What is Al-Ghazali’s Critique of Philosophy?

Al-Ghazali (1058–1111 CE), one of the most prominent scholars in Islamic history, is known for his significant contributions to Islamic theology, mysticism, and philosophy. His critique of philosophy, particularly in his seminal work The Incoherence of the Philosophers (Tahafut al-Falasifah), remains one of the most influential works in the history of Islamic thought. Al-Ghazali’s critique targeted the peripatetic philosophers (those influenced by Aristotle), as well as certain aspects of Neoplatonism, particularly the views held by philosophers like Ibn Sina (Avicenna) and Al-Farabi.

Al-Ghazali was deeply concerned with the relationship between reason and revelation in Islamic thought, and he argued that certain philosophical ideas were incompatible with Islamic teachings, particularly the Quran and the Hadith. His critique did not reject philosophy entirely but highlighted where he felt that reason, when applied without the guidance of divine revelation, led to conclusions that contradicted key elements of Islamic belief.

Al-Ghazali’s Critique of Philosophy: Key Themes

1. The Conflict Between Philosophy and Islamic Doctrine
   
   • Al-Ghazali’s central concern in his critique was the tension between the philosophical system and Islamic theology. He argued that certain philosophical ideas, especially those related to the nature of God, the afterlife, and the soul, conflicted with core Islamic beliefs found in the Quran and Hadith. Specifically, he criticized the following philosophical views:
     • The eternity of the world: Philosophers like Ibn Sina and Al-Farabi believed in the eternity of the universe, positing that the world had no beginning and would never end. Al-Ghazali rejected this idea, asserting that the world was created by Allah at a specific point in time, and its creation was an act of divine will.
     • God’s relationship to the world: Many philosophers of the time, influenced by Neoplatonic thought, believed that God’s relation to the universe was more abstract, with God being a remote First Cause who set the universe in motion but did not directly intervene in it. Al-Ghazali, however, argued that Allah was intimately involved in the world, constantly sustaining and actively participating in its workings.
2. Al-Ghazali’s Argument Against the Philosophers’ Conception of God
   
   • Al-Ghazali was critical of how philosophers like Ibn Sina understood God’s nature. While the philosophers accepted a transcendent God, they often viewed Him as a distant, impersonal force. Al-Ghazali emphasized that Islam teaches God’s active engagement with creation and that God is not a mere abstract principle but an active agent who directly intervenes in the world.
   • Al-Ghazali also disagreed with the philosophers’ Aristotelian logic that described God as an “Unmoved Mover.” He believed this view stripped God of His true attributes as the creator and sustainer of all existence, instead reducing Him to a more philosophical abstraction.
3. The Impossibility of Proving God’s Existence Through Philosophy
   
   • Al-Ghazali also criticized the philosophers’ attempts to use pure reason to prove the existence of God. While philosophers like Ibn Sina used rational argumentation to establish the existence of a first cause (God), Al-Ghazali argued that such rational demonstrations were insufficient and could not replace the faith that comes from revelation.
   • For Al-Ghazali, the proof of God’s existence and His attributes cannot be deduced through human reason alone. Instead, belief in God must be based on divine revelation through the Quran and the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Rationality, while valuable, is limited in its ability to fully comprehend divine matters.
4. Criticism of the Philosophical View on the Soul and Afterlife
   
   • Philosophers like Ibn Sina and Al-Farabi had a particular view of the soul and afterlife, arguing that the soul is immortal and that its fate is determined by intellectual perfection. According to this view, the soul does not experience bodily resurrection but rather achieves its final state based on its intellectual development during life.
   • Al-Ghazali rejected this view, affirming that Islam teaches the bodily resurrection of individuals on the Day of Judgment, where both the body and the soul are resurrected and judged according to their deeds. Al-Ghazali emphasized that intellectual and spiritual perfection in Islam is not merely about intellectual knowledge but also involves moral and spiritual purification and adherence to divine commands.
5. The Problem of Causality and Divine Intervention
   
   • A major aspect of Al-Ghazali’s critique was the philosophers’ view of causality. Philosophers like Ibn Sina adopted an Aristotelian view of causality, in which causes follow necessary laws and produce predictable effects. According to this view, the universe operates in a deterministic way, with causes and effects unfolding according to natural laws without direct intervention from God.
   • Al-Ghazali rejected this notion, arguing that while Allah created the natural laws, He retains the power to act directly in the world at any moment. Al-Ghazali’s famous occasionalist view held that all events and causal relationships in the universe are ultimately the result of God’s direct will and intervention. According to Al-Ghazali, what we perceive as causes and effects are simply regular patterns that Allah has established, but they do not operate independently of God’s will.
6. The Limitations of Human Reason
   
   • Al-Ghazali was critical of the excessive reliance on reason and philosophical logic to understand the divine and metaphysical realities. He believed that reason, while useful for understanding the natural world and engaging with practical matters, has its limits when it comes to comprehending the infinite and transcendent nature of God.
   • In his work The Incoherence of the Philosophers, Al-Ghazali argues that philosophers often made mistakes because they tried to apply human reasoning to matters that transcended human understanding. In contrast, faith, revelation, and spiritual insight are the means by which one can approach the deeper truths about God and existence.

The Impact of Al-Ghazali’s Critique

1. The Decline of Peripatetic Philosophy
   
   • Al-Ghazali’s critique of philosophy had a lasting impact on Islamic intellectual thought. His work led to the decline of Aristotelian and Neoplatonic philosophical thought in many parts of the Muslim world. While his critique was not universally accepted, it significantly weakened the influence of rationalist philosophers in the Islamic tradition.
   • Al-Ghazali’s rejection of philosophy also encouraged the rise of theological schools of thought like Ash’ari and Maturidi, which emphasized the importance of divine revelation over human reasoning.
2. The Rise of Sufism
   
   • Al-Ghazali’s critique of philosophy also paved the way for the rise of Sufism as a dominant intellectual and spiritual movement in Islam. Al-Ghazali himself became a prominent figure in the Sufi tradition, focusing on mysticism, spiritual purification, and the direct experience of God through inward devotion.
   • His work provided a foundation for later Sufi thinkers, who emphasized the importance of spiritual insight and direct communion with God over abstract philosophical reasoning.

Conclusion

Al-Ghazali’s critique of philosophy was a profound challenge to the intellectual status quo in the Islamic world, particularly to the peripatetic philosophers who sought to reconcile Greek philosophy with Islam. His arguments against the philosophers’ views on God, causality, the soul, and the afterlife were central to his broader theological and epistemological project, which emphasized the primacy of revelation, spiritual insight, and faith over reason and philosophical speculation. While his critique was controversial, it marked a pivotal moment in Islamic intellectual history, shaping the development of Islamic theology, mysticism, and philosophy for centuries to come.

Written by AI.  A more correct, God given, explanation can be found here.