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  Main: Corpus : Ihya' 'ulum al-din (Revival of Religious Sciences)

The Revival of the Religions Sciences (Iḥyaʾ ʿulum al-dīn) is widely regarded as the greatest work of Muslim spirituality, and has, for centuries, been the most read work after the Qurʾān in the Muslim world.
The Revival of the Religious Sciences is divided into four parts each containing ten chapters. The first part deals with knowledge and the requirements of faith—ritual purity, prayer, charity, fasting, pilgrimage, recitation of the Qurʾān, etc.; part two concentrates mostly on people and society—the manners relating to eating, marriage, earning a living, friendship, etc.; parts three and four are dedicated to the inner life of the soul and discuss first the vices that people must overcome in themselves and then the virtues that they must strive to achieve. Below are details of the books contents, translations, mainly in English and a link to the original Arabic here for the first time on the internet.

  • Overview of the Iḥyaʾ By Ḥajī Khalifia (In Arabic)

  • Iḥyaʾ ʿulum al-dīn: In Arabic for the first time with takhrij (Ḥadith verification) by Ḥafiẓ ʿIraqi. (It is in MS word files!)
  • Books of the Iḥyaʾ in Translation:
  • First Quarter: Acts of worship (Rubʾ al-ʿibadat) 
    1. Book I: Book of knowledge. (Faris' text)
      • English Translation by: N. A. Faris (PDF).
      • There is also another English translation that was a PhD thesis at Hartford Seminary by W. McCall 1940. (See item # 30 for details)
      • Turkish Translation (PDF) 18 megs
    2. Book II: Foundations of Belief. English Translation by: N. A. Faris. Now in HTML and in PDF - Review of the Faris translation by Watt in 1964 -Also Turkish Translation (PDF) 8.76 megs
    3. Book III: Mysteries of Purity. English Translation by: N. A. Faris (PDF). Also edited word file-nearly complete. - Turkish Translation (PDF) 4.76 megs
    4. Book IV: Mysteries of Worship. English Translation by: E. E. Caverley (also in pdf).
    5. Book V: Mysteries of Zakat (Charity). English Translation by: N. A. Faris  (PDF)
    6. Book VI: Mysteries of Fasting. English Translation by: N. A. Faris (PDF)
    7. Book VII: Mysteries of Pilgrimage. English Translation by I. Umar (AUC [Thesis 340]: 1975 M.A. dissertation) (html)  (Author's complete) Proof reading by S. Sharafi courtesy of Nur! Thank you both, you guys are great! (PDF)
    8. Book VIII: Etiquettes of Qurʾānic Recitation. English Translation by:  M. Abul Quasem (PDF)
    9. Book IX: On Invocations and Supplications. English Translation by: K. Nakamura (ITS description).
    10. Book X: On the Arrangements of Litanies and Divisions of the Night Vigil. It has been translated and in currently in production.
  • Second Quarter: Norms of Daily Life (Rubʾ al-ʿadatat)
    1. Book XI: On the Manners Relating to Eating. English Translation by: D. Johnson-Davies. (ITS description)
    2. Book XII: On the Etiquettes of Marriage:
      • Arabic Original (Word file format only!) with Ḥadith verifications.
      • English Translation* by the late M. Farah. Also in PDF
      • Another English translation by M. Holland.
      • Persian Version (from Kimiya-i-Saʿadat) (Persian PDF)
      • French Translation (from Algiers) (French PDF)
      • German Translation: Hans Bauer: Al-Ghazālī. Das Buch der Ehe. Kitab adabi n-nikah. Das 12. Buch der Iḥyaʾ ʿulum ad-din. Übersetzt und kommentiert von Hans Bauer. Kandern, Spohr, 2005.
    3. Book XIII: On the Etiquettes of Acquisition and Earning a livelihood.
    4. Book XIV: The lawful and prohibited
    5. Book XV:  On the Duties of brotherhood. Partial translation by M. Holland. (cover-image) (Arabic edition partial outtakes PDF)
    6. Book XVI: On the Etiquettes of Seclusion.
    7. Book XVII: On the Etiquettes of Travel
    8. Book XVIII: On Music and Singing translated by D. B. MacDonald in three parts (PDF) Part I + II + III.
    9. Book XIX: On Enjoying good and forbidding evil.
    10. Book XX: Etiquettes of living and the Prophetic Mannerism: (E-text) rtf (rich text file- word) or (PDF)
  • Third Quarter: The ways to Perdition (Rubʾ al-muhlikat)
    1. Book XXI: The Marvels of the Heart. English Translation by: W. J. Skellie as a PhD thesis (PDF) at Hartford Seminary and (Promised from Fons Vitae). Partial translation in McCarthy Freedom and Fulfillment and John Renard's "Knowledge of God in Classical Sufism: Foundations of Islamic Mystical Theology" Paulist Press (2004) pp. 298-326.
    2. Book XXII: On Disciplining the Soul. English Translation by: T. J. Winter. (ITS description)
    3. Book XXIII: On Breaking the Two Desires. 
    4. Book XXIV: Defects of the Tongue
    5. Book XXV: Condemnation of Rancor and Envy
    6. Book XXVI: Condemnation of the World
    7. Book XXVII: Condemnation of Miserliness and Condemnation of the Love of wealth.
    8. Book XXVIII: Condemnation of Status and Ostentation. Translation of its Arabic Summary. 
    9. Book XXIX: Condemnation of Pride and Conceit. Currently being translated (into English) by M. Rustom, U. of Toronto.
    10. Book XXX: Condemnation of Self-Delusion.
  • Fourth Quarter: The ways to Salvation (Rubʾ al-munjiyat)
    1. Book XXXI: On Repentance. English Translation by M. S. Stern. (E-text) (PDF)
      • Also available in (unedited word file)
      • Part I is now available in html. 
      • German Translation: Books 31-36: Gramlich, Richard: Muhammad al-Gazzālīs Lehre von den Stufen zur Gottesliebe : die Bücher 31-36 seines Hauptwerkes. Eingel., übers. u. komment. von Richard Gramlich. Wiesbaden, Steiner, 1984.
    2. Book XXXII: On Patience and Thankfulness. English Translation by: H. T. Littlejohn. (ITS description).
    3. Book XXXIII: On Fear & Hope. English Translation by W. McKane (E-text) (PDF). Also in edited complete word file. Also reviewed by Watt in 1964. (pdf) 
    4. Book XXXIV: On Poverty and Abstinence. English Translation by: A. F. Shaker. (ITS description)
    5. Book XXXV: Faith in Divine Unity and Trust in Divine Providence.
      • English Translation by: D. Burrell. (Published by Fons Vitae) Review of the English Translation (PDF): JOURNAL OF ISLAMIC STUDIES Vol. XV No. 1 January 2004; David B. Burrell: Al-Ghazālī: Faith in Divine Unity and Trust in Divine Providence by Ayman Shihadeh, 78-80.
      • German: Wehr, Hans: Al-Gazzālī's Buch vom Gottvertrauen. Das 35. Buch des Ihyaʾ ʿulum ad-dīn. Übers. u. mit Einl. u. Anm. vers. v. Hans Wehr. Halle: Niemeyer, 1940.
    6. Book XXXVI: On Love, Longing, Intimacy and Contentment. (English Translation Under Contract). For German see above #31.
    7. Book XXXVII (37) On Intention, Sincerity and Truth. 
      • English translation by A. F. Shaker is (ITS description). 
      • German translation Bauer, Hans: Islamische Ethik. Nach den Orignalquellen übersetzt und erläutert. Heft 1: Über Intention, Reine Absicht und Wahrhaftigkeit. (das 37. Buch von Al-Ġazālī) (pdf )  
    8. Book XXXVIII: On Holding Vigil and Self-Examination.
    9. Book XXXIX: On Meditation.
    10. Book XL: On the Remembrance of Death and the Afterlife. English Translation by: T. J. Winter (ITS description)

 

  • SUMMARY: There are many summaries of the iḥyaʾ of which only a handful are published while others remain in manuscript form. For more information about the iḥyaʾs summaries in Arabic see the short article (Arabic html).
    • Summary by Aḥmad al-Ghazālī (pdf) Lubab al-iḥyaʾ published here as mukhtaṣr iḥyaʾ ʿulum al-dīn. The publisher claims that it is by Abu Ḥamid al-Ghazālī which is in my humble opinion incorrect (PDF)
    • The Iḥyaʾ was summarized in a book called Minhaj al-Qaṣidin by Ibn al-jawzi (d. 597AH/1201AD), which was further summarized in a book called mukhtaṣr minhaj al-qaṣidin by ibn Qudama al-maqdisi (d. 620 AH/1341AD). (link Arabic HTML) This book has been widely distributed and reprinted several times one of which is by: Dar al-khair, Damascus, 1998; with ḥadith verification by M. W. Salman and A. A. H. Abulkhair (PDF)
    • Tahẓib muʿaẓat al-muʾmineen, Jamal al-din al-Qasimi, n.p. n.d. (PDF)
    • The latest attempt at summarizing the iḥyaʾ comes from Saliḥ Aḥmad al-Shami's, al-muhaẓab min  iḥyaʾ ʿulum al-dīn, Dar al-Qalam, Beirut, 1993 2 vols. (sample translation: link).
    • While others are reworked summaries such as Saʿid Ḥawwa's attempt in his: al-Mustakhlaṣ fi tazkiyat al-anfus, Cairo: Dar al-Salam, 1984. (PDF)
  • Printed Edition:
    1. First printed edition: Būlaq, 1269/1853: al-Juzʾ al-awwal (- al-juzʾ al-rābiʻ) min Kitāb iḥyāʾ ʻulūm al-dīn / taʾlīf Abī Ḥāmid Muḥammad ibn Muḥammad ibn Muḥammad al-Ghazzālī. - [Cairo : s.n.], 1269 [1853] - 4 v. in 2 ; 33 cm. - See sample pdf
    2. First India printed edition by offset (ḥajrīya): Iḥyāʾ al-ʻulūm fī arabaʻ mujalladāt / li-hujat al-Islām Muḥammad al-Ghazzālī. [Lucknow] : Niwal Kishūr, 1863. - See sample pdf. bi Ihitimam Muḥammad  ʻAlī Mumtaz: 1280/1863; vol1 and vol2 in pdf facimile. Note that volume 2 is missing the last page.
    3. a facsimile of a standard edition. This is perhaps the best edition; it was published ʿIsa al-babī al-ḥalabī wa ʾawladahu and reprinted by dar Iḥyaʾ al-kutb al-ʿarbīya with an introduction by Dr. Badawi Ṭabana in 1957 which was henceforth named the Ṭabana edition.
    4. Dar al-Shaʿab, Cairo 19?? edition in 16 parts in 4 volumes: (link)
    5. Modern printed edition with additional ḥadīth verification by A. Tamer in 5 volumes:
    6. Another printed edition with additional in 4 volumes:
    7. Another printed edition with additional in 5(?) volumes:
    8. Another printed edition with additional in 5 volumes: Iḥyāʾ ʻulūm al-dīn - taṣnīf al-Imām Abī Ḥāmid Muḥammad ibn Muḥammad al-Ghazzālī. Wa-bi-dhaylihi kitāb al-Mughnī ʻan ḥaml al-asfār fī al-asfār fī takhrīj mā fī al-Iḥyāʾ min al-akhbār. Miṣr : al-Maktabah al-Tijārīyah al-Kubrá, [195-?]
      • Volume 1 (PDF)
      • Volume 2 (PDF)
      • Volume 4 (PDF)
      • Volume 5 (PDF)contains Taʻrīf al-aḥyāʾ bi-faḍāʾil al-Iḥyāʾ by al-ʻAydarūs, al-Imlāʾ ʻan ishkālāt al-Iḥyāʾ by al-Ghazzāli, and ʻAwārif al-maʻārif by al-Suhrawardī.
  • COMMENTARY: one commentary (sharḥ) of al-Iḥyaʾ exists by Murtada al-Zabidi's [d.1791] Itḥaf al-sadah al-muttaqīn bi sharḥ iḥyāʾ ʿulum al-dīn. Cairo 1894 in 10 large volumes (Sample extract introduction PDF). This work is still in print in facsimiles of this edition as well as well as a newly re-typeset edition. Note that the link provided is for the complete 1894 edition. 
  • Defense: As many were critical of al-Ghazālī there were as many if not more who rallied to his defense:
    • His own defense al-Ghazālī wrote: al-imlaʾ fi ishkalat al-iḥyāʾ (Notes on issues of the iḥyāʾ) printed as an appendix in some editions of the iḥyāʾ (pdf)
    • ʿAbd al-Qadr al-ʿaydrus, taʿarif al-aḥyāʾ bi fad'il al-iḥyāʾ (Introducing the living to the benefits of the iḥyāʾ) printed as an appendix in some editions of the ihya' (pdf) note the pun in the title which is of course intentional.
    • al-Suyti, Tashyad al-ʾarkan fi "laysa min al-imkan ʾabdaʿ min ma kan (Fortifying the foundations of [the statement] "the best of all possible worlds" ) printed as an appendix in some editions of the iḥyāʾ (PDF) Note also this was part of a study done in "Theodicy in Islamic Thought: The Dispute over Al-Ghazālī's "Best of All Possible Worlds". Eric L. Ormsby (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1984).
    • Unknown author: Risala fi byan fadil iḥyāʾ ʿulum al-dīn (mss in al-Azhar number 1956 [majami 91] folio's 76-86.
    • Unknown author: Risala fi al-rad ʿala min ʿatrada ʿala al-ghazālī fi qawlihi ana al-musabibat ratabat ʿala al-ʾasbab (mss in dar al-kutb al-misyra [majami 210]
  • Refutations: This work has generated some heated discussions mostly revolving around the traditions that al-Ghazālī included here but as well as some of the statements that he made.
    • Ibn al-Jawazi's (d. 597h) iʿlam al-aḥyaʾ bi aghlat al-iḥyāʾ (not printed and no known mss copies)
    • al-Dhahabi mentioned that abu al-hasan bin sukar has written iḥyāʾ mayit al-aḥya fi al-rad ʿala kitab al-iḥyāʾ (not printed and no known mss copies)
    • Ahmad bin muir al-iskandari (d. 1284) wrote al-ḍiyaʾal-mutalali fi taʿqub al-iḥyāʾ lil ghazālī as mentioned by Zabidi (in commentary above) vol. 1. p.33 ln 10) (not printed and no known mss copies)
    • A Shiʿa 'recension': under the title: al-Maḥajjah al-bayḍā' fī tahdhīb al-Iḥyāʾ by Muḥammad ibn al-Murtaḍa al-madʿū bi-al-Mawla Muḥsin al-Kāshānī (d. 1681) (sample PDF)
    • Fatawas (Judicial decrees) by scholars and these are too many list or know but Ibn Taymiya is known to have written one as well as al-Ṭarṭushi. Even in modern day such as the fatwa's issued by Saudi ulema.

Miscellaneous:

Manuscripts

  • Illuminated manuscript. (scan) Tunisian National Archives.
  • Manuscripts from Turkey.
  • List of iḥyaʾ Manuscripts from Badawi (Arabic word file with minor additions by yours truly in red) original entry in PDF
 

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* URL: http://ghazali.org/site/ihya.htm.   Page updated on: 2008-02-19.

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