The Graduation of Guidance and Classification of the Stages of Belief

The Foundations of the Islamic Belief
by Al Ghazali (died 505/1111)

Shaykh Ahmad Darwish
Mosque of the Internet
P.O. Box 601, Tesuque, NM 87574 USA

Chapter 2

The Graduation of Guidance and
Classification of the Stages of Belief

You should know that what we have already mentioned under The Exposition of the Creed should be presented to children in their early years in order that they may commit it to memory. Its meaning will continue to be unfolded before them little by little as they grow older.

The first step is to commit it to memory, after which comes understanding, then belief, then certainty and realization, all of which are ingrained in the child without proof.

Allah - the Exalted - from His Virtue over the heart of the human being has widened it by preparing the heart from the beginning for belief without the need for any argument or proof.

How can this be denied when all the articles of faith of the people are based upon pure repetition and imitation.

Yes, a belief which results from pure imitation may not be free of some weakness at the beginning, in that it can be shaken and impaired by its opposite whenever it is presented.

It should, therefore, be strengthened and confirmed in the heart of the child and the layman until it becomes well established and unshakable.

The way to strengthen and confirm it does not lie in learning the art of debate and dogmatic theology. Rather, to be busy with the recitation of the Qur'an and its explanation, and reading the Prophetic quotations and their meanings. Also, being busy in the performance of religious duties and acts of worship.

It is in this way that one's belief continues to increase and become well established through the proofs and arguments heard from the Qur'an.

It is also increased through the explanation of the prophetic quotations with their merits. As well as it is increased by the light of worshiping, the fulfillment of obligatory duties and through observing the pious, by keeping company with them, listening to them, observing their stages and manners in obedience to Allah - the Mighty, the Glorified - the way in which they fear Him, and humble themselves before Him.

So the first repetition was like the sowing of seeds in the heart and what followed is like its watering and nursing until it grew and was raised as a good tree having well established roots with branches reaching up into the air.

The senses of the child should also be guarded with utmost care against argumentation and dogmatic theology, because what argumentation impairs is greater than what it repairs. What it corrupts is greater than what it reforms. In fact, strengthening the child through argumentation is like striking a tree with an iron axe in the hope that it will strengthen it. In such a way limbs are broken off that can lead to either its destruction, or, most probably impair its growth.

Seeing should, in this case, suffice as a reason.

Compare then the faith of the good, the righteous and the common person to that of those of dogmatic theology and debators. You will find that the belief of the ordinary person is as firm as a high mountain which is moved neither by storm nor lightning. On the other hand, the belief of those of dogmatic theology and he who guards his belief with the classified debate is like a thread hanging in the air, blown to and fro by the wind.

This is true of all except those who have heard the proof of faith and have accepted it through fellowship, just as they have taken hold of belief itself and accepted it through fellowship, since there is no difference in fellowship between learning the proof or the proved.

Learning the proof is one thing; arriving at it through independent thinking is another which is far from it.

If the child were to be brought up on this firm belief then occupy himself with gaining his livelihood, he might not be more enlightened. But according to the belief of the people of the truth he will be saved.

This is because the Religion did not obligate the uncivilized Arabs more than believing and certifying in the apparent articles of belief.

They were never obligated to research, inquire, nor to be burdened with the classification of arguments.

However, if one wishes to be among the travellers along the path of the Hereafter in order to be fortunate, one would be able to continue to act in accordance with one's knowledge by holding fast to piety, restraining one's soul from lust, practicing self-discipline and self-mortification. Then avenues of guidance would be opened which would reveal the realities of this belief through the Divine Light cast into one's heart through self-mortification in fulfillment of the promise of Allah who said:

"Those who struggle in Our Cause, We will surely guide them to Our ways; and Allah is with those who do good." (Ch.29:69).
This is, in truth, the precious pearl which is the ultimate goal of the belief of the sincere and those close to Allah.

It is the precious secret which rested in the heart of Abu Bakr al-Siddiq - may Allah be pleased with him - and by which he excelled all others.

The revelation of this secret, rather, these secrets, have different stages, that depend upon the degree of self-mortification and upon the degree in which the inner self is clean and free of things other than Allah - the High - as well as upon obtaining guidance by means of the light of faith.

This is just like the differences which exist among mankind in the comprehension of the mysteries of medicine, jurisprudence and the other sciences because their differences vary with their diligence and with their natural brilliance and prudence. Just as the former variations are not limited, so are the latter not limited.

For example, if you ask whether the study of argumentation and scholastic theology is blameworthy, like astrology, or that it is permissible or commendable, then, you should know that in this particular respect men go to excess and exaggeration on both sides. Some say that it is an innovation and unlawful and that, excluding the sin of polytheism, it is better for the worshipper to face the Creator guilty of every offense except that of Greek based logic of theology. Others say that it is an obligation and an ordinance either an Islamic public mandate or individual mandate. Therefore it is the best form of deed and the highest kind of obligation, and that it is the verification of the science of Oneness and the safeguard of the Religion of Allah - the High.

Among the famous jurisprudists who hold it unlawful are al-Shafi'i, Malik, Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Sufyan and all the scholars of the Prophetic quotations.

Ibn Abd al A'la - may Allah be pleased with him - said, "On the day Al Shafi'i - may Allah be pleased with him - debated with Hafs Al Fard, a Mu'tazilite theologian, Al Shafi'i said: `Excluding the sin of polytheism it is better for the worshipper to face his Creator guilty of every offense than to stand before Him with a little scholastic theology (the science of Divinity). I have also heard Hafs say things which I cannot repeat." He added, "I have discovered among the scholastic theologians things which I never expected to find. Excepting the sin of polytheism, if the worshipper is tried with all the prohibitions it is better for him than looking into scholastic theology."

Al Karabisi related that al-Shafi'i - may Allah be pleased with him - was once asked about some of the scholastic theology and became infuriated and said, "Ask Hafs al Fard and his cohorts about this - may Allah dishonor them." When al-Shafi'i - may Allah be pleased with him - was taken ill, Hafs came to him and asked: "Who am I?" He replied, "You are Hafs al-Fard - may Allah neither protect you nor take you under His auspices until you repent of your sins." He added: "If people only but knew what predilections lurk in scholastic theology they would run away from it as they would run away from a lion." And added, "Whenever I hear a man say that the "name" is "the named" or different from "the named" I bear witness that he is one of the people of scholastic theology and that he has no religion."

Al Za'farani related that al-Shafi'i once said, "My judgment concerning the scholastic theologians is that they should be beaten with palm branches and carried in that condition among the tribes and clans. While pronouncing "this is the penalty of those who desert the Qur'an and the prophetic sayings and take themselves to scholastic
theology."

Ahmad ibn-Hanbal, said, "A scholastic theologian never succeeds. You cannot find anyone who, having dabbled in scholastic theology, without unsoundness in his heart." He was so strong in its condemnation that he ostracized al Harith al Muhasibi, in spite of the latter's asceticism and piety, because he wrote a work on the refutation of heresy, in which he told him, "Woe unto you. Do you not first state their heretical beliefs and then answer them, thereby compelling men to study these heresies and to ponder over these dubiosities, all of which will draw them into self opinionation and research."

Ahmad - may Allah have mercy on him - also said, "The scholastic theologians are heretics." Malik - may Allah have mercy on him - said "Have you seen how, when one of stronger argument confronts him he will discard his religion for a new one every day?" In other words, the position of the debators is changing. Malik - may Allah have mercy on him - also said, "The testimony of the people of innovation and heretics is not permissible." In interpreting this, some of his companions said that he meant by heretics the scholastic theologians, no matter whichever doctrine they might belong.

Abu-Yusuf said, "He who seeks knowledge through dogmatic theology will become a heretic. Al-Hasan said, "Neither argue with heretics, associate with them nor listen to them." Upon this the scholar of the prophetic quotations in the first era have been unanimous. The narrations which came down to us from them are innumerable. They have said that the companions refrained from it although they are more knowledgeable of the realities and more capable of mastering the wording than others because they knew what evil would come out of it.

For this reason the Prophet - praise and peace be upon him - said, "Destroyed are those who split hairs! Destroyed are those who split hairs! Destroyed are those who split hairs! And these are those who are extravagant in investigation and research."

Also they proved by saying that if this subject were an integral part of Religion the Messenger of Allah - praise and peace be upon him - would have considered it to be the most important thing to command his Companions to address themselves with, and would have taught them its ways. He would have also praised it and commended its founders.

One must bear in mind that he even taught how one should clean oneself after relieving oneself and urged them to study the law of inheritance and commended them on it. He forbade them from speaking on destiny.

And he said: "Refrain concerning destiny." And accordingly the Companions did so - may Allah be pleased with them.

Needless to say, to add to what the teacher set forth is harm and error; the Companions are our teachers and our example, and we are their followers and students.

The other group proved that the forbidden in the scholastic theology are such terms as substance and substance's quality and the other strange terms with which the Companions - may Allah be pleased with them - were not familiar.

But the matter is not difficult to explain, because there is not a single branch of knowledge in which new terms have not been introduced for the sake of conveying meanings.

For example, the Science of Prophetic Quotations, the Science of interpretation, and the Science of Jurisprudence. Had the recipients encountered terms such as refutation, invalidation, composition, deduction, and false collocation, as well as the other questions which are brought as evidence by analogy, they would not comprehend them.

Therefore the introduction of new terms to signify a definite meaning is just as legitimate as inventing vessels with a new shape and form for use in permissible usages.

If it is the meaning of these terms which is forbidden, we do not mean to attain through them anything except the knowledge of the proofs for the creation of the universe, the Oneness of the Creator, and His Attributes as they are mentioned in the Religion.

Since when, is it unlawful to know Allah - the High - with the proof? But if it is sectarianism, fanaticism, enmity, hatred, and all that dogmatic theologies and controversy breed which are meant and intended, then these are unlawful and should be guarded against and avoided, just as pride, conceit, hypocrisy, and the desire for power which the sciences of the Prophetic Quotations, Qur'an interpretation, and jurisprudence breed are unlawful and should be guarded against and avoided.

Nevertheless, some of the knowledge should not be prohibited because of the methods. How then is mentioning the proof or requesting it or searching for it prohibited, when Allah said, "Say: Bring your proof" And He - the Mighty, the Glorified - said "that he who would perish might perish by clear proof, and he who would live might live by clear proof." And He - the High - said: "Have you any authority for this?" In other words a proof. And He - the High - said: "Say: `For Allah is the overwhelming proof.'" And He - the High - said: "Have you not seen him who disputed with Abraham about his Lord" up to "He who disbelieved became pale" When He - the Exalted - mentioned how Abraham presented the proof in debating and gained the upper hand over his opponent in a matter that praises Abraham.

And He - the Mighty, the Glorified - said: "This is Our proof, We give it to Abraham over his nation." And He - the High - said: "They said: `O Noah, you have debated us a lot." And He - the High - said in Pharoah's story "And who is the Lord of the World" up to "even if I bring to you something clear" Briefly, the Qur'an, from its beginning to its end, is an argument with the unbelievers.

The greatest proof of theologians for the Oneness of Allah is His Saying: "Had there been in either (Heaven or earth) gods besides Allah, both would have surely gone to ruin." Their greatest proof for the prophecy is, "And if you are in doubt as to that which We have sent down to our worshipper (Prophet Muhammad), then produce a chapter like it." Their greatest proof for the resurrection is, "Say: He shall give life to them Who originated them at first." And so on of the rest of the verses and the proofs.

Thus the prophets - the praise of Allah be upon them - did not cease to debate with the unbelievers and dispute with them. Allah said, "Dispute with them in the kindest manner." The Companions - may Allah be pleased with them - too used to debate and dispute with the unbelievers, but only when necessary. During the time of the Companions the need for