The Ihya al-Ulum ad-Din

'Were all books of Islam to be lost, and only the Ihya Ulum al Din remain, it would suffice by itself to revive the religion.' This statement, made by many of the leading Ulama of the past, attests to the unique status of the Ihya in world history.

The Ihya of Imam Hujjat al-Islam Abu Hamid al-Ghazali is unquestionably one of the most important and influential works ever composed. Comprising forty books on the outward and inward aspects of Islam, it traces Ghazali's Ilm Tariq al-Akhira (the knowledge needed for the journey to the life eternal).


About this Course

We would like to welcome you to a unique opportunity to experience the great masterwork of Islam, taught by one of the very few modern commentators of the Ihya, Shaykh Dr Asim Yusuf.

It was a central concern of pietistic Muslims in both early and late Islam, and at times systematised in the concept of the hisba (‘moral police’). A number of scholars wrote works in the subject, but by far the most influential and systematic of these was Ghazali’s treatment in the Ihya Book 19. 

In this semester, Shaykh Asim will delve into the penultimate book of the second quarter of the Ihya. He will analyse Imam Ghazali‘s magisterial survey of the purpose, manner and value of enjoining good and forbidding evil , as well as the nature of the Islamicate world in which it arose and flourished. 

Shaykh Dr Asim Yusuf is recognised as an expert in Ghazali and Islamic spirituality and philosophy. Over the past few years, he has been working his way through the Ihya in one of the only full recitations and teaching of the text being undertaken anywhere in the world.



Introduction to the Ihya Series

Navigating the Ihya: Text, Context and Metatext

Course Details and Lesson Access

  • Online

    This course is accessible via our dedicated student learning platform upon enrolment.

  • Recorded Lessons

    Lessons are approx 90-120 mins in duration with Q&A from students answered at the end.

  • 24/7 Lesson Access

    Lessons are recorded for listening anytime. Access via dedicated learning platform.

What will I learn

  • Shaykh Asim will explore how this central concept of the hisba (moral police) is to be taken forward in a modern world that is very different from the Imam’s time. This will include discussions for example, of political and social engagement, environmental ethics, the nexus between technology, social mores, ethics and revelation, and other questions.

  • In addition to the recitation and translation of the Ihya, Shaykh Asim provides both valuable commentary that keeps the work relevant to the contemporary world, but also uncovers the deep philosophy that underpins the work in terms of Ghazali's 'higher theology' and how this has been understood and transmitted by mystics and philosophers through the ages.

  • As with the other books of the Ihya, Shaykh Asim will thoroughly analyse each of these aspects, exploring the psychological and metaphysical realities that underlie them, and seek to appropriately apply them to modern times. This is in accordance with the theme of this series: Ihya al-Ihya - bringing Ghazali’s masterwork to life in modern times.

Course Venue

Teacher Biography

Shaykh Dr Asim Yusuf is recognised as an expert in Ghazali and Islamic spirituality and philosophy. Over the past 10 years, he has been working his way through the Ihya in one of the only full recitations and teaching of the text being undertaken anywhere in the world. In addition to the recitation and translation of the Ihya, he provides both valuable commentary that keeps the work relevant to the contemporary world, but also uncovers the deep philosophy that underpins the work in terms of Ghazali's 'higher theology' and how this has been understood and transmitted by mystics and philosophers through the ages.

Shaykh Dr Asim Yusuf

Instructor

The Ihya Series: The Ethics of Enjoining Good and Forbidding Evil (Book 19)

'Were all books of Islam to be lost, and only the Ihya Ulum al Din remain, it would suffice by itself to revive the religion.

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