Introduction
Al-Ghazali's quest was to reconcile Islamic Orthodoxy with philosophical inquiry, leading to his critical ___________ of the philosophers.
Examination
Islamic philosophy was heavily influenced by _____ thinkers like _________ and _____.
Greek thinkers like Aristotle and Plato
In “Tahafut al-Falasifa,” al-Ghazali writes that philosophers ____ in their metaphysical claims.
Fail
What is a Necessary Truth
One that could not have been otherwise:
"one plus one equals two"
Al-Ghazali’s critique led to a _______ in the influence of Greek philosophy in the Islamic world.
Decline
He was a Persian Theologian, ______, philosopher, and mystic.
Jurist
Al-Ghazali defends ________ ________, asserting the importance of belief in the creation of the world, God’s knowledge of particulars, and bodily resurrection.
Islamic Orthodoxy
He challenges the idea of the world’s eternity, asserting that the world was created __ ____.
What is a Possible Truth
Empirical Observations:
The process of gathering knowledge through direct sensory experience and experimentation.
His work prompted a response from Averroes, who ________ the philosophers in “Tahafut al-Tahafut”.
Defended
Known for his works in philosophy, theology, and ______
Mysticism
He argues that God’s attributes, such as ___________, are fundamental to understanding the divine nature and cannot be fully comprehended by human reason.
Omnipotence
Criticizes the philosopher’s view that God does not know ___________, arguing that God’s knowledge is all encompassing.
Particulars
What are Impossible Propositions
Statement that Contradicts itself contradictions:
"It is a square circle"
Despite the decline in philosophical inquiry, al-Ghazali’s work reinforced the ___________ of theology and mysticism in Islamic thought.
Importance
Al-Ghazali’s work represents a pivotal moment in Islamic intellectual history, marking a shift from _____________ to ___________ and mystical approaches.
Philosophical to Theological
Al Ghazali integrates Sufism into his philosophical and theological framework, emphasizing the importance of inner ____________ and spiritual practice.
Disputes the denial of bodily ____________ maintaining that it is a core islamic belief.
Resurrection
He introduces __________, questioning the certainty of philosophical knowledge.
Skepticism
Al-Ghazali remains a central figure in both Islamic philosophy and theology, demonstrating the enduring _________ of his ideas.
Relevance
Harmonizes faith and reason, while prioritizing divine revelation and ______ __________ as the highest forms of knowledge.
Mystic Experience
He believes that mystical experience provides direct knowledge of God, which surpasses the knowledge gained through _____________ _________.
Philosophical Reasoning
Argues that certain philosophical positions are ____________ with Islamic teachings, such as the eternity of the world and the denial of bodily resurrection.
Al-Ghazali employs a rigorous logical and ___________ method, often using philosophers’ own tools agains them.
Dialectical
His arguments continue to influence contemporary discussions on the relationship between _____ and ______.
Faith and Reason