Al-ghazali reflection

The section of Deliverance from Error in the readings of The Path to Sufism is very fascinating to me. The way Al- Ghazali speaks in his teachings is very different from that of Boethius and Aristotle. Al- Ghazali expresses his support for mathematics almost as an exact science, he shows that it cannot be used to support religions whether they be Islamic or not. This type of truth is called Apodeictic, which can be defined as truth by definition or necessity, which can also include logic, math and Astronomy.

The other type of truth that Al- Ghazali speaks of is conjectural truth. This can be described as truth by speculation, which means that something can be assumed to be real, true, or genuine. An example of a conjectural truth can be Doctor’s advice. Both apodeictic and conjectural truths come from Al- Ghazali’s view of Philosophy, and can prove all of his thoughts true. One word that I found to be an important part of Al- Ghazali’s Deliverance from Error is the word Fitra.

Fitra can be defined as a fundamental spiritual interest. Fitra has many different interpretations, some of which include creation, nature, natural disposition, constitution, and temperament. I believe that Fitra can be the driving spirit that directs people in the right path. I think that Fitra can relate to apodeictic truth because people believe what they see, and if they see something out of the ordinary that shouldn’t happen, they will not believe it and have to reason to oppose their decision.

As Al- Ghazali states, “ The thirst for grasping the real meaning of things was indeed my habit and won’t from my early years and in the prime of my life. ” This statement shows Al- Ghazali’s beliefs in Fitra and how it can all put a person together. In the end, I believe that Fitra is and can be the deciding factor of a human being’s decision making ability.