Ahmad al-Ghazali, Remembrance, and the Metaphysics of Love

Discusses the work of a central, but poorly understood, figure in the development of Persian Sufism, Ahmad al-Ghazali.The teachings of Ahmad al-Ghazali changed the course of Persian Sufism forever, paving the way for luminaries such as Rumi, Attar, and Hafiz. Yet he remains a poorly understood thinker, with many treatises incorrectly attributed to him and conflicting accounts in the historiographical literature. This work provides the first examination of Ahmad al-Ghazali and his work in Western scholarly literature. Joseph E. B. Lumbard seeks to ascertain the authenticity of works attributed to this author, trace the development of the dominant trends in the biographical literature, and reconstruct the life and times of Ahmad al-Ghazali with particular attention to his relationship with his more famous brother, Abu Hamid al-Ghazali. Lumbard's findings revolutionize our understanding of Ahmad al-Ghazali writings, allowing for focus on his central teachings regarding Divine Love and the remembrance of God.