Now In English! Al-Ghazali's “The Beginning of Guidance”

 “Woe to the ignorant one, because he did not seek knowledge, and woe a thousand times to the knowledgeable one who did not act upon his knowledge.”  20, The Beginning of Guidance

Due to the continuing conflict in Southwest Asia, the abuse of Islamic tenants by multiple terrorist organizations, and the general lack of understanding of Islam in the USA, today I will discuss a very different kind of book. Instead of fiction, I'd like to describe and suggest a book that you won't find in many debates about radical Islam, a book that supplements the Qu'ran: The Beginning of Guidance by Abu Hamid Al-Ghazali.

Imam Abu Hamid Al-Ghazali (c. 1058–1111), one of the most prominent Islamic theologians in history, penned to one of his students a methodological way to practice God-Consciousness. Translated by Mashhad Al-Allaf, The Beginning of Guidance offers rich advice to the layperson. Although it was originally geared to students of the Qu'ran, the advice given in this work can, at some level, be found across faiths, as well as among atheists and agnostics. 

Cover of The Beginning of Guidance
by Al-Ghazali

This edition in particular is extremely useful for many readers. First, the text itself is easy to read. It includes a translator’s preface, a transcription key, transliterations of the informal prayers (Du'a), and other notes. This makes it easier, especially for those who may be unfamiliar with Islam, to get an idea of the context and the sounds of prayers in Arabic. Second, the translation faces the original Arabic, with vowel marks. For the student of Arabic, this may be an excellent study material – for language as well as religion.

The work itself is divided into three sections – “On Obedience”, “On Refraining from Disobedience”, and “The Etiquette of Companionship with the Creator and with Creation”. I would describe it thus: the first section is about worship, the second on avoiding sin/negative behavior, and the third on how to interact with others. No section is more useful than the other, and I suggest rereading the entire book (some 70 pages for English-only text) to better see the cohesiveness of each section. While the wording is simple, the concepts are profound; therefore, those who wish to glean more should not only reread it but also read it slowly.

Those who come from the Abrahamic faiths, in particular the more orthodox variations, may be the most interested in The Beginning of Guidance. In Al-Ghazali’s work I was reminded of my time in Catholic school, for the most part because of the level or reverence and discipline Al-Ghazali shows through his writing.

In all honesty, it is impossible to better explain or summarize The Beginning of Guidance in a blog post. There is a great risk that I may mangle the original meaning. For anyone interested in Islam, or who wants to go beyond reading the Qu'ran and a 101 book, The Beginning of Guidance should definitely be on your list. Whether you decide to read it to seek out religion, philosophy, or just out of curiosity, it won't disappoint you!

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