The Niche of Lights - Al-Ghazali
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Abu Hamid Al-Gazali was one of the most prominent philosophers, theologians, jurists and mystics of Sunni Islam. His approach to resolving apparent contradictions between reason and revelation was accepted by almost all later Muslim theologians. It had a significant influence on medieval Latin thought through the works of Averroes and also influenced Jewish and Christian scholars. Many Jewish scholars in the Middle Ages had knowledge of Arabic, and some of Al-Gazali's books were translated into Hebrew. Among the Jewish theologians influenced by him, the best known is Maimonides. Among Christians, it is recognized the influence that Al-Gazali had on St. Thomas Aquinas.
"The Niche of Lights" is divided into three parts and presents an exegesis of one of the most beautiful verses of the Quran ─ the Verse of Light and a hadith[1] whose meaning is associated with the verse.
This translation is the first made into Portuguese of the book known as Mishkat al-anwar and is the result of a personal project. This book by Al-Ghazali was previously translated from Arabic editions into French, German, Italian and English.
The work was written in response to a friend of Al-Ghazali, who asked him to interpret the apparent meanings and mysteries of the divine lights in Koranic verses and Hadith that allude to those lights. Then, Al-Ghazali concentrated his response in the exegesis of the Verse of Light and a hadith sometimes called Hadith of the Veils. The title of the book was inspired by the Verse of Light.
Several Muslim scholars have written their own explanations and interpretations of this verse, however Al-Gazali's exegesis has withstood the test of time and remains the most discussed and acclaimed.
There is no precise date for the work, but it was certainly written at a later period in Al-Ghazali's life. It is undoubtedly subsequent to his monumental work - Ihyâ' 'Ulûm al-Dîn (The Renaissance of Religious Sciences), for he mentions it in several passages, and his approach to Sufism is most evident in his subsequent works, such as The Niche of Lights (Mishkat al-anwar).
In the second part of his life, after gaining dominion over law, theology, and philosophy, Al-Ghazali began to follow Sufism seriously, writing books that combined the teachings of law and theology/philosophy with ideas that explained the need to purify the soul. The Niche of Lights is among the works written in this latter part of Al-Ghazali's life and combines all three aspects of Islamic teachings - law, theology/philosophy, and purification of the human heart from anything but the rememberance[2] of God.
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1] A saying or act of the Prophet Muhammad (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). The sayings and acts of the Prophet Muhammad (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) are gathered in several collections and constitute the second religious source of Islam after the Quran.
2] Zikr, in Arabic. It is the remembrance, invocation or glorification of Allah through the repetition of one of His Names or a phrase that glorifies Him. The true zikr is a spiritual state in which he or she who remembers, called zakir, concentrates all his or her physical and spiritual powers in Allah, so that his or her whole being is united with the Absolute. It is the fundamental practice of the Sufi path.
"The Niche of Lights" is divided into three parts and presents an exegesis of one of the most beautiful verses of the Quran ─ the Verse of Light and a hadith[1] whose meaning is associated with the verse.
This translation is the first made into Portuguese of the book known as Mishkat al-anwar and is the result of a personal project. This book by Al-Ghazali was previously translated from Arabic editions into French, German, Italian and English.
The work was written in response to a friend of Al-Ghazali, who asked him to interpret the apparent meanings and mysteries of the divine lights in Koranic verses and Hadith that allude to those lights. Then, Al-Ghazali concentrated his response in the exegesis of the Verse of Light and a hadith sometimes called Hadith of the Veils. The title of the book was inspired by the Verse of Light.
Several Muslim scholars have written their own explanations and interpretations of this verse, however Al-Gazali's exegesis has withstood the test of time and remains the most discussed and acclaimed.
There is no precise date for the work, but it was certainly written at a later period in Al-Ghazali's life. It is undoubtedly subsequent to his monumental work - Ihyâ' 'Ulûm al-Dîn (The Renaissance of Religious Sciences), for he mentions it in several passages, and his approach to Sufism is most evident in his subsequent works, such as The Niche of Lights (Mishkat al-anwar).
In the second part of his life, after gaining dominion over law, theology, and philosophy, Al-Ghazali began to follow Sufism seriously, writing books that combined the teachings of law and theology/philosophy with ideas that explained the need to purify the soul. The Niche of Lights is among the works written in this latter part of Al-Ghazali's life and combines all three aspects of Islamic teachings - law, theology/philosophy, and purification of the human heart from anything but the rememberance[2] of God.
________________________________________________________________________________________________
1] A saying or act of the Prophet Muhammad (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). The sayings and acts of the Prophet Muhammad (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) are gathered in several collections and constitute the second religious source of Islam after the Quran.
2] Zikr, in Arabic. It is the remembrance, invocation or glorification of Allah through the repetition of one of His Names or a phrase that glorifies Him. The true zikr is a spiritual state in which he or she who remembers, called zakir, concentrates all his or her physical and spiritual powers in Allah, so that his or her whole being is united with the Absolute. It is the fundamental practice of the Sufi path.
