SUFI STORIES #16. THE MIRACLES OF IMAM AL GHAZALI (MAY ALLAH SANCTIFY HIS SOUL)
Imam Abu Hamid Muhammad Al Ghazali (1058-1111, May Allah sanctify his soul) was most famous for his writings and teachings on tasawwuf (spirituality, purifying the soul and character-building). Not much has been written about his own spiritual experiences, including the miracles granted to him. He avoided writing about these, preferring only to hint about them:
“….they (the Sufis) come to stages in the “way” which it is hard to describe in language; if a man attempts to express these, his words inevitably contain what is clearly erroneous”. [Al-Ghazali in Al Munqidh Min Al Dalal/Deliverance from Error, translated by W. Montgomery Watt].
Nevertheless, through his many books he did reveal some of these extraordinary and miraculous events. We also learn about these miracles through the reports of others, including those who dreamt about him.
As often happened with luminaries, the hagiographical accounts may not be historical and it is often difficult to separate the facts from legends, especially when miracles are described and those who don’t believe in miracles will insist that these must be fictional anyway.
I have obtained these stories about his miracles from a book (Kisah-kisah Ajaib Imam Al Ghazali/Stories of Imam Al Ghazali’s Miracles) written by Mukti Ali of Indonesia, an ardent student and teacher of his works. The author tried to get as much verification of these stories as he could, and I have quoted the primary sources where available. If the primary source is not given, I presume the source is in the bibliography of the book.
In the previous articles about Imam Al Ghazali, I had already mentioned 2 miracles associated with him. For completeness of this article, I shall include these again here. In my opinion, these are also among the most important miracles because in these The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) personally endorsed Imam Al Ghazali, and also his magnum opus Ihya Ulum ad-Din (Revival of the Religious Sciences).
Here are some of the miracles associated with him:
MIRACLES WHEN HE WAS ALIVE:
(1) ACQUIRING DIVINE KNOWLEDGE & THE UNVEILING OF MYSTICAL SECRETS
Imam (Muhammad) Al Ghazali had a younger brother, Imam Ahmad Al Ghazali (1061-1126, May Allah sanctify his soul) who was a Sufi. An incident happened before Imam Al Ghazali entered the Sufi path:
His brother Imam Ahmad had often refused to pray behind him (in congregation) although everyone else would jump at the opportunity to pray behind the great and famous scholar that he was. So one day Imam Al Ghazali asked their mother to request Imam Ahmad to pray behind him at the mosque, to which the latter obliged. But as soon as the prayer began, Imam Ahmad left the congregational prayer (mufaraqah) and prayed on his own. When asked, Imam Ahmad told the elder brother that he saw blood on the latter’s belly during the prayer. And that meant that Imam Al Ghazali was not in God’s presence (khusyuk) during his prayer, which was also why Imam Ahmad had refused to pray behind him previously.
Imam Al Ghazali was amazed, and admitted that although he was leading the prayer, indeed his attention was not on God as he could not stop thinking about the matter at hand which he was attending to just before the prayer time – that was, deciding the religious ruling over a problem relating to women’s menses (hence Imam Ahmad’s vision of the bloodied belly).
This made him realize that Imam Ahmad was far closer to God than he was, despite his fame and achievements. He asked Imam Ahmad how he (Ahmad) received such Divine guidance, to which Imam Ahmad said he had learned it from his Sufi master.
After much inner struggle, Imam Al Ghazali was able to let go of worldly attachments and suppress his ego enough to become a humble mureed (disciple) of the Sufi Shaykh. Remember, he was then the most respected scholar in the entire Muslim world!
The Shaykh warned him that he (Imam Al Ghazali) would not be able to withstand the tests, but Imam Al Ghazali said God-willing, he would!
His first task was to clean the dirty floor with his hands. When the Shaykh saw that he was careful not to dirty his shirt while doing the errand, the Shaykh ordered him to use his shirt to clean the dirtiest part!
Imam Al Ghazali patiently obliged. But before he could dirty his shirt, the Shaykh stopped him and said that he had passed the test and could go home.
Imam Al Ghazali realized that despite his reputation and scholarship, he was not close enough to God because of his ego, and lack of humility. Indeed, one of his reminders to us is that those with knowledge often become arrogant because they think that knowledge makes them better than others.
That humbling episode with his Sufi master was his first victory over his ego (there were many more tests to come). And that very same night he had his first experience of receiving Divine guidance and the veil to the unseen and mystical secrets was slowly removed.
Of this transformation, he said: "We sought after knowledge for other than Allah's sake, but He refused that it be for anything other than Him."
(Sources: (1) Al Munqidh min Al Dalal/Deliverance from Error; and (2) Bidayat Al Hidayah/Beginning of Guidance)
[Note: Imam Ahmad Al-Ghazali was also a great scholar, author and Sufi mystic, although he was much less famous than his elder brother. He was noted for his ideas on love and the meaning of love. He succeeded his brother as the head of the renowned Al-Nizamiyya institution in Baghdad. He was also much-traveled, and initiated and trained many eminent Sufi masters across the region. He also wrote many books].
(2) IMAM AL GHAZALI WALKED IN THE WATER TO MEET PROPHET AL KHIDR (PBUH)
Once Imam Al Ghazali was asked by his teacher to go and meet Prophet Al Khidr PBUH (see SUFI STORIES #9). He was asked to find a fisherman by the coast who would lead him to Al Khidr. The fisherman told him Al Khidr lived in a mosque in the middle of the ocean. Without hesitation, he walked into the ocean towards the indicated direction. But he didn’t get wet and he was able to walk towards the mosque as if he was walking on land. When they met, Al Khidr told him he should get married to his teacher’s daughter. He returned to his teacher and told him what transpired and his teacher was very happy with that news.
(Source: Al-Sayyid Muhammad bin Muhammad al-Husaini in Ittihaf as-Sadah al-Muttaqin Syarh Ihya Ulumuddin)
Many
scholars accused Imam Al Ghazali of including weak and false Hadiths in his
works. That became the reason for some scholars to mock him.
He responded by asking them to look up above them. They saw The Prophet (PBUH) gesturing that the Hadiths used by Imam Al Ghazali were valid.
(Source: Shaykh Ibnu Hajar al-Haytami [Theologian and Muhaddith, 1503-1566] in Fatawa al-Hadithiyyah)
COMMENT: The criticism against Imam Al Ghazali for his use of what many scholars say are weak or false Hadiths continues to this day. In 2014, a local scholar announced that she found 265 false Hadiths in Ihya Ulum ad-Din. Some scholars even say Muslims should not read Ihya for fear of becoming deviants. Yet others say, despite these Hadiths, it is the best book ever written on Islam.
Imam Al Ghazali was adamant that the Hadiths he used were valid (with varying degrees of authenticity) and that he did not include any false Hadiths, having screened them not in the manner of the traditional muhaddiths (masters of Hadith), but through spiritual means. For example, he claimed that he could smell the fragrance of the valid Hadiths (see below), whatever is the category judged by others. Of course muhaddiths would not accept this method, but he was confident of this Divine gift.
This controversy (validity of the Hadiths he used) began right from when Imam Al Ghazali was still alive. It is permissible for scholars to objectively criticize the works of other scholars, but I hope none insults Imam Al Ghazali and suffer the same fate as those mentioned below.
(4)
IMAM AL GHAZALI
COULD TELL THE VALIDITY OF HADITHS THROUGH THEIR FRAGRANCE
The
noted biographical historian and muhaddith Ibn Al-Najjar (Abū ʿAbdallāh Muḥammad b. Maḥmūd b.
al-Ḥasan b. Hibatallāh b. Maḥāsin al-Baghdādī, Muḥibb al-Dīn Ibn
al-Najjār, 1183–1246, may Allah’s Mercy be upon him) made an
evaluation of Imam Al Ghazali’s life and works, and concluded that since Imam
Al Ghazali was always traveling during his 10-year exploits with the Sufis
(during which time he wrote his best books, including the Ihya),
the only way he could have written the voluminous Ihya and
many other books during this period was that he must have received direct
Divine guidance in writing those books, as it would take so
much time composing, writing, checking, cross-checking (no online
resources, Wikipedia, or Google then!) and editing while being on the move!
(5) A SULTAN LOST HIS THRONE AFTER CRITICIZING IMAM AL GHAZALI
Even during his lifetime, the antagonism towards his views was intense in Maghrib (modern Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria and Libya). The reigning Sultan Yusuf bin Tashfin had supported the onslaught against Imam Al Ghazali. They had ordered his books to be burned or destroyed.
When this was reported to Imam Al Ghazali, he said that by God’s decree, the Sultan’s government will fall just as how they destroyed his books.
Soon the sultanate fell, and it was taken over by the followers of one of Imam Al Ghazali’s students, Muhammad bin Taumrut who started the Al-Muwahiddun (westernized as Al Mohad) movement, which later established the Al-Muwahiddun Caliphate. Imam Al Ghazali’s books (especially Ihya Ulum ad-Din) and teachings became accepted and popular again.
(6) THE MIRACLE OF HIS DEATH
Imam Al Ghazali knew how and when he was going to die.
Exactly a hundred days before his death, he bought his burial shroud. On the day of his death, after the dawn prayer, he asked his brother Imam Ahmad to assist him as he prepared for his final journey. He lay down facing the Qibla (direction of the Kaaba in Makkah), kissed the shroud, put it over his eyes and said: “We hear and obey in readiness to enter the King's presence.”
Then he stretched his legs, recited the shahadah (“There is no god other than Allah, and Muhammad is His Messenger”) and breathed his last. May Allah sanctify his soul!
He had instructed his brother to bury him within his house where he died (in Tus, now in Iran), and not to tell the neighbours or anyone about his passing. Only Imam Ahmad and two others were to prepare his dead body for burial, do the funeral prayers and bury him.
But hundreds of Sufi Shaykhs and their disciples turned up to pay their respects. They came from as far as Egypt, Syria, Palestine, Makkah and Madinah. The Shaykhs had dreamt that Imam Al Ghazali was saying goodbye to the 3 assistants, and they all understood that he was going to die, and they immediately rushed to Tus. That was the love and respect they had for him. And that was the last of many miracles God granted His beloved servant up to his death.
But as we shall see, miracles involving him continued even after his death.
Allahu Akbar! (God is Great!).
(Source: Imam Ahmad Al Ghazali, as reported by Ibn al-Jawzi in al-Thabat 'Inda al-Mamat/Firmness at the Time of Death)
MIRACLES AFTER HIS DEATH:
(7) IMAM AL GHAZALI WAS ACKNOWLEDGED AS THE MOST WISE & BRILLIANT SCHOLAR BY PROPHETS MOSES, JESUS AND MUHAMMAD (PEACE BE UPON THEM).
Over a century after Imam Al Ghazali’s death, Shaykh Hasan Al Shadhili (1196-1258), the founder of the Shadhiliyya Sufi Order once had a dream in which Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) asked Prophets Musa (Moses) and Isa (Jesus), Peace be upon them, if there was any scholar as wise and brilliant as Imam Al Ghazali among their followers. Both of them said no.
(Source: Al-Sayyid Muhammad bin Muhammad al-Husaini in Ittihaf as-Sadah al-Muttaqin Syarh Ihya Ulumuddin)
COMMENT: Muslims believe that any dream involving the Prophets are true because Satan cannot impersonate them, even in dreams.
(8)
PROPHET MUHAMMAD
(PBUH) ENDORSED IHYA ULUM AD-DIN AND PUNISHED ITS CRITIC
After his death, Imam Al Ghazali’s book Ihya Ulum ad-Din continued to be severely criticized in Maghrib (north-west Africa) and Andalus (Islamic Spain) and on several occasions it was ordered to be burned by the authorities. The reason was that Imam Al Ghazali had criticized the jurists whose fatwas (edicts) and judgements had deviated from the spirit of the Qur’an.
One such critic who supported the burning of the book was Ibn Hirzahm (or Harzahim) al-Maghribi, a famous Moroccan scholar. He had ordered the books to be collected and burned in a bonfire.
However, on the night before the burning, Ibn Hirzahm saw The Prophet (PBUH) in his dream, commending the book in front of Sayyidina Abu Bakr (First Rightly-Guided Caliph, may Allah be Pleased with him), Sayyidina Umar al-Khattab (Second Rightly-Guided Caliph, may Allah be Pleased with him) and Imam Al-Ghazali himself. Then The Prophet (PBUH) ordered that Ibn Hirzahm be lashed for slander. After five lashes he was pardoned and woke up in pain, bearing the traces of the lashing on his buttocks! After this he repented and recanted his criticism, and began praising the book from cover to cover.
After many prayers and asking for forgiveness, the pain on his buttocks disappeared, but the scars remained till his death.
This story was related by Shaykh Hasan Al Shadhili and transmitted by the Shaykhs of the Shadhiliyya Sufi Order.
(Source: Al-Sayyid Muhammad bin Muhammad al-Husaini in Ittihaf as-Sadah al-Muttaqin Syarh Ihya Ulumuddin)
(9)
THE PROPHET
(PBUH) PRAISED IMAM AL GHAZALI IN THE PRESENCE OF THE FOUR GREAT IMAMS OF THE
MADZHABS
Imam Abu Al Fatah Al Sawi was a Saint who was an admirer of Imam Al Ghazali. Once during his pilgrimage to Makkah, he fell asleep while inside the Masjidil Haram (the Grand Mosque). In the dream he was in a gathering with The Prophet (PBUH), the four Imams (Imam As-Shafi’i, Imam Abu Hanifah, Imam Malik bin Anas and Imam Ahmad bin Hambal, may Allah’s Mercy be upon them) who were the founders of the major Islamic mazdhabs (schools of jurisprudence) and also Imam Al Ghazali. The Prophet (PBUH) had approved the teachings of all the 4 mazdhabs, and finally gave special approval to the teachings of Imam Al Ghazali. Upon seeing this, Imam Abu Al Fatah cried (in the dream) with happiness. When he woke up from the dream, his cheeks were still wet with tears.
(10) A SCHOLAR BECAME
BLIND AFTER READING A BOOK WHICH CRITICIZED IMAM AL GHAZALI
Abu Abdillah ibn Zain was the most prominent scholar in his state. He had mastered many of Imam Al Ghazali’s books. One day he decided to read a book by Abu Al-Qasim ibn Ahmad which criticized and insulted Imam Al Ghazali. While reading it he suddenly became blind. Upon realizing his mistake, he repented and swore that he would never read that book again, and he destroyed it. Soon God restored his sight. Thereafter, he became convinced that Imam Al Ghazali’s teachings are approved by Allah and His Messenger. He became a foremost defender of Imam Al Ghazali’s works against the detractors.
(Source: Shaykh Al-Akbar Muhiyuddin ibn ‘Arabi in Ruh Al-Qudus/Ruh Al-Quds)
There was a scholar who was jealous of Imam Al Ghazali’s achievements who insulted him profusely in front of other scholars. They were teachers in an institution. The other scholars were stunned and saddened. That night, many of them dreamt in which Imam Al Ghazali told them not to be sad, and that by God’s decree, the culprit would die the next day.
On the following day, the scholars who had the dream discussed their dreams and waited for what was to happen. They believed in their dreams because Imam Al Ghazali was a great Saint. But the culprit was healthy and went on his affairs for the day without any incident.
It was only during their journey home after work that suddenly the culprit fell off his ride, hit his head on a rock, and died instantly.
This story was reported by Taj Al Din Al Subki (1327-1370), a prominent scholar, jurist, hadith master (muhaddith) and historian.
(12) IMAM AL GHAZALI VISITED (IN THE FLESH) KH SHOLEH DARAT OF SEMARANG, INDONESIA
Al-'alim Al Allama ash-Shaykh
Muhammad Sholeh bin Omar al-Samarani (better known as KH Sholeh Darat or Mbah
Sholeh Darat, may Allah sanctify his soul) was a great scholar of Semarang,
Central Java, Indonesia. He lived from 1820 to 1903, over 700 years after Imam
Al Ghazali.
Apart from
spreading and teaching Islam, he also fought against the Dutch colonizers, not
with arms, but through his religious edicts (fatwa), inviting the Indonesian people to fight the Dutch as a
religious obligation. He declared that the Dutch colonizers were enemies of
Islam.
Among his students were the founders of Indonesia’s two
largest Muslim organizations, Nahdatul Ulama (NU) and Muhamadiyya.
Mbah Sholeh Darat was an admirer of Imam Al Ghazali’s works,
and was an expert on the latter’s teachings. In fact he was called “Imam Al
Ghazali of Java”. Much of his own writings were based on Imam Al Ghazali’s
teachings.
One night, while Mbah Sholeh Darat was writing a commentary
on Al Ghazali’s Ihya Ulum ad-Din, a turbaned guest wearing an Arab cloak came
to his house, and was led in by his servant to meet him. They were in
discussion until late in the night.
When it was time for the guest to leave, Mbah Sholeh Darat
accompanied him right to the gate. After bidding goodbye, the guest walked out
of the gate and just disappeared!
When the servant asked Mbah Sholeh Darat who the strange
guest was, he replied: “He is the great Imam Al Ghazali. He came to tell me
that he approves of the book I am writing about Ihya”.
Indeed those who read Mbah Sholeh Darat’s book (Munjiyat: Methik Saking Ihya Ulumuddin/Ilmu
Penyelamat dari Ihya Ulumuddin/Protective Knowledge from Ihya Ulumuddin)
had found it easy to understand, and became encouraged to deepen their
knowledge in tasawwuf and Sufism.
COMMENT: There were many others who had the honour of meeting
the departed Prophets and Saints in the flesh. This is the highest honour
reserved for the highest-ranking Saints. Others have been blessed with meeting
them through visions while they were awake, or being spoken to or instructed
without seeing them. The most common favour given to believers is the honour of
meeting them in their dreams.
CONCLUSION: I hope you can agree
that through the works that he left behind, and through these miracles, Imam Al
Ghazali was indeed a brilliant and wise Saint much-loved by his Creator, sent
to us to make the knowledge of how to be a good human being easy to understand,
and easy to follow. The Muslims can become much better Muslims, and even the
non-Muslims can benefit from the spiritual teachings which are universal. That
is why his works are popular even among them.
Salam/Peace to all. See you at my next SUFI STORIES post!
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