Nur al-Habib Foundation

'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.

This course covers the second half of book 14 of the Ihya Ulum al-Din: Kitab al-Halal wa al-Haram. It comprises the 18th semester of the entire course, which is a detailed read through and analysis/commentary of one of the greatest masterworks of the Islamic tradition. It deals  with a number of important topics, including how to deal with the doubtful, the degrees of precaution, and navigating an imperfect (and sometimes corrupt) political and social establishment.

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).

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.

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.

The Shaykh will analyse the words and wisdom of the Imam, seeking to draw out the eternal principles and contextualising his teachings so as to maximise the benefit for the students.