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Muhammad al Ghazali and Islamic Unity

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Muhammad al-Ghazali (1917–1996) was an Egyptian Sunni Muslim scholar, theologian, jurist, and public intellectual associated with the reformist tradition of modern Islam. He is widely recognized for his advocacy of Islamic unity (wahdat al-ummah), emphasizing shared beliefs, ethical objectives, and civilizational concerns among Muslims while criticizing sectarianism, extremism, and intra-Muslim hostility.[1]

Intellectual Background

Education and Scholarly Formation

Al-Ghazali studied at Al-Azhar University, one of the most influential centers of Sunni learning, where he specialized in Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh), theology, and Qur’anic studies. He was influenced by reformist thinkers such as Hassan al-Banna and the broader Islamic revivalist movement, while maintaining an independent scholarly voice critical of both rigid traditionalism and ideological extremism.[2]

Role as a Public Intellectual

Throughout his career, al-Ghazali served as a preacher, educator, and writer whose works addressed contemporary social, ethical, and political challenges facing Muslim societies. His accessible style and engagement with public issues made him one of the most widely read Muslim scholars in the Arab world during the 20th century.[3]

Concept of Islamic Unity

Shared Foundations of the Ummah

A central theme in al-Ghazali’s writings was the belief that Muslims are united by core principles, including belief in God (Tawhid), the prophethood of Muhammad, the authority of the Qur'an, and the moral objectives of Islam. He argued that these shared foundations should take precedence over jurisprudential or theological disagreements among Muslims.[4]

Distinction Between Diversity and Division

Al-Ghazali consistently distinguished between legitimate scholarly diversity and harmful sectarian division. He maintained that differences among Islamic legal schools (Madhhab) were historically rooted and intellectually productive, but that transforming these differences into identity-based conflict contradicted Islamic ethics and weakened the Muslim community.[5]

Engagement with Sunni–Shia Relations

Opposition to Sectarian Polemics

Although firmly grounded in Sunni theology, al-Ghazali rejected polemical approaches toward Shia Islam. He argued that theological disagreement should be addressed through scholarship and dialogue rather than denunciation, warning that sectarian rhetoric served political interests rather than religious truth.[6]

Unity in the Face of External Challenges

Al-Ghazali frequently emphasized that internal Muslim divisions distracted from addressing broader challenges such as colonial legacies, authoritarianism, social injustice, and cultural marginalization. He viewed Islamic unity as a moral and strategic necessity for preserving the dignity and autonomy of Muslim societies.[7]

Critique of Extremism

Ethical Limits of Religious Discourse

Al-Ghazali was a prominent critic of religious extremism and the misuse of Islamic texts to justify violence against other Muslims. He argued that moral intent, social context, and the higher objectives of Islamic law (Maqasid al-sharia) must guide interpretation, and that neglecting these principles led to fragmentation and injustice.[8]

Emphasis on Moral Reform

Rather than focusing on sectarian identity, al-Ghazali stressed moral reform, education, and social responsibility as the primary means of Islamic renewal. He argued that ethical decay, not theological diversity, was the principal cause of weakness within Muslim societies.[9]

Legacy

Muhammad al-Ghazali is widely regarded as one of the most influential Sunni scholars of the modern era. His works continue to be read across sectarian boundaries, and his emphasis on Islamic unity, ethical governance, and intellectual moderation is frequently cited in contemporary discussions on Sunni–Shia relations and inter-Muslim dialogue. Academic assessments generally characterize his thought as reformist, ethically grounded, and oriented toward strengthening the unity of the Muslim community.[10]

See also

References

  1. ↑ John L. Esposito, Islam: The Straight Path, Oxford University Press, 2011.
  2. ↑ Richard P. Mitchell, The Society of the Muslim Brothers, Oxford University Press, 1993.
  3. ↑ Encyclopædia Britannica, "Muhammad al-Ghazali".
  4. ↑ Muhammad al-Ghazali, Al-Taʿassub wa al-Tasamuh bayna al-Masihiyya wa al-Islam.
  5. ↑ Wael B. Hallaq, An Introduction to Islamic Law, Cambridge University Press, 2009.
  6. ↑ Yvonne Yazbeck Haddad, The Contemporary Islamic Revival, Greenwood Press, 1982.
  7. ↑ Gilles Kepel, Jihad: The Trail of Political Islam, Harvard University Press, 2002.
  8. ↑ Khaled Abou El Fadl, The Great Theft, HarperOne, 2005.
  9. ↑ Muhammad Qasim Zaman, The Ulama in Contemporary Islam, Princeton University Press, 2002.
  10. ↑ John O. Voll, Islam: Continuity and Change in the Modern World, Syracuse University Press, 1994.

External links

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