A warning from Imam al Ghazzali RA

[sunniboy]

Imam Al-Ghazali ( Radi Allahu anhu) wrote*: I proceed to enlighten you, who are the most self-righteous of those who reject belief, and you, who are the most immoderate of the thoughtless unbelievers.

I am no longer obliged to remain silent, because the responsibility to speak, as well as warn you, has been imposed upon me by your persistent straying from the clear truth, and by your insistence upon fostering evil, flattering ignorance, and stirring up opposition against him who, in order to conform to the dictates of knowledge, deviates from custom and the established practice of men. In doing this he fulfils Allah's prescriptions for purifying the self and reforming the heart, thus somewhat redeeming a life, which has already been dissipated in despair of prevention and remedy, and avoids by it the company of him whom the Lawgiver ( Prophet Muhammad ) described when he said:
"The most severely punished of all men on the day of resurrection will be a learned man whom Allah has not blessed with His knowledge."

For, by my life, there is no reason for your abiding arrogance except the malady which has become an epidemic among the multitudes. That malady consists in not discerning this matter's importance, the gravity of the problem, and the seriousness of the crisis; in not seeing that life is waning and that what is to come is close at hand, that death is imminent but that the journey is still long, that the provisions are scanty, the dangers great, and the road blocked.

The perceptive know that only knowledge and works devoted to Allah avail.

[simnani]

No room for pride and arrogance in Islam, sadly some people think they are above this.

[suhayb]

Taken from : Letters of Al Ghazzali(Radi Allahu anhu)

To all the Prominent Theologians

Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem.

The Beloved Prophet(Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam) has said "This world is utterly vile and wicked. It has fallen into a deep abasement. Everything it contains is cursed, save those things which are exclusively meant for Allah(Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala). The persons who lead the life of conventionality, artificiality and personal ambition and indulge in the accumulation of wealth, sow only the seeds of mischief and wretchedness, resulting in the devastation of the face of the earth. This world is the means and the next the end. The wise man is he who collects the goods here for his journey to the Hereafter. The Prophet(Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam) has hinted to the same effect in the Hadith.

"Honestly earned money is a source of great strength for an honest man".

The best of virtues is the love of regard for the learned and pious and the best money is almsgiving to them. There is no better way of salvation than by bringing relief to the hearts of pious servants of Allah(Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala).

More good advice ;D

[Walid]

Assalamu 'Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu

Imam Hamid al-Ghazzali Rehmatullahi ’Alaih with the aid of the divine light set out to examine the teachings of ‘the seekers after truth’: the theologians, philosophers, and concluded There remained, then, only what was attainable, not by hearing and studying, but by fruitional experience and actually engaging in the way' As a result of these studies, he came to the realisation that there was no way to certain knowledge except through Mysticism.

In order to reach this ultimate truth of the Sufis, however, it is first necessary to renounce the world and to devote oneself to mystical practice. Al-Ghazali came to this realization through an agonising process.

[sunnirazvi]

What the four Imams of ahle Sunnah .. Imam Abu Hanifa, Imam Shafi, Imam Maliki, Imam Hanbal and the classical traditional scholars like Imam al Ghazali, Ibn Arabi and Mujaddid e Azam AlaHazrat (May Allah ta'ala be pleased with them all) all had in common was a deep understanding, love and most importantly knowledge. Knowledge is the legacy of the Prophets, wealth is the inheritance of the Pharaohs. Therefore knowledge is better than wealth.

You are to guard your wealth, but knowledge guards you. So knowledge is better.

A man of wealth has many enemies while a man of knowledge has many friends.
Hence knowledge is better.

Knowledge is better because it increase with distribution.
While wealth decreases by that act.

Knowledge is better because a learned man is apt to be generous while a wealthy person is apt to be miserly.

Knowledge is better because it cannot be stolen while wealth can be stolen.

Knowledge is better because time cannot harm knowledge. But wealth rusts in course of time and wears away.

Knowledge is better because it is boundless while wealth is limited and you can keep account of it.

Knowledge is better because it illuminates the mind while wealth is apt to blacken it.

Knowledge is better because knowledge induced the humanity in our Prophet (sall Allahu alayhi wa sallam) so say to Allah, "We worship You as we are Your servants," while wealth engendered in Pharaoh and Nimrod the vanity which made them claim Godhood.