The al-Ghazali Enigma and why Shari'a is not Islamic Law - Haifaa G. Khalafallah
Chapter 2: The Texts: On the Shelves
The al-Ghazali Enigma and why Shari'a is not Islamic Law - Haifaa G. Khalafallah
Haifaa G. Khalafallah [+]
Sinai Centre for Islamic Mediterranean Studies
Description
This chapter considers the sum of the written records that this Muslim scholar left behind. Those who describe Ghazali as extremist or modernizer draw on these records, but of a particular period. Unaware of the changes and continuities in Ghazali's overall legacy, many researchers do not connect his arguments with the ever-evolving context in which Ghazali wrote or spoke and, therefore, miss the import of his ideas. With an eye on their settings, the examination of the texts that Ghazali left behind starts with his books. His newspapers columns, videotaped interviews, television appearances, and transcripts of his Friday sermons then follow, highlighting the possible impact each of such medium might have had on his audience.