006 - Concerning the Philosophical Sects and the Stigma of Infidelity Which Attaches to Them All

Abu Hamid al-Ghazali, born in 1058 AD in the city of Tus in present-day Iran, was a distinguished scholar, philosopher, and Shafii jurist who served as a professor of theology at the prestigious Nizamiyya College of Baghdad. At the height of his career, he found himself in a profound internal struggle, caught between his beliefs and his true self. Choosing a path of seclusion, he embarked on a journey of personal mystical transformation. During this period of reflection, he penned several groundbreaking works that harmonized the external practices of Islam with a rich inner spirituality. Confessions of al-Ghazali (Munkidh min al-Dalal, meaning Deliverance from Error) serves as his intellectual autobiography, detailing the diverse sects and philosophies he encountered while seeking divine truth. - Summary by Zishan Sheikh