Ihya' 'Ulum al-Din: Volume I
Publisher: Islamic Book Trust
Published: 2015
Place of publication: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Format: Paperback
Number of pages: 429
ISBN-13: 9789670526157
Description: The Revival of the Religious Sciences by Imam al-Ghazali can be described as a book that will never die. This is because it contains a vital cognitive force that time cannot obliterate. In it the Imam discusses Islamic rulings, beliefs and character, in the style of an admonisher who understands the psyche and its secrets as well as spiritual diseases. What distinguishes this book from others is its strong spiritual influence on the reader which makes him seek both soundness of heart and his Lord’s pleasure through acts of worship, rather than the mere performance of acts of worship so that they are legally valid. The book is a comprehensive encyclopaedia for all of a Muslim’s religious affairs, including beliefs, acts of worship, dealings and character, as well as for individual and societal welfare. Al-Ghazali’s style is that of one who practices what he knows, one who is determined to rise from the dry, ordinary manner of teaching to one which encourages action.
Table of contents: title: Publisher’s note; title: Translator’s preface; title: Short biography of al-Ghazālī; title: Al-Ghazālī’s preface; title: Book 1: Knowledge; title: 1 The excellence of knowledge, teaching and learning; title: 2 Recommended and offensive sciences; title: 3 Offensive sciences; title: 4 The harms of polemics and evils of debates and disputations; title: 5 Proprieties which students and teachers should observe; title: 6 The evils of knowledge and the characteristics of the learned person of the Hereafter; title: 7 The intellect and its noble nature; title: Book 2: The foundations of belief; title: 1 The tenets of faith of Sunnī Islam; title: 2 Stages of belief; title: 3 Proofs for belief; title: 4 Rules of the articles of belief; title: Book 3: The mysteries of cleanliness; title: Introduction; title: 1 Purification from impurities; title: 2 Purification from ritual impurity (ḥadath); title: 3 Removing filth and bodily growths; title: Book 4: Prayer; title: 1 The excellence of prayer; title: 2 Outward actions of prayer; title: 3 Inward conditions; title: 4 The imamate; title: 5 The excellence of the Friday prayer; title: 6 Supererogatory prayers; title: Book 5: Zakāh; title: Introduction; title: 1 Different kinds of zakāh; title: 2 Payment of zakāh and its conditions; title: 3 Fitness for receiving zakāh; title: 4 Optional charity and its excellence; title: Book 6: Fasting; title: Introduction 233; title: 1 The rules of fasting; title: 2 The secrets of fasting; title: 3 Optional fasting and its rules; title: Book 7: The secrets of pilgrimage; title: Introduction; title: 1 The excellence of pilgrimage; title: 2 The duties of pilgrimage; title: 3 Subtle proprieties of pilgrimage; title: Book 8: Recitation of the Qur’an; title: Introduction; title: 1 The excellence of the Qur’an; title: 2 Outward rules of reciting the Qur’an; title: 3 Inward rules of reciting the Qur’an; title: 4 Interpreting the Qur’an according to one’s opinion; title: Book 9: Invocations and supplications; title: Introduction; title: 1 The excellence of remembering Allah; title: 2 The excellence of supplication and its rules; title: 3 Select supplications; title: Book 10: Regular devotions; title: Introduction; title: 1 The excellence and rules of regular devotions; title: 2 The night vigil prayer; title: Index of Qur’anic verses; title: Index