The Maqasid al-aqidah in the thought of Imam al-Ghazali

Mohamed Ashath, Mohamed Shafeen (2026) The Maqasid al-aqidah in the thought of Imam al-Ghazali. IslamCity, NA (NA). pp. 1-13.

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Abstract

Islamic theology (ʿaqīdah) in the classical tradition was never merely an abstract intellectual discipline. Among the scholars who profoundly emphasized the purpose (maqṣad) and spiritual function of belief was Imam Abū Ḥāmid al-Ghazālī (d. 1111). In his numerous works such as Iḥyāʾ ʿUlūm al-Dīn, al-Maqṣad al-Asnā fī Sharḥ Asmāʾ Allāh al-Ḥusnā, Iqtisād fī al-Iʿtiqād, and Jawāhir al-Qurʾān, al-Ghazālī presented a vision of theology that integrates orthodox belief, spiritual purification, and ethical transformation. For al-Ghazālī, the aim of ʿaqīdah is not simply theoretical knowledge about God but rather the reform of belief, purification of the soul, and transformation of human character. Thus, the objectives of creed are closely connected with the broader objectives of the Sharīʿah and the spiritual development of the believer. He believed that correct belief is the foundation of moral and social reform, and that theology must serve the higher goal of bringing human beings closer to God. This essay explores the Maqāṣid al-ʿAqīdah in the thought of Imam al-Ghazālī, focusing on three central objectives: purification of tawḥīd, activation of faith and spiritual purification, and the reform of individual and social life.

Item Type:	Article (Electronic Media)
Uncontrolled Keywords:	al-Ghazālī, Maqasid al-Aqidah, Islamic theology (ʿaqīdah),
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BP Islam. Bahaism. Theosophy, etc > BP1 Islam B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BP Islam. Bahaism. Theosophy, etc > BP1 Islam > BP166 Theology (Kalam) B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BT Doctrinal Theology
Kulliyyahs/Centres/Divisions/Institutes (Can select more than one option. Press CONTROL button):	Kulliyyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences > Department of Fundamental and Inter-Disciplinary Studies (Effective: 5th Feb 2014) Kulliyyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences
Depositing User:	Dr Mohamed Ashath
Date Deposited:	02 Apr 2026 15:56
Last Modified:	02 Apr 2026 15:56
Queue Number:	2026-03-Q2704
URI:	http://irep.iium.edu.my/id/eprint/128109

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