The influence of al-Ghazali’s works on Abraham bin Maimonides regarding God, universe and human soul through his mysticism.
Principal Supervisor: Dr Hakan Coruh
Co-Supervisor: Associate Professor Salih Yucel
Co-Supervisor: Dr Elisha Russ-Fishbane
This study aims to examine the influence of Imam al- Ghazali (1058-1111) on Abrahambin Maimonides (1186-1237) in regard to God, universe and human soul. Both scholars argue that religion without spiritual dimension or mysticism will become ceremonial or dogma. Both scholars strived to connect human being to God, the Universe and the human soul via spirituality. Al-Ghazali reconciled the philosophy and Islamic theology by injecting Islamic spirituality. He concluded his works to emphasize the importance of the spiritual and mystical life. To him, without the inner life, it is impossible to maintain the essence of the religion. To deepen in the religious life starts by the contemplation of the relationship among God, the Universe and the human being. The influence of al-Ghazali is beyond the boundaries of Muslim communities and not only for the Islamic world. His works influenced a thirteenth century great Jewish scholar Abraham bin Moses bin Maimonides .This study will critically examine the influence of al-Ghazali’s works on Abraham binMaimonides regarding God, universe and human soul through his mysticism. This study will argue that both scholars injected spirituality to the theology of religion, al-Ghazali to Islam and Abraham bin Rambam to Judaism.
My goal is to pursue a PhD at Charles Sturt University with the eventual vision of teaching within a university in the Islamic world on the subjects of Judaism as well as comparative aspects of the three Abrahamic faiths. After nearly a decade studying religion through an Islamic framework, I am interested in the collaborative investigations of common issues and challenges among Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. This subject serves as the primary catalyst for my desire to pursue doctoral study at Charles Sturt University.
Shared Attitudes Towards Greek Philosophy (Attitudes of Abû Hâmid Muhammad ibn Muhammad al-Ghazâlî and Yehuda ben Shemu’el Halevi) –Pending to publication