{"product_id":"al-ghazali-on-proper-conduct-in-seclusion","title":"Al-Ghazali on Proper Conduct in Seclusion","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eImam al-Ghazali\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAhmed Saadé (translation)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePaperback, 146 pages\u003cbr\u003e9781911141570\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBook 16 of The Revival of the Religious Sciences\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eKitab Adab al-'Uzla\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn this work, Ghazali addresses the question, 'Is it better to engage in society or to withdraw from it in order to perfect one's relation to God?' In presenting the arguments for and against seclusion ('uzla), Ghazali starts with the example of the Prophet Muhammadﷺ and his Companions, and follows this with the opinions of later schools of thought: those who gave preference to seclusion and those who preferred socialising (mukhalata) over seclusion. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the second half of the work, Ghazali presents his own opinions on the advantages and disadvantages of seclusion. The advantages of seclusion are divided into the religious benefits and the worldly benefits. Among the religious benefits are: the ability to fully engage in acts of obedience and to maintain consistency in worship, contemplation and the cultivation of knowledge; freeing oneself from committing prohibitions to which one is exposed through socialising, such as ostentation and backbiting; and the avoidance of the gradual corruption of one's disposition through the acquisition of vile traits and immoral actions from evil companions. The worldly benefits include: being able to focus on one's work; freeing oneself from worldliness and covetousness; and protecting oneself and one's dignity from harmful persons. As to the disadvantages of seclusion, they include: the inability to study with a teacher or to teach; the inability to learn from and emulate the good manners of others; and the inability to benefit others and to gain the reward for benefiting them. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGhazali concludes his discussion of seclusion by saying that the advantages and disadvantages of seclusion differ from one person to another and that each person should examine his or her motives, intention and heart when deciding on the best course to take.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Islamic Texts Society","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43639368712227,"sku":"9781911141570","price":32.0,"currency_code":"SGD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2514\/8624\/files\/DSC_0706_401fd937-9895-4e90-9415-b58b6bf8cc7d.jpg?v=1786516469","url":"https:\/\/wardahbooks.com\/products\/al-ghazali-on-proper-conduct-in-seclusion","provider":"Wardah Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}