews

Remarkable! This text has made its way to our hands in order to use the timeless widsom of this Grand Master. Easy to read, heavy to reflect upon, the sickness of the heart, concerning greed and envy, ect.. have all been carefully mastered into a text that is easy to grasp.

Some may say he has gone off the far end, perhaps reaching deeply for ultimate abstainance from this life, perhaps, he may, but the lessons he teaches can be taken in 2 ways. 1) That the people of his time may have been so "off", Islamicly speaking towards implementing Sharia, that he needed to write this text in order to level out the boundries. Therefore, his society may have been to one extreme of leaving Sharia. and this book is from another extreme implementing Sharia to the upmost respect.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding piece of work, January 9, 2007

By	RedStorm (Alpha Centauri, Milky Way) - See all my reviews

This is an incredible book. This book does a great job in decribing the science behind building good character and advancing your spiritual state. This is a must read for anyone looking to advance themselves spirtually.