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1hc Ioundaiions o all Bclics

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By Hu[[ai al-Islam Abu Hamid Al-Ghazzali

1ranslaicd by Abdullah bin Hamid Ali


Viih ihc Namc o Allah, All-Compassionaic, All-Mcrciul

All praisc is duc io Allah, 1hc Bcginncr and Rcpcaicr o ihings, 1hc Docr o whaiccr
Hc wanis, 1hc Iosscssor o ihc Glorious 1hronc and ihc Iowcrul Grasp, 1hc Onc
who Guidcs ihc bcsi o all slacs io ihc Guidcd Approach and ihc Corrcci Iaih, 1hc
Onc who concrs blcssing upon ihcm aicr ihc icsiimony o God`s uniiy by sccuring
ihcir bclics rom ihc darkncss-cs o ihings ihai causc doubi and luciuaiion, 1hc Onc
who lcads ihcm io ollow His mcsscngcr 1hc Choscn Onc` (saws) and io ollow in ihc
ooisicps o his mosi noblc Companions who hac bccn granicd ihc disiinguishcd honor
o bcing aidcd and guidcd arighi, 1hc Onc who bccomcs manicsi io ihcm in His bcing
and His aciions wiih His bcauiiul dcscripiions ihai nonc grasp sac hc who lcnds an car
and is wiincss, 1hc Onc who makcs ihcm cognizani o ihc aci ihai Hc, in His csscncc,
is onc wiihoui a parincr, uniquc wiihoui a likcncss, pcrmancni wiih no opposiic,
indiidual wiih no rial, and ihai Hc is onc and ancicni in spiic o noi bcing a irsi o
anyihing, ininiic wiihoui a bcginning, pcrsisiing in cxisicncc whilc noi bcing ihc lasi o
anyihing, orccr wiih no cnd, Scl-Subsisiing wiihoui inicrrupiion, Enduring wiihoui
clapsc. Hc has always and will always bc dcscribcd wiih ihc ascripiions o ma[csiy. Ii
will nccr bc ordaincd or Him io bc icrminaicd or sci apari by ihc lapsing o ininiic
iimc and ihc concluding o lic spans. Raihcr, Hc is ihc Iirsi, 1hc Lasi, 1hc Opcn, and
1hc Hiddcn. And Hc has knowlcdgc o ccry ihing.

Exoncraiion

And Hc iaughi us ihai Hc is noi a composiic body o maicrial orm, and noi an
indiisiblc body o dcicrmincd scopc and limii.

And Hc iaughi us ihai Hc is noi likc physical bodics, noi in scopc nor in ihc
susccpiibiliiy o diision.

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And Hc iaughi us ihai Hc is noi an indiisiblc body, and indiisiblc bodics do noi
iakc up placc in Him. And Hc is noi an accidcni, nor do accidcnis iakc up placc in
Him. Raihcr, Hc is noi likc anyihing in cxisicncc. And noihing in cxisicncc is cqual io
Him. 1hcrc is noihing likc unio Him. And Hc is noi likc any ihing.

Mcasurcmcni docs noi dcinc Him. Ilaccs do noi cncompass Him. 1hc dircciions do noi
surround Him. Nor do ihc Earihs and ihc Hcacns cmbracc Him.

And Hc iaughi us ihai Hc is mounicd on ihc 1hronc in ihc manncr ihai Hc said and
wiih ihc mcaning ihai Hc inicndcd, a orm o mouniing ihai is clcarcd o physical
coniaci, csiablishmcni, asicning, incarnaiion, and changing locaiion. 1hc 1hronc docs
noi carry Him. Raihcr, 1hc 1hronc and iis bcarcrs arc carricd by ihc subilciy o His
powcr and subducd in His grip. Hc is aboc ihc 1hronc and Hcacn, and aboc ccry
ihing down io ihc arihcsi rcachcs o ihc Earihly soil, a iypc o aboc-ncss` ihai docs
noi incrcasc Him in closcncss io ihc 1hronc and Hcacn, [usi as ii docsn`i incrcasc Him
in rcmoicncss rom ihc Earih and ihc soil. Raihcr, Hc is clcaicd in gradcs bcyond ihc
1hronc and Hcacn, [usi as Hc is clcaicd in gradcs bcyond ihc Earih and ihc soil. And
Hc is in spiic o ihai closc io ccry ihing in cxisicncc. Hc is closcr io ihc slac ihan ihc
[ugular cin, and Hc is wiincss io ccryihing, in such ihai His closcncss is noi likc ihc
closcncss o physical ob[ccis, [usi as His csscncc is noi likc ihc csscncc o physical
ob[ccis.

And Hc iaughi us ihai Hc docs noi iakc up placc in anyihing, and no ihing iakcs up
placc in Him. High is Hc bcyond ihcrc bcing a placc ihai cncompasscs Him, [usi as Hc is
ioo holy io hac iimc sci limiis on Him. Raihcr, Hc was bcorc Hc crcaicd iimc and
placc. And Hc is siill now upon whai Hc was upon ihcn.

And Hc iaughi us ihai Hc is csscniially apari rom His crcaiion wiih His aiiribuics.
Noihing oihcr ihan Him is in His csscncc. And His csscncc is noi in any oihcr ihan
Him.

And Hc iaughi us ihai Hc is cxoncraicd rom alicrnaiion and ihc changing o
locaiion. 1hings ihai cmcrgc rom non-cxisicncc do noi iakc up placc in Him, and
accidcnis do noi alici Him. Raihcr, Hc is inccssanily in ihc ascripiions o His ma[csiy
innoccni o coming io an cnd, and in ihc aiiribuics o His pcrcciion wiihoui nccd o
haing morc addcd io His pcrcci siaic.

And Hc iaughi us ihai Hc in His csscncc is known io cxisi ihrough rcason, Hc is sccn
in csscncc wiih ihc cycs as a aor rom Him and an aci o kindncss io ihc righicous in
ihc Abodc o Icrmancncc, and as a complciion o ihc bliss by ihc blcssing o ihcm
looking ai His noblc acc.







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Lic and Iowcr

And Hc iaughi us ihai Hc is Liing, Iowcrul, Omnipoicni, Subduing. Nciihcr
ncgligcncc nor impoicncc alicis Him. Nciihcr slumbcr nor slccp ocriakcs Him. And
nciihcr cxiinciion nor dcaih comcs io Him.

And Hc iaughi us ihai Hc is 1hc Owncr o ihc Earihly and Hcacnly kingdoms, and
o Mighi and Iridcul Grcaincss. His is ihc auihoriiy, sub[ugaiion, ihc crcaiion, and ihc
command. 1hc Hcacns arc all oldcd in His hand. And all crcaiurcs arc subducd in His
grip.

And Hc iaughi us ihai Hc is ihc Unaidcd in crcaiion and incniion, and ihc solc
pcrormcr o crcaiion and innoaiion. Hc crcaicd ihc crcaiion and ihcir dccds. Hc
dcicrmincd ihc mcasurc o ihcir susicnancc and ihcir lic spans. Noihing ihai is wiihin
ihc mcans o doing cscapcs His grip. And ihc managing o all aairs docs noi slip away
rom His powcr. 1hings wiihin His capaciiy o doing arc innumcrablc. And ihc ihings
known by Him arc wiihoui limii.



Knowlcdgc

And Hc iaughi us ihai Hc is knowing o all ihings known, all-cncompassing o whai
occurs in ihc limiis o ihc Earihs up io ihc highcsi o ihc hcacns.

And Hc iaughi us ihai Hc is Knowlcdgcablc. 1hc wcighi o an aiom in ihc Earih or
in Hcacn docs noi slip His knowlcdgc. Raihcr, Hc ccn knows o ihc crccping o ihc
black ani on ihc massic bouldcr in ihc dark nighi. And Hc pcrccics ihc mocmcni o
ihc aioms in ihc midsi o ihc air. And Hc knows whai is kcpi sccrci and whai is ccn
morc conccalcd. And Hc is acquainicd wiih ihc suggcsiions o hcaris, ihc mocmcnis o
ihoughis, and o hiddcn sccrcis wiih a bcginning-lcss cicrnal knowlcdgc by which Hc
has always bccn characicrizcd or all cicrniiy, noi by a rcncwcd knowlcdgc ihai occurs
in His csscncc ihrough incarnaiion and iranscrcncc.

Vill

And Hc iaughi us ihai Hc wills all ihings ihai happcn, managcs all cmcrgcni
ihings. So no cw or many, small or largc, good or cil, bcncii or harm, aiih or
unbclic, knowlcdgc or ignorancc, gain or loss, incrcasc or dccrcasc, obcdicncc or
disobcdicncc occurs wiihoui His orcknowlcdgc, ordainmcni, wisdom, or will. So
whaiccr Hc wills happcns, and whaiccr Hc docs noi will docs noi. Nciihcr ihc iurn o
a glancc nor and uncxpccicd ihoughi cscapcs His will. Raihcr, Hc is ihc Bcginncr and
Rcpcaicr, 1hc Docr o whaiccr Hc plcascs. Nonc can pui back His [udgmcni. Nonc can
amcnd whai Hc has dccrccd. And ihc slac has no way o lccing rom disobcying Him
lcsi ii bc by His gracc and mcrcy. And hc has no powcr io obcy Him lcsi ii bc by His
will and dcsirc. So wcrc mcn, Jinn, angcls, and dcils io uniic in ordcr io makc onc aiom
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in ihc unicrsc io moc or io siop iis mocmcni wiihoui His dcsirc and will, ihcy would
noi bc ablc io do so.

And Hc iaughi us ihai His will is sianding wiih His csscncc among ihc ioialiiy o His
aiiribuics. Hc has always bccn dcscribcd in ihai way as haing ii, as onc who dcsircs in
His prc-cicrniiy ihc cxisicncc o ihings in ihcir rcspcciic iimcs ihai Hc has
dcicrmincd. 1hcn ihcy cxisicd in ihcir iimcs [usi as Hc inicndcd in His prc-cicrniiy
wiih noihing appcaring io Him bcorc or aicr anoihcr. Raihcr, ihcy happcncd
according io His knowlcdgc and will wiihoui subsiiiuiion or changc o any plan. Hc
managcd ihc aairs, noi by ihc scqucncing o onc ihoughi aicr anoihcr, and noi
ihrough ihc dclibcraiion o iimc. Ior ihai rcason, no aair prcoccupics Him rom
anoihcr aair.

Hcaring and Sccing

And Hc iaughi us ihai Hc is Spcaking, Commanding, Iorbidding, Iromising, and
1hrcaicning wiih a bcginning-lcss cicrnal spccch sianding wiih His csscncc. Ii docs noi
rcscmblc ihc spccch o ihc crcaiion. So ii is noi a oicc ihai occurs ihrough ihc cscaping
o air or ihc ircmbling o ihroais, and noi a lciicr ihai is cui o wiih ihc closing o a lip
or ihc mocmcni o a ionguc.

And Hc iaughi us ihai ihc Qur`an, ihc 1aurah, 1hc Gospcl, and ihc Isalms arc His
books rccalcd io His mcsscngcrs (ahs), and ihai ihc Qur`an is rcciicd wiih iongucs,
wriiicn in pagcs, proiccicd in hcaris, and ihai ii in spiic o ihai is bcginning-lcss
sianding wiih ihc csscncc o Allah . Ii is unsusccpiiblc io scparaiion and dispcrsion
by bcing iranscrrcd io hcaris and pagcs.

And Hc iaughi us ihai Moscs hcard ihc spccch o Allah wiihoui sound and
wiihoui lciicr, [usi as ihc dcoui will scc Allah`s csscncc in ihc Hcrcaicr wiihoui
bcing a maicrial body or a characicrisiic accidcni.

And sincc Hc has such aiiribuics, Hc is Liing, Knowing, Iowcrul, Villul, Hcaring,
Sccing, Spcaking, wiih lic, powcr, knowlcdgc, will, hcaring, sighi, and spccch, Hc is
noi mcrcly ihosc ihings by ihc csscncc.


1hc Aciions

And He [taught us] ihai ihcrc is noihing in cxisicncc oihcr ihan Him cxccpi ihai ii
cmcrgcs rom non-cxisicncc by His doing and is a prousion o His [usiicc, in ihc bcsi,
mosi pcrcci, mosi complcic, and mosi [usi o ways.

And [He taught us] ihai Hc is All-Visc in His aciions, Iair in His dccrccs. His [usiicc is
noi io bc analogizcd wiih ihc [usiicc o slacs, sincc in[usiicc is imagincd rom ihc slac
by his mcddling in ihc dominion o anoihcr, whilc in[usiicc is noi imagincd rom Allah
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. Ior surcly, Hc docs noi cncounicr anoihcr`s dominion in a way ihai would makc
His mcddling in ii an aci o in[usiicc. Ior ccryihing oihcr ihan Him o mcn, Jinn,
angcls, dcils, hcacns, Earihs, animals, planis, inanimaic ihings, maicrial ob[ccis,
accidcnis, ihings pcrccicd wiih ihc mind and wiih ihc scnscs is cmcrgcni rom non-
cxisicncc. Hc incnicd ii wiih His powcr aicr non-cxisicncc and broughi ii inio bcing
aicr ii had bccn noihing, whcrcas Hc had bccn in prc-cicrniiy cxisiing by His scl and
ihcrc had bccn no oihcr along wiih Him. 1hcn, Hc broughi orih ihc crcaiion as a
manicsiaiion o His powcr, a rcalizaiion o His prior inicni, and bccausc o whai was
iruc o His word in prc-cicrniiy, noi or nccd or ncccssiiy o doing ii.

And [He taught us] ihai Hc concrs ihc bouniy o crcaiion, incniion, and lcgal
obligaiion, noi oui o obligaiion on Himscl, and willully and copiously gics
blcssing and bciicrmcni, noi bccausc o bcing obligcd io do so. His is ihc bouniy, ihc
good ircaimcni, ihc blcssing, and ihc bcsiowing o aor, sincc Hc was capablc o
pouring ocr His slacs all orms o chasiiscmcni and o irying ihcm wiih dicrcni
orms o agony and sucring. And i Hc had donc ihai, ii would hac bccn [usiicc rom
Him. And ii would noi hac bccn somcihing disgusiing or an aci o in[usiicc.

And [He taught us] ihai Hc rcwards His bclicing slacs or acis o obcdicncc by
iriuc o ihc gcncrosiiy and ihc promisc, noi by iriuc o cniiilcmcni or Him bcing
obligcd io do so, whcrcas no aci is compulsory upon Him or anyonc. And in[usiicc is
noi imagincd rom Him. And no righi is compulsory upon Him or anyonc.

And [He taught us] ihai His righi in acis o obcdicncc is compulsory on ihc crcaiion by
rcason o Him making ii compulsory on ihc iongucs o His prophcis , noi mcrcly by
rcason. Raihcr, Hc dispaichcd ihc mcsscngcrs and manicsicd ihcir iruihulncss by way
o ihc clcar miraclcs. 1hcn ihcy concycd His command, His prohibiiion, His promisc,
and His ihrcai. 1hcn ii was compulsory on ihc crcaiion io aiicsi io whai ihcy broughi.


Mcaning o ihc Sccond Dcclaraiion, which is 1hc Bcaring Viincss or ihc Mcsscngcr
io ihc Oicc o Holy Mcsscngcr

And [He taught us] ihai Hc scni ihc unlciicrcd Irophci o ihc Quraysh, Muhammad
, wiih His mcssagc io all o ihc Arabs, ihc non-Arabs, ihc Jinn, and Mcn. And wiih
his diincly rccalcd law (shariah), hc abrogaicd all diincly rccalcd laws cxccpi or
whai hc airmcd o ihcm. And Hc madc him supcrior io all ihc prophcis, madc him ihc
masicr o all morial bcings, and Hc dcnicd ihc pcrcci siaic o aiih rom ihc icsiimony
io God`s uniiy, which is ihc saying 1hcrc is no God cxccpi Allah as long as ihc
icsiimony io ihc mcsscngcr, which is Muhammad is ihc mcsscngcr o Allah is noi
anncxcd wiih ii. 1hcn Hc obligcd ihc crcaiion io aiicsi io his iruihulncss in all o whai
inormcd o rom ihc aairs o ihis world and ihc Hcrcaicr.

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And [He taught us] ihai Hc will noi acccpi ihc aiih o any slac uniil hc bcliccs in
whai hc inorms o io comc aicr dcaih. 1hc irsi o ii is ihc qucsiioning o Muniu and
Aui:. And ihcy arc iwo horriying and icrriying indiiduals who will sii ihc slac up
siraighi in his grac soul and body, and ihcn ask him aboui God`s uniiy and ihc
siaiion o God`s mcsscngcr. 1hcy will say, Vho is your Lord' Vhai is your rcligion'
And who is your Irophci' And ihcy arc ihc 1wo Disiurbcrs o ihc grac (aiiana al-
qabr). And ihcir qucsiioning is ihc irsi irial aicr dcaih.

And [He taught us] ihai Hc won`i acccpi aiih uniil onc bcliccs in ihc punishmcni o
ihc grac, and ihai ii is rcal. And ihc ruling o ii is [usiicc on ihc body and spirii
according io how Hc plcascs.

And [He taught us] ihai Hc won`i acccpi aiih uniil onc bcliccs in ihc Scalc
posscssing iwo plaics and a ionguc. And iis dcscripiion in massicncss is ihai ii is likc
ihc lccls o ihc Hcacns and ihc Earih. 1hc dccds arc wcighcd in ii by ihc powcr o
Allah . And ihc cymbal on ihai day will bc cqual io ihc wcighis o ihc aioms or
musiard-sccds io rcalizc ihc complcicncss o [usiicc. And ihc rccord books o ihc good
dccds will bc placcd in a bcauiiul orm in ihc plaic o ihc lighi.` And ihc scalc will bc
wcighcd down according io ihc dcgrccs o ihcm in Allah`s sighi by His gracc. And ihc
rccord books o ihc bad dccds will bc casi in an ugly orm inio ihc plaic o darkncss`.
1hcn ihc scalc will bccomc lighi in wcighi by Allah`s [usiicc.

And [He taught us] ihai Hc won`i acccpi aiih uniil onc bcliccs ihai ihc Sirai is rcal.
And ii is a bridgc cxicnding ocr ihc back o Hcll, sharpcr ihan a sword and incr ihan a
hair. 1hc cci o ihc unbcliccrs slip on ii by Allah`s [udgmcni , and ii makcs ihcm
all inio ihc Iirc. Bui ihc cci o ihc bcliccrs will bc irmly planicd upon ii by Allah`s
gracc. And ihcy will bc siccrcd inio ihc Abodc o Icrmancncc.

And [He taught us] ihai Hc won`i acccpi aiih uniil onc bcliccs in ihc Iool (Hawd)
ihai is isiicd or drinking, ihc Iool o Muhammad . 1hc bcliccrs drink rom ii
bcorc cnicring ihc Gardcn and aicr passing ocr ihc Bridgc. Vhoccr drinks rom ii
onc drink will noi ihirsi ihcrcaicr ccr again. Iis widih is a monih`s [ourncy. Iis waicr
is whiicr ihan buiicrmilk and swccicr ihan honcy. Around ii arc [ugs whosc numbcrs
arc as many as ihc siars in ihc sky. In ii arc iwo guiicrs ihai pour inio ii rom d!-
Kuunu.

And [He taught us] ihai Hc won`i acccpi aiih uniil onc bcliccs in ihc Rcckoning and
ihc Dispariiy bciwccn pcoplc in iis rcgard in ihai somc will hac a discussion aboui ihc
Rcckoning, oihcrs will bc cxcmpicd rom any discussion aboui ii, and somc will cnicr
ihc Gardcn wiihoui a Rcckoning. 1hcy arc 1hosc Vho Arc Drawn Ncar (u!-
Muquu|un). 1hcn Allah will ask whomccr Hc plcascs o ihc Irophcis aboui
concying ihc mcssagc and whomccr Hc plcascs o ihc unbcliccrs aboui bclying ihc
mcsscngcrs. And Hc will ask ihc hcrciics aboui ihc Sunnah. And Hc will ask ihc
Muslims aboui dccds.

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And [He taught us] ihai Hc won`i acccpi aiih uniil onc bcliccs in ihc Rcmoal o
ihosc who worship Allah alonc (u!-Muuunn:uun) rom ihc Iirc aicr ihc cxaciion o
cngcancc rom ihcm uniil no pcrson who worships Allah alonc rcmains in ihc Iirc
by Allah`s gracc . So no onc who worships Allah alonc will dwcll cicrnally in ihc
Iirc.

And [He taught us] ihai Hc won`i acccpi aiih uniil onc bcliccs in ihc Inicrccssion o
ihc Irophcis, ihcn ihc lcarncd, ihcn ihc mariyrs, and ihcn ihc common bcliccrs
according io his siaius and rank wiih Allah . And ihosc o ihc bcliccrs who rcmain
and hac no inicrccssor will bc broughi oui by Allah`s gracc . So no bcliccr will
dwcll cicrnally in ihc Iirc. Raihcr, ihosc who had an aiom`s wcighi o aiih in his hcari
will bc broughi oui.

And [He taught us] ihai Hc won`i acccpi aiih uniil onc bcliccs in ihc Supcrioriiy o
ihc Irophci`s Companions and ihcir ordcr in supcrioriiy.

And [He taught us] ihai Hc won`i acccpi aiih uniil onc bcliccs ihai ihc bcsi o
pcoplc aicr ihc Irophci is Abu Bakr, ihcn Umar, ihcn Uihman, and ihcn Ali .

And [He taught us] ihai Hc won`i acccpi aiih uniil onc ihinks good o all o ihc
Companions and cxiol ihcm, [usi as Allah and His mcsscngcr cxiollcd all o
ihcm.

So all o ihai is rom whai ihc rcporis hac mcniioncd and ihc iransmissions hac
icsiiicd io. So whoccr bcliccs all o ihai whilc bcing ccriain o ii, hc is onc o ihc
Icoplc o ihc 1ruih and ihc Clannish 1ribc o ihc Sunnah, and hc has dcccicd rom ihc
Dclcgaiion o Misguidancc and ihc Iariy o Hcrcsy.

So wc ask Allah or ihc pcrcci siaic o ccriainiy and ihc good siaic o irm ooiing or
us and or all o ihc Muslims by His mcrcy. Surcly Hc is ihc mosi mcrciul o ihosc who
show mcrcy. And may Allah blcss our masicr, Muhammad, as wcll as ccry diincly
choscn slac.