The Alchemy of HappinessThose who deny the reality of the ecstasies and other spiritual experiences of the Sufis merely betray their own narrow-mindedness and shallow insight.-from "Concerning Music and Dancing"One of the great works of mystical religious literature, the Kimiya-i-Sa'adaat strove to bring man closer to understanding God by helping him understand himself. These excerpts from that work, by a strikingly original thinker on Islam who lived and wrote in the 11th century, were first published in 1910, and serve as a potent reminder of how powerful an influence Al-Ghazzali had upon religious philosophers of the Middle Ages, both Christian and Islamic. With its wise and warmly humanistic outlook, this little book may well foster a new measure of understanding in the current philosophical battle between the religious traditions of East and West.Also available from Cosimo Classics: Field's Shadows Cast Before and Jewish Legends of the Middle Ages.Iranian theologian AL-GHAZALI (1058-1111) was medieval Islam's most prominent scholar and philosopher.CLAUD FIELD is also author of Mystics and Saints of Islam, Heroes of Missionary Enterprise, and Persian Literature. |
Contents
THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD | 13 |
THE KNOWLEDGE OF THIS WORLD | 22 |
THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE NEXT WORLD | 29 |
CONCERNING Music and DANCING AS AIDS TO | 41 |
RELIGIOUS LIFE | 43 |
CONCERNING SELFEXAMINATION AND | 50 |
RECOLLECTION OF GOD | 52 |
MARRIAGE As a Help or HiNDRANCE TO THE RELIGIOUS LIFE | 61 |
THE LOVE of God | 74 |
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Abu Bakr acquire advantage of marriage Alchemy of Happiness angels animal soul answered Arabs art thou asked astrologer attain attributes austerity Averroes Ayesha Bayazid beauty better body Caliph Omar cause Chapter colour coloured stones contemplation created creature danger death delight desire divorce earth ecstasy exclaimed existence faculty future Ghazzali God's hearing heaven hell human soul Islam Judgment Day Junaid king knowledge knowledge of God knows Koran says lawful Lord Makkah man's heart marry matter means merely mind mirror Moslem Muhammad Muhammadan music and dancing mystic nature object one's wife passion perish physicist pilgrims pleasure poetry prayer qualities reason religious remember replied Rumi Satan servants sheikh sight snakes spiritual Sufi Sufism Suppose take refuge thee theologians things thou art thou hast thoughts thyself tion tradition truth unbeliever Verily verse Vision wish wives women wonder worldly worship written
Popular passages
Page vi - THE object of the editors of this series is a very definite one. They desire above all things that, in their humble way, these books shall be the ambassadors of good-will and understanding between East and West, the old world of Thought, and the new of Action. In this endeavour, and in their own sphere, they are but followers of the highest example in the land. They are confident that a deeper knowledge of the great ideals and lofty philosophy of Oriental thought may help to a revival of that true...
Page xiv - This man, if ever any have deserved the name, was truly a 'divine,' and he may be justly placed on a level with Origen, so remarkable was he for learning and ingenuity, and gifted with such a rare faculty for the skilful and worthy exposition of doctrine. All that is good, noble, and sublime...
Page xiv - Koran with so much piety and learning, that, in the form given them by him, they seem in my opinion worthy the assent of Christians.
Page xi - I take refuge in that fortress,' without moving a step towards it. What will such an ejaculation profit him ? In the same way, merely ejaculating