1. Abu Hamid al-Ghazali and the Spread of Islam (1058-1111)

2. About al-Ghazali Muslim jurist, theologian and mystics of the Muslim world during the 12 th century Became involved in Sufi practices at an early age Fell into a spiritual crisis, left Baghdad where he lectured at the college, and renounced his career and began teaching his disciples after a pilgrimage to Mecca

3. Al-Ghazali’s Conversion Al-Ghazali wanted to communicate his new belief that the practices and restrictions of Islam were meaningless with out a proper understanding of their meaning. Al-Ghazali began practicing Sufism because, at its root, concerns one’s own relationship with Allah and not the rules and restrictions of Islam. Sufism allowed al-Ghazali to search for the true reality of the world. Al-Ghazali’s conversion was a manifestation of a new stage in Islam. Ghazali spent the next ten years in or between the cities of Damascus, Mecca, Medina, and Tus practicing Sufism and teaching his new desciples.

4. Sources http://www.ghazali.org/ www.trincoll.edu/depts/phil/philo/phils/musl im/ghazali.html http://mdhd.tripod.com/ghazali1.html