MUSLIM INTELLECTUAL WORKS "AL-GHAZALI"

CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION

A. background

Philosophy of the Middle East seen from the history of the philosopher is also said to be a usual heir of Western philosophical tradition. For the philosopher of the first Middle East are Arabs or Muslims and also some Jews who conquered areas around the Mediterranean and Greek culture encountered by their philosophical traditions. Then they translated and commented on Greek works. Even when Europe after the collapse of the Roman Empire into the medieval times and forget the works of classical Greece, the philosophers of the Middle East is studying the works of the same and even their translations studied again by the Europeans. Among the philosophers of the Middle East is Al-Ghazali.

Al-Ghazali is one of the Muslim philosophers who ask tough rebuttal outstanding against the thinking of philosophers. The harsh criticism he poured in his famous book Tahfut Al-Falasifah. In this book he demonstrates the falsity of the philosophers and their doctrines.

Al-Ghazali holds "Hujjatul Islam" on an awesome defense against the Islamic religion, especially the rohaniyahism and the philosopher. He is alone scholars, educators, experts in science and thinking as well as a prolific author.

B. problem formulation
Departing from the background above problems, the writer would formulate it as follows: How Al-Ghazali's thoughts about the eternal Universe/ or formerly Universe or Qodhimul ‘Alam, bodily resurrection in the afterlife, the law of cause and effect and miracles and a philosophy of Emanation.



C. How to Influence of Al-Ghazali on subsequent generations.
The purpose of this paper is to:

1.      How did Al-Ghazali's ideas about the eternal Universe/ or formerly Universe or Qodhimul ‘Alam, bodily resurrection in the afterlife, the law of cause and effect and miracles and a philosophy of Emanation.

2.      How does the influence of Al-Ghazali on subsequent generations.

CHAPTER II

DISCUSSION

A. Al-Ghazali Biorgrafi

His full name was Abu Hamid Ibn Muhammad Ibn Ahmad al-Ghazali. He was born in Thus, part of the city of Khorasan-Iran in the year 450 H (1056). Al-Ghazali's name comes from the word meaning Ghazal artisans spun yarn, since his father's job is to spin a yarn. While the word Ghazali also taken from the word which means a name that is Ghazalah village of Al-Ghazali was born and this is widely used so that his name was ascribed by the people to the work of his father or to the place of his birth.

His father was classified as people who live a very simple, but has a high religious zeal as seen on sympathetic to the clerics and scholars who expect their children to be always giving advice to people. That's why his father left to his brother Al-Ghazali who was Al-Ghazali was a child to an expert on Sufism to get training and guidance. Since childhood, Al-Ghazali happy studying.

Therefore since childhood he has studied with several teachers in his hometown. Among Teachers at the time was Ahmad Ibn al-Razdikani. Later in his youth he studied at Nishapur also in Khurasyan which at that time was one of the important science centers in the Islamic world. He later became a student of Al-Al-Juwayni Haamain which is a great teacher at Madrasah An-Nidhimiyah Nishapur. Al-Ghazali studied theology, Islamic law, philosophy, logic and natural sciences.

In the year 484 H, Al-Ghazali was appointed professor at the madrasa Nidzamiyah Baghdad for about four years. During this teaching in the madrasa al-Ghazali diligently explore the self-taught philosophy, especially the thought of Al-Farabi, Ibn Sina, Ibn Maskawih and the Ikhwan al-Safa. Mastery in philosophy is evident in his works such as books Al-MAqashid and Tahafut Al-Falasifah.

B. The thought of Al-Ghazali

1. About the eternal Universe or formerly Universe

In general, Muslim philosophers argue that the universe is eternal or in  Arabs language is called 'Qodhim', meaning that the universe form along with the manifestation of God. Formerly of God from universe only in terms of substance and not in terms of era, as formerly "because of the effect or causalism" and "light from the sun".

According to Al-Ghazali, there is no obstacle whatsoever for God created Universe since “iradhah azali “ with Him. Meanwhile, the lack of previous universe form because it has not wills. Will of god according to Al-Ghazali is a trait of God that serves to distinguish something from others the same. Otherwise its function, certainly enough for God alone with nature Qudroh between creator and not the same position, only a special trait that distinguishes it, namely the nature of will of god / Irodah. Therefore if God set His creation in a time and not in other times, it is not impossible that the new creation of the first or eternal substance. The reason will of god God is absolute and not hampered by time or place.

2.       Bodily resurrection in the afterlife

According to the Muslim philosophers, who will be resurrected later Hereafter is spiritual only, while the body would be destroyed, so that will feel the happiness or sorrow is spiritual only. Although there is a picture of religion in the form of matter in the afterlife, like heaven and hell, all it's basically just symbols to facilitate understanding of the layman.

Al-Ghazali in rejecting the opinion of the Muslim philosophers relies more on the textual meaning of the Qur'an. According to Al-Ghazali there is no reason to reject the occurrence of happiness and spiritual at the same physical misery. Allah said (meaning) "no one knows what is hidden to them (delicious variety) are tasty eye view". Similarly, his words "I prepared for My righteous servants, what is not visible to the eye, not unheard by the ear and are not etched in the hearts of humans".

Regarding the resurrection in the afterlife, the philosophers are looked rohaniyyah/spirit and free of material elements. This is because the issue of spirituality is the higher value, as well as those relating to the delights and torments of the Hereafter is higher or more powerful. Therefore, there is no necessity that is bodily resurrection.

See Muslim philosophers bodily resurrection of the Hereafter is more reasonable approach because the bodies had been impossible to separate the body back together let alone the bodies had been damaged. And because the life was the spirit of the happiness and misery are also ruhaniyah/spirit.

Al-Ghazali saw bodily resurrection in the afterlife is more to the Almighty power of God. If God wills even though the bodies had been destroyed, nothing is impossible it will happen and will unite the body with the spirit.

3. Emanasionism

Almost all Muslim philosophers embrace the philosophy emanation in creation of the universe. According to Al-Farabi and Ibn Sina: the universe was created by God is an emanation (aura) since Qidham and Azali. As Kholikul ‘Alam (creator of universe) of God since He created beings, and between He and His creation is not mediated by age. Therefore, according to their origin of this universe and Qodhimul Azali. However, this Qodhimul ‘Alam they call Taqodum Zamani (existence not preceded by a period) while Qodhim’s God they call with Taqqodum Zati (His existence is not preceded by anything, He stands alone, the Creator of nature).

So according to Muslim philosophers of nature created by God from something that already exists. This view is in line with the realities that exist in nature. In nature there is only the creation of something that already exists or from a form changed into another form. Seeds, for example turns into a tree, a sapling into a tree, the tree is cut into planks, boards connected in a row into the table, the table becomes obsolete fuel, fuel ash and ash into the soil. This is consistent with the concept of creation in the Qur'an.

Al-Ghazali refute this opinion with his analysis, if the natural abundance of God as a necessity, such as rays from the sun, this nature would also like Qodhim’s God/God is formely. There will be no people who say the lights create light and shadows of people make. People who pose a known maker will not work but only cause of the job.

From the description above can be seen that there have been differences in viewpoint between Al-Ghazali and Muslim philosophers. This is because each set at a different point of departure. Muslim philosophers departed from the ratio, while the Al-Ghazzali departed from the empirical keagaamaan (Al-Qur'an). If the word Al-Ghazali realize beachhead Muslim philosophers there is a possibility of this criticism is not going to happen, for example in terms qodhim. For the Muslim philosophers, qodhim mean something in the incidence continuously without beginning and without end for what happened. In other words, for the Muslim philosophers, qodhim no means without cause but may also mean a being with reason. Thus, although the nature of this qodhim, “Qohim universe” is not the same as God. Meanwhile, according to Al-Ghazali “Qodhim” means " ma’la ilat tahu " (something that is not uncaused) and the only one who did not uncaused is God. For al-Ghazali who Qodhim only Allah alone while others are only hadiths (new).

4. Law of Cause and Effect (causality) and miracles

In his book Tahafut al-Falasifah , Al-Ghazali  question “khariq al-adat/khoriqul adah” is an issue (violation of habit) are closely related to the law of causality in terms of whether the relationship between cause and effect is a definite relationship. This is thought to cause a person to believe or not believe in the miracles of the Prophets was therefore the miracles he interpreted as deviating from the natural habit.

Muslim philosophers say that the causal relationship is a relationship of certainty or inevitability.

According to Al-Ghazali, the relationship between cause and effect are not “dhorury” (certainty) in the sense of a relationship that the two are not necessarily valid, but they each have the individuality of each. For example, between eating and satiety there is no relationship that is of necessity means that people eat is not necessarily feel full because eating does not necessarily cause people to feel full. Similarly, the paper does not necessarily burned by fire, water should not wet the paper or cloth. All this is just a custom or habit of nature, not a necessity. The occurrence of all things in this world because God's power alone. Therefore, if the paper is exposed to the fire burning, people eat to satiety and water-wet cloth was solely because of God's power and irodah.

Thus, it is not true it makes the assumption that the fire burned, the drug makers cured, the sandwich maker satiety and others. According to Al-Ghazali's Muslim philosophers deny the cases above do not burn the Prophet Ibrahim when burned by fire. They think it was not possible, except by eliminating the burning nature of fire or transform themselves into a matter of Prophet Ibrahim that can not be burned by fire.

According to Al-Ghazali's view that the fire did not burn the Prophet Ibrahim because the burner flame is not the manufacturer but it was the work of God with qudroh and irodah of God, either because the fire did not change its nature to be burned or prophet Abraham changed the material into another material so that it becomes burned by fire. Similarly to the case of Prophet Jesus raise the dead, the stick turned into a serpent of Moses, all this happens because the items that are to accept the changes. Land transformed into plants, the plants eaten by animals and turned into blood and semen of animals turned into a male and when met with the egg in the womb of a female animal will change into a fetus and so on will give birth to an animal like. The series of events is valid based on the habits that take place in a relatively long period. However, it is not impossible if the will and power of God was turned into a long process short, as in force at the miracle of the Prophet and Messenger.

C. Effect of Al-Ghazali thought of later generations

Al-Ghazali's thought a lot of influence in its aftermath, because according to Islamic teaching, he earned his Hujjatul Islam because of his services in commenting on and defend against attacks from outside parties from both sides of Islam itself and from the Western orientalists.

In his book Al-Falasifah Tahafut, Al-Ghazali gives stamp “Kafir” (Out of Islam) against the Muslims philosophers in three problems:
1. Qodhimul ‘alam/ the eternal Universe/ or formerly Universe
2. God does not know the details of which occur in nature
3. Bodily resurrection in the afterlife does not exist.

Infidels in Islamic law is a heavy penalty and should be put to death.

Indeed, the author of philosophy books philosophy claims that congestion in the Islamic world due to the attacks of Al-Ghazali. However, if examined carefully, congestion philosophy Sunni Islamic world can not only be borne by the Al-Ghazali. It is among closely related to a politics that is not condusive in the Islamic government.

According to Prof. Dr.H. Harun Nasution is little influence of people who accuse al-Ghazali as a cause of stagnation of Eastern philosophy in the Islamic world because there are still followers of Ibn Sina to this day.

Some philosophers who agree with Al-Ghazali's thought of his work are:
1. B. Mic Donal, translating some articles from the Ihya 'Ulumuddiin
2. H. Baeur, which translates qawa'id Al-'Aqa'id which translate into the language of his own nation that is dogmatic Al-Ghazali
3. Carra de Vaux, who translated the book of Tahafut Al-Falasifah
4. De Boer and Asin Palacois, each of which translates Tahafut Al-Falasifah
5. Barbier De Minard, who translated Al-Adl min Munqizhu Dholal
6. WHT. Craider, from London who translated the monks Miskat Al-Anwar.

CHAPTER III

CLOSING

From the above description can be concluded:

1. the differences of thought, which by the Hadits of the Prophet of this term is known as difference "Rahmatul lil 'alamin". All opinions should we review what is in accordance with the guidance of Islam?!

2. Al-Ghazali's thoughts after evolving into a new direction called a religious philosophy or religion purely philosophical. Actually, Al-Ghazali is not lethal in Islamic Philosophy. Instead of living continues to move, but the philosophy has changed radically because of the influence of mysticism. Thought that at first are rational turned into a spiritual effort to live in harmony with this reality.

REFERENCES

Ahmad Hanafi. Introduction to Islamic Philosophy. New York: Crescent Star.
Ahmad Syadani. Public Philosophy. London: Faithful Reader, 1997
Hasyimiyah, Nasution. Islamic philosophy. London: Style Media Pratama, 1999
Oemar Husaen. Islamic philosophy. New York: Crescent Star, 1975
Harun Nasution. Reason and revelation in Islam. Jakarta: UI, 1983
Sirajudin. Islamic philosophy. Jakarta: PT. King Grafindo Persada, 2007

DAFTAR PUSTAKA

Ahmad Hanafi. Pengantar Filsafat Islam. Jakarta: Bulan Bintang.

Ahmad Syadani . Filsafat Umum. Bandung: Pustaka Setia, 1997

Hasyimiyah, Nasution. Filsafat Islam. Jakarta: Gaya Media Pratama, 1999

Oemar Husaen. Filsafat Islam. Jakarta: Bulan Bintang, 1975

Harun Nasution . Akal dan wahyu dalam Islam. Jakarta: UI, 1983

Sirajudin. Filsafat Islam. Jakarta: PT. Raja Grafindo Persada, 2007