The Alchemy of Hope -Our Assignment-

"Forging Flash is the Ultimate taboo in Alchemy."

-Edward Eric-

          

          The legacy of Islam begins with the glorious of knowledge which give a light to a modern society nowadays. Although it started in the most likely Sahara desert which no future of science development, but with the great effort of generation back then, the knowledge is effectively developed. One of the most popular philosophies was Imam Abu Hamid al-Ghazali. He came to be a hero when the argument about theology is discussed.

          There is something in his storyline which gave us the greatest impression about him. He revealed the truth of what is actually philosophy gave us. Some of his researched about types of knowledge tell us everything. That is the first aspect which can be divided into two categories. 

First is the sensory knowledge. The study about the ability of our body to senses and describe something. We were not pointing at the sensory knowledge to be described about. It was something that he argued which attracted us. He said that it is guarantee our sense are cannot be depend on. Sensory is something that we have to reason it out. Our sensory organ also has some handicaps which forbid the usage of it. Ours eyes especially. Physicians said that it was limited only can see the colour of rainbow which between the infrared and ultraviolet ray. 

Our eyes also have the blind spot that can be tricked easily. That is why he used to say that sensory knowledge is something we cannot depend on. Scientist nowadays also realize what he said long time ago as a truth. The sensory knowledge is something which just depends on assumption and experiences. It is not a solid fact. It is also cannot be accurately measured. 

That is why nowadays, most of the scientist did not recognized psychiatric experiment as a science. Then, what is the theory which is solid and we do not have to reason it out? Imam Abu Hamid al-Ghazali then came out with the new field of discussion about the rational knowledge. One of the knowledge he tends to research on is mathematics. Mathematics is more comfortable with him because of the modern rule. 

For examples, two plus two is equal to four. It will always become four and it cannot be changed. It was a solid fact. It also can be derived into many field of knowledge. Approximately true and hundred percent trusted.

          Imam al-Ghazali’s opinion about the nature again gave us the greatest impression on him. Everything started when he do some research about the human nature. He describe about the human nature very well. He once said the highest worship in our life is the knowledge of God. 

Human naturally need a God. If not, it will be the annoy pain in their soul and it do not go away. One of the tragic aspects in human existence is that when we remove God from our search, it will leave some pain in our hearts. God is the ultimate concern, if we remove the ultimate concern from ours life, we have to find a substitute. This is a human nature. We have to find a substitute to fill that hallow space in man, because man is a sensationally hallow being. 

His philosophies then broaden the future generation style of thinking. Nowadays, everyone believes in God. Even the atheist did not deny the existence of God. The atheist tends to say that, the God is really existed, but the existence with no power. Meaning, the God exist just only to create human, then human itself determine the path and their destiny without God involvement. Then the theory of natural selection revealed. 

Besides, because of his theory, human started to realize and searched for the real God. What a glorious victory of philosophy in history. He unites and guides all the philosophy to the right path of research in their life. The truth of Islam then scattered all over the world like a ray from the sun which shine our everyday life. He unites the philosophy of Islam to study the concept of theology within their ability only. Something we cannot be seen and senses just leaves it as the secret of our God. What an open minded doctrine to have. He really got a skill in this field.

          Other than that, we amazed with the good characteristics possess by Imam Al-Ghazali. He made himself loved knowledge. He had memorized Quran and Hadith since in his early age. He fulfilled or completed himself with a lot of knowledge instead of properties or materially. Because of his sophisticated knowledge, many people respect him and made him as a source of knowledge or reference.  

Eventually, Imam Al-Ghazali was a familiar name in the ears of the Muslims. Leading figure in the arena of philosophy and Sufism, have influence and his ideas have spread throughout the Islamic world. He also always used his creative and critical thinking to solve the questionable fact and problem. He likes to mend himself for come out with question ‘why’ in some creation of God. He also said that ‘sometimes, knowledge is something that can be deluded. 

For example, we cannot believe the tricks made by the sorcerer when they able to change a stick to a snake. This actually is about the eye illusion and the sorcerer take the advantage of human eye illusion to made the stick can change such a real snake. Do you know that the philosophers on that time actually had been rejected greatly by the orthodox (the religious fanatics)? 

The orthodox such as Syiah and Khawarij start to kill anyone who try to inhibit or retarded their vision. The intelligent Imam al-Ghazali starts to make a conclusion to solve the root of problem. He discovered that one of the effective ways to argue with those kinds of orthodox people is through debate. He used to have an attitude which always seeking for the truth. 

Otherwise, most of his opponents do not intend to seek for the truth of knowledge but just to win their doctrine. Then, the continuously debate is starting. He is the one who has the greatest desire to end this kind of pitiful argument. When we talked about philosophy, the religion will naturally involve. When we talked about religion, it will cause a series of debate. When the two opponent searching for the truth, they can speak. But, if the two searches for the self eager stimulating appearance and of overpower debate, we come to nothing. 

Because he was a man that can win any debate, he knows how important it was. The eager cannot be the object. He also had contributes a lot for Muslims community especially in gaining knowledge of knowledge to still stand on the route of righteousness. He also said, ‘I will not write a book as long as I not ever memorized 200000 page of kitab.

          Holistically, Imam al-Ghazali spent almost 100% of his life with seeking for the knowledge and wrote books. Kitab Ihya’ Ulumuddin, Al Arba’in, Al Qisthas and kitab Mahakkun Nadzar are the examples the books that he wrote that can be used as reference. 

Position Imam Al- Ghazali as know that offered to be respected, never changed him to love with Fiqh Knowledge, even that position make him became more concentrating depth in knowledge of zuhd. In daily life, he always wins debating with others who argue him. He was strongly confident and sincerely and never against and anger when talk or debate with them. This characteristic must be follow by us. Imam Al-Ghazali also was an open hearts towards God. 

The beautiful characteristics of Imam Al-Ghazali is sincerely in seeking knowledge from his teachers and obey towards God. He never wastes every second in his life. In initial time, when he was being recognized by Nizam Al-Mulk, the prime minister of Seljuq Sultans, he was appointed as the head of Theology at Baghdad College. He was busy lecturing on Islamic Jurisprudence at the college, and also refuting heresies and responding to questions from all segments of the community. But however, four years later, Al-Ghazali fell into a serious spiritual crisis and finally left Baghdad and renouncing his career. 

Imam Al-Ghazali explained in his autobiography why he renounced his brilliant career and turned to Sufism. It was, he says, due to his realization that there was no way to certain knowledge or the conviction of revelatory truth except through Sufism. This realization is possibly related to his criticism of Islamic philosophy. In fact, his refutation of philosophy is not a mere criticism from a certain(orthodox) theological  viewpoint. That is all. Thank you. –The End-

Yosh!