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Al-Ghazzali on repentance m. S. Stern distributed By apt books, inc


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THE FOURTH PILLAR: ON THE REMEDY OF REPENTANCE AND THE WAY OF TREATMENT FOR THE DISSOLUTION OF

THE KNOT OF PERSISTENCE459

Know that men are of two types. Firstly, there is the `young man who has no sensual desire', having grown up in [the pursuit of] good and the avoidance of evil. He is the one about whom the Prophet said: 'Your Lord is delighted by a youth who has no sensual desire.'° This, however, is extremely rare. Secondly, there is the man who is not without sin. Further, this second group is divided into the persistent and the peni­tent. It is our aim to explain how the knot of persistence is to be treated, and to indicate the remedy therefor.

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Know, then, that the cure which is repentance is attained only by the remedy. One cannot, however, prescribe the remedy without diagnos­ing the malady, for remedy means to counteract the causes of the malady. For every disease results from a cause, and the remedy for it consists of dissolving the cause, removing it and cancelling it. A thing is can­celled only by its opposite. The cause of persistence is only heedless­ness and appetite. Heedlessness is only opposed by knowledge and appetite - by forbearance in eliminating [50] the factors leading to appe­tite. Heedlessness is the beginning of error. God has said: AND THOSE - THEY ARE THE HEEDLESS ONES; WITHOUT A DOUBT, IN THE WORLD TO COME THEY WILL BE THE LOSERS .460 There is, therefore, no medication [conducive] to repentance except a com­pound46' of the sweetness of knowledge and the bitterness of endurance. Just as oxymel combines the sweetness of sugar and the acidity of vine­gar, aiming, with each, at a different end in their combined impact, in order that the causes that provoke the bile be curbed, so you must under­stand the treatment of the heart against the measure of the malady of persistence present in it. Now, this remedy has two roots: 1) knowledge and 2) endurance. These must be explained.

You might ask:

Does every knowledge avail in breaking down persistence or is some specific knowledge necessary?

Know, then, that all kinds of knowledge are remedies for the heart's maladies. Yet, for each malady there is a specific knowledge. Just as the science of medicine is effective in the treatment of disease in general, yet each malady requires specific [specialized] knowledge, so also [is the case of] the treatment of persistence. Let us, then, discuss the speci­ficity of that knowledge by comparison with the diseases of the body so that it be more readily understandable. We say, therefore, that the patient must believe certain propositions.

Firstly, he must believe, in general, that sickness and health have causes which he arrives at by the [exercise of] selection in accord with what God has determined. This belief is at the very root of medicine. For, one who has no faith in it will not engage in therapy, and is sure to perish. What corresponds to this, in our context, is the belief in the root of reve­lation, namely, that felicity in the hereafter has a cause, obedience, while wretchedness [also] has a cause, transgression. This is the faith in the root of the revelations. This must be secured either by inquiry or con­formism - both varieties of faith.

Secondly, the patient must trust a certain physician, i.e., that he is

learned in medicine, skilled, and trustworthy in his judgement, not deceiv­ing or lying. Faith on the basis of medicine will not avail the patient, in itself, without this belief. In our context, the corresponding element is the knowledge of the Apostle's veracity, and the belief that all of what he said is true and right, with no falsehood or discrepancy.

Thirdly, the patient must heed the doctor's warning as regards the con­sumption of fruit and harmful substances in general, so that the fear of deficient protection overcomes him. The intensity of the fear, then, will motivate him to seek protection. In religion the corresponding element is - a) attentiveness to the Koran verses and the traditions which include the call to piety and warning against the commission of sins and the pur­suit of cravings, and b) the belief in everything he hears on the subject, without doubt or distrust, so that the fear is aroused in him which rein­forces for endurance, that other pillar of treatment.

Fourthly, he must listen to the physician concerning the malady and what to beware of, so that [the physician] might inform him in detail, in the first instance, which of his actions, conditions, food and drinks, may harm him. Not every patient need avoid everything, nor will just any medication avail him. Rather, for each specific malady there is specific information and specific treatment. The corresponding element in religion is that not every person suffers from every craving or sin. Rather, every believer [has a propensity towards] a certain sin or cer­tain sins. But then, his is an immediate and pressing need to recognize that these are sins, that they are injurious, what is the measure of their harm, how to arrive at desisting from them, and, finally, how to atone for such of them as have occurred.

Such knowledge is dealt with by the doctors of religion, the 'ulama', who are the heirs of the prophets. The sinner, then, if he is aware of his transgression, must seek treatment from the doctor, that is, from the '-slim. If the sinner does not know that what he is doing is a sin, the 'alim should inform him thereof. Each 'alim should be responsible for his area, town, quarter, mosque or shrine. He should instruct his folk in their religion, and distinguish that which may harm them from that which may benefit them, that which will make them miserable from that which will make them happy. The 'slim must not wait to be asked about this. Rather, he must devote himself to rallying the people, as the 'ulama' are the heirs of the prophets. The prophets did not abandon the people to their ignorance but, instead, the prophets called upon the people in their assemblies and, originally would go from door to door, seeking the people one by one in order to give them guidance. The sick of heart

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are not aware of their illness, just as he, upon whose face leprosy has broken out [51] and who has no mirror, does not know of his leprosy as long as another person does not inform him thereof. Such is the per­sonal duty of all the 'ulama'.

All rulers must appoint, in each village and quarter, a devout jurispru­dent to instruct the people in their religion. People are born ignorant and bringing the call [of Islam] to them, in both root and branch, is imper­ative. This world is the abode of the ill inasmuch as only the dead are in the bowels of the earth and only the sick on its face. The ailing in heart are more numerous than the ailing of body. The 'ulama' are the physicians, and the rulers are the custodians of the abode of the ill. Just as the physician surrenders the patient who does not take care of him­self or who has been overcome by insanity to a custodian, to confine the patient in fetters, forestalling his damaging himself or others, so every patient that does not respond to the 'alim's treatment is surrendered to the ruler, in order that the ruler restrict possible evil to and from the ailing.

The sickness of the hearts became more widespread than that of the body for three reasons. Firstly, the one who suffers from such is not aware of his being ill. Secondly, its consequence is not visible in this world. This differs from the disease of the body whose end is death [which is] visible and which people naturally shun, while. what follows death is not visible. The consequence of sins is the death of the heart, which is not witnessed in this world. The shunning of sins, therefore, is rare, even though the perpetrator is aware of them. For this reason you will see him, in case of the disease of the heart, relying on God's generosity while striving diligently in the treatment of bodily ailment without reli­ance on God 462 Thirdly, and this is the calamitous affliction, there is the loss of the physician. For, it is the 'ulama' who are the physicians, yet in these times they have been stricken by a sore affliction, the treat­ment of which is beyond their capabilities. They have found solace in the wide spread of the disease, so that their deficiency is not apparent. They have been forced to mislead the people instructing them in a man­ner bound to compound their illness. For the destructive affliction is the love for this world. This disease has overcome the doctors. They are, therefore, incapable of cautioning the people against it, for they fear they would be told: `How do you prescribe treatment [to others], while for­getting yourselves?' For this reason the affliction spread throughout the people, the plague grew, remedy has run out, and, because of the loss of the physicians, the people have perished. Nay, the physicians have

engaged in various kinds of misleading. Would that they did not cure, at least they would not aggravate the malady. Would they only remain silent, for when they speak, they care in their sermons only about what may please the masses or win their hearts. They succeed in that only through demoting fear and promoting hope, and speaking of the signs of [divine] mercy, because that is more pleasant to the ear and easier on the tempers. The people, then, leave the exhortatory sessions further emboldened to sin and with greater trust in divine generosity.

Whenever the physician is ignorant or perfidious463 he destroys with the remedy as he applies it in the wrong place. Hope and fear are two remedies, but for two persons of opposing symptoms. One who was over­come with fear, to the point that he completely renounced the world and charged himself beyond endurance, made his life totally miserable, the severity of his intemperance in fear is broken by talking about the rea­sons for hope, so that he might return to a proper balance. Likewise, one who persists in sin, yet though desirous of repentance, is held back because of despondency and despair, thinking his previous sins too great, is also treated by the reasons for hope, so that he may aspire to the accept­ance of repentance, and finally repent.

On the other hand, treating the deluded, who is devoted to sin, by speaking of the reasons of hope, resembles treating with honey the patient who developed a higher fever. That is the practice of the ignorant and the fools. It is the corruption of the physicians, therefore, that is the real

problem, totally beyond cure.

You might say:

Speak of the way which the preacher should follow in admonishing the people.

Know, that this is an involved and protracted matter. Yet certainly, we will indicate the types beneficial in breaking down persistence in sin, and inducing people to renounce sin. These are of four types.

The first is that men should mention those verses of the Koran which strike fear in sinners and rebels, as also [similar passages] from the tra­ditions going back to the Prophet and sayings of the Companions [52]. Such, for example, as this statement of the Prophet: `Dawn does not rise on any day nor does twilight disappear any night but that two angels echo in four voices. One says: "Would only that these creatures had not been created." The other ways: "Since they were created would they know what they were created for." The first says: "Would that, since they learned not465 why they were created, they acted as they were taught."° (In some versions: "Would that they sit together and

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discuss46 what they learned.,,) Finally, the last voice says: "Since they

do not act as they were taught, would that they repent their deeds." '

One of the old masters said: `When a man sins the Master of the Right

orders the Master of the Left, who is in charge of that man, to hold back

the pen [about the man] for six hours. If the man repents and seeks for­

giveness, the sin is not recorded against him. If, however, he does not

seek forgiveness, it is recorded.'

Another of the old masters said: `Whenever a man transgresses, his place upon earth seeks permission to swallow him, and his roof seeks leave, from the heavens, to fall onto him in fragments 467 But God says to the heaven and earth: "Desist from my servant and grant him respite. You did not create him, and if you did you would be compassionate towards him; perhaps he will turn to Me and I will forgive him; perhaps he will change to righteousness, and I will change his sin for him into pious deeds." That is the meaning of the verse: GOD HOLDS THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH, LEST THEY REMOVE: DID THEY REMOVE, NONE WOULD HOLD THEM AFTER HIM.'468

The tradition of `Umar b. al-Khattiib•469 `The seal is attached to the foot of the Throne. When the sacred is violated, and the forbidden per­mitted, God sends the seal and it is impressed upon the hearts and their contents.'b In the tradition of Mujiihid:470 `The heart is like the open palm. Whenever man sins, a finger contracts until all the fingers con­tract and the heart is obstructed. That is the sealing.'c Hasan471 said: `Between man and God stands a certain boundary of sin. When man reaches it, God seals his heart, and afterward no longer promotes him towards good fate.'

The traditions of the Prophet and the sayings of the Companions on the censure of transgression and the praise of the penitent are innumer­able. The preacher should draw from them constantly if he is the heart to God's Apostle. The Prophet bequeathed no dinars or dirhams but knowledge and wisdom which the scholar inherits according to the meas­ure of his attainment.

The second type is the stories of the prophets and the righteous fore­bears and what misfortunes befell them because of their sins. Such have

a strong impact, and are of manifest benefit to the hearts of men. For

example, the story of Adam in his rebellion and banishment from Para­

dise. It is related that when he ate of the tree, the garments vanished

from his body and he was left naked. The crown and the diadem were

so embarrassed that they sought to disappear from him. Gabriel then

came to him, took the crown from his head and loosened the diadem

from his forehead. It was announced from above the throne: `Descend [0 Adam and Eve] from My Presence! One who has transgressed against Me cannot be close to Me!' Adam turned to Eve weeping, and said: `This is the first misfortune of the transgression, we have been removed from

the presence of the Beloved.'472

It is related that when Solomon was punished for his error, because of the idol which was worshipped in his home [for] forty days, - (It is said: because a woman asked him to give judgement in favour of her father and he said yes but did not do so; or, that because of his attitude toward her he wished in his heart that [53] the judgement be for her father against his opponent.) - his kingdom was taken away for forty days. He fled, forlorn. He would beg, with palm out, but would not be fed. If he said: `Feed me, for I am Solomon, son of David', he was taken up, driven off and beaten. It is told that he asked for food from a woman's household 473 She, however, chased him away and spat in his face. Another version says: An old woman brought out a jar con­taining urine and emptied it on his head. [All this happened] until, after the end of the fortieth day of chastisement, God dislodged the seal ring from the belly of the whale, and Solomon put it on474 The birds then came and perched on his head. The jinn, devils and beasts also came and assembled round him. Some of those who had offended him apolo­gized. Solomon said: 'I do not blame you for what you have done before, nor do I praise you for your excuse now. Indeed, this affair was [ordained] in the heavens and was inevitable 475

It is related in the Isrii'iliyiit that a man married a woman from another town, then sent his servant to bring her to him. She sought to tempt and seduce him. He, however, fought her and resisted the temptation. God made him a prophet. for the blessing of his piety, and he became a prophet among the children of Israel. In the stories of Moses [it is reported] that he said to al-.Khadir:476 `For what deed has God revealed to you knowledge of the Hidden?' It is related that the wind was carrying Solo­mon, and he glanced at his gown, and it was new. He seemed to like

it. The wind put him down. He said [to the wind]: `Why did you do

this though I did not order you?' It said: `But we obey you only when

you obey God.'477

It is also related that God communicated to Jacob: `Do you know why I have separated you from your child Joseph?' I FEAR THE WOLF MAY EAT HIM, WHILE YOU ARE HEEDLESS OF HIM478 Why did you fear the wolf and not appeal to Me? Why did you consider his brothers' heedlessness, and not consider My guarding him? Do you know

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why I returned him to you?' Jacob replied: `No!' God said: `Because

you appealed to Me and said: HAPLY GOD WILL BRING THEM ALL

TO ME 479 And because you also said: DEPART, MY SONS, AND

SEARCH OUT TIDINGS OF JOSEPH AND HIS BROTHER. DO NOT

DESPAIR [OF GOD'S COMFORT].'480 Thus, also, when Joseph

said to the king's attendant: `MENTION ME IN THY LORD'S

PRESENCE,'481 God said: SATAN CAUSED HIM TO FORGET TO

MENTION HIM TO HIS MASTER, SO THAT HE CONTINUED IN

THE PRISON FOR CERTAIN YEARS 482

Such stories are innumerable. The Koran and traditions have not

adduced these just for evening entertainment. Rather, their object is .con­

templation and pondering so that you may learn that even the prophets

are not forgiven their minor sins. How, then, can others be forgiven major sins? Certainly, they were fortunate483 that they were swiftly overcome with punishment in this. world, so that it was not put off to the hereafter. The wretched, however, are those given time to increase their misdeeds, for the chastisement of the hereafter is graver and greater. These kinds of stories should also be told, frequently, to those persist­ing in sin; for it is effective in stimulating the urge for repentance.

The third type is that the preacher should make them realize that one may expect that chastisement for sins is to be expedited in this world, and that the afflictions of man come as a result of his offenses. Many a man, however, is indulgent in the matter of the hereafter, and, because of his ignorance, fears more God's punishment in this world. It is neces­sary, therefore, to frighten him therewith. In most cases, the chastise­ment for all the sins [of a person] is expedited in this world, as is related in the story of David and Solomon. Because of his sins a man may become poor, his rank among people may decline, and he may fall into the hands of his enemies. The Prophet said: `Indeed, a man is deprived of sus­tenance on account of a sin he commits.'° Ibn Mas'iid484 said: `I reckon that a man forgets knowledge through a sin he commits, and this is the meaning of the Prophet's word: `One who perpetrated (garafa) a sin, intelligence withdraws from him (faragahu), never to return.'b An old master said: `The curse is not the black face or loss of wealth; nay, the curse is that you disengage yourself from a sin only to fall into another which is like it or. worse.' It is as he said, for the curse is expulsion and alienation. Unless he is assisted toward the good, evil comes easily to him, and he is removed [from the divine grace]. To be without divine assistance toward success [in acting righteously] is the greatest depriva­tion. Each sin invites another and it is compounded. Man is then deprived

thereby of the beneficial nourishment of social intercourse with the [54] 'ulama' who rebuke sin, and with the righteous; nay, he is detested by God so that the righteous may detest him.

It is related about one of the gnostics that he was walking in mud, holding his clothes, wary of his foot slipping, but he slipped and fell. He got up and was walking in the middle of the mire, crying and say­ing: `This is the image of man. Continuously he is wary of sins and avoids them until he tumbles into one and, then, two, after which he plunges into sinning.' This is an allusion that the.punishment of sin is expedited by the drift into another sin. That is why Fuday1485 said: 'That which you have blamed on the vicissitude of time and the brutishness of brethren, is the result of your sins.' Somebody said: `I certainly recog­nize the punishment for my sin in the ill nature of my ass.' Another said: `I recognize the punishment even in a mouse in my house.' One of the Syrian sufis said: 'I noticed a Christian lad of handsome countenance. I stopped and stared at him. Then, Ibn al-Jala' ad-Dimashgi486 passed me. He seized hold of my hand, and I felt embarrassed before him. I said: "0 Abii'Abdallah! By Almighty God, I was amazed by this beau­tiful form and this masterful piece of workmanship and [by] how it was created for hellfire!" He squeezed my hand and said: "You shall encoun­ter the punishment [for this staring] after awhile." ' The Syrian said: `I was punished for it thirty years later.' Abu Sulayman ad-Darani said: `Sexual maturation is a punishment,' and `no one misses the communal prayer except through the commission of sin.' In a tradition [it is said]: `What you blame on your time is really due to your deeds which are corrupt.'a A tradition: "God says: `The least that I shall do to a man, if he prefers his craving to obedience to Me, is that I shall deprive him of the delight of My discourse."'b

It is told of Abu 'Amr b. 'Alwan, in a story that would take too long, that he said: `One day, as I was standing in prayer, my heart was seized by desire. It continued in my mind until a craving of men was born from it. I fell to the ground, and my entire body turned black. I hid myself at home, and did not emerge for three days. I was purging my body with soap, in the bath. The blackness, however, was only compounded, until, after three nights, it was undone. I then encountered al-Junayd487 who had sent for me, summoning me from ar-Raqqa. When I came to him he said to me: "Were you not ashamed before God? I stood before Him but then your soul concealed a craving until it tenderly488 over­powered you and removed you from before God. Had I not prayed to God for you and turned to Him in repentance on your behalf, surely

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you would have met God with that colour." I wondered how he knew of that, for he was in Baghdad while I was in ar-Raqqa.'



Know, that whenever man sins be blackens the face of his heart. If he is happy, the blackness becomes apparent upon his exterior so as to rebuke him. If he is wretched, it is concealed from him, until be becomes engrossed in sin and liable to hellfire. There are numerous traditions concerning the injurious [consequences] of sin in this world, such as poverty, sickness, et cetera. But the calamity of sin; in this world, in general, is that man acquires following it another sin. If he is tempted by a thing, it becomes a punishment, and he is deprived of sustenance to compound his wretchedness. Even if bounty comes his way to win him over, he is denied the feeling of gratitude, so that he is punished for his ingratitude. But in the case of the obedient, it is part of the bless­ing of his obedience that any bounty, for him, is a reward for his obedience and he is divinely assisted toward gratitude for it; while each tribulation becomes an atonement for his sins, and adds, thereby, to his stature.

The fourth type is [for the preacher] to talk of the punishments that befell individual sins such as wine imbibing, fornication, theft, murder, slander, arrogance and envy. These sins are innumerable. To talk of them to the wrong people, is like applying the remedy to the wrong spot. Tha 'Rim should be like the skilled physician, diagnosing first, by the pulse, the external appearance and the reflexes, the internal maladies and, then, engaging in their treatment. By concatenation of circumstances he infers the hidden qualities. In facing what he has learned let him emulate God's Apostle. When someone said to the Prophet: `0 Apostle of God, coun­sel me but do not overburden me!', the Prophet said: 'Do not be angry." Another man asked the Prophet: `0 Apostle of God, counsel me.' The Prophet said: [55] `You must renounce [the aspiration] for other people's wealth. Indeed, such is [true] wealth. Beware of greed, it is the everpresent poverty. Pray a final prayer.4B9 Beware of what one has to apologize for.'b A man said to Muhammad b. Wasi':490 `Counsel me!' He said: `I advise you to be an angel in this world and the next!' The man asked: `How do I [achieve] that?' He said: `Practice

asceticism.'491

It seems that the Prophet discerned, in the first questioner, the signs of anger, and restrained him therefrom. In the second questioner he dis­cerned the signs of greed and perseverance in this expectation of the wealth of others. Muhammad b. Wasi' discerned in his petitioner, the signs of preoccupation with this world.

A man said to Mu'ad:492 `Counsel me!' He said: `Be merciful, and I will guarantee you Paradise.'493 Apparently he detected in the man traces of coarseness and harshness.

A man said to Ibrahim b. 'Adham:494 `Counsel me!' He said: 'Be careful about people! You need people, and must be with others. Men are human. But not all men are human. Gone are the human beings (rids) what remains is the monkey (nisnds). I do not consider them as people, nay, they have plunged into the water of despair (ya's).' It seems, then, as if Ibn Adham discerned in him the damage of [excessive] associa­tion, and pointed to what was prevailing in his situation, at the time. That was his injury [of or by] others. It is more proper that a statement should fit the state of the questioner, rather than that of the speaker.

Mu'awiya49S wrote to 'A'isha: `Write me a letter, giving me therein counsel but make it brief.' She wrote to him: 'From 'A'isha to Mu'awiya, peace be upon you! I heard the Apostle of God say: "One who seeks God's pleasure through men's displeasure, God protects him from the trouble of men, and one who seeks God's displeasure through men's pleasure, God puts him in charge of men."° Farewell!' Consider her cleverness in how she ventured upon the bane that confronts rulers, namely, the control over men versus the desire to please them. She wrote him on another occasion: 'Fear God! If you fear God, He will protect you from men. If, however, you fear men, they will not avail you against God. Farewell!'

Therefore, it should be the concern of every counselor to detect the hidden qualities and discern the appropriate conditions, so that he might deal with the significant. To narrate all the spiritual exhortations in the individual cases is impossible, and, to engage in preaching on what does not call for preaching is a waste of time.

You might say:

If the preacher is speaking to an assembly, or is asked for counsel by someone with whose inner state he is unfamiliar, how is he to act?

The path for him, in such a case, is to preach that which is of univer­sal application, generally or mostly. For in the religious studies there are nutriments and remedies. The nutriments are for all, and the reme­dies are for the sick.

A case in point is what is related of a man who said to Abr Sa'id al­Khudri:496 `Counsel me!' He replied: `You must fear God, it is the beginning of all good. You must exert yourself in jihdd,497 it is the monasticism of Islam. You must read the Koran, it is an illumination for you among the earthly host and a remembrance for you among the




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