Al-Ghazali

19 Mar, 2015 180 Ancient, medieval, and Eastern philosophy

Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the life and work of Al-Ghazali, a major philosopher and theologian of the late 11th century. Born in Persia, he was one of the most prominent intellectuals of his age, working in such centres of learning as Baghdad, Damascus and Jerusalem. He is now seen as a key figure in the development of Islamic thought, not just refining the theology of Islam but also building on the existing philosophical tradition inherited from the ancient Greeks.

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Guests

  • Peter Adamson 7 episodes
    Professor of Late Ancient and Arabic Philosophy at the LMU in Munich
  • Carole Hillenbrand 3 episodes
    Professor of Islamic History at Edinburgh and St Andrews Universities
  • Robert Gleave 4 episodes
    Professor of Arabic Studies at the University of Exeter

Reading list

  • The Incoherence of the Philosophers
    Al-Ghazali (trans. M. E. Marmura) (Brigham Young University, 2002)
  • Freedom and Fulfillment: An annotated translation of Al-Ghazali al-Munqidh min al-Dalal and other relevant works of Al-Ghazali
    Al-Ghazali (trans. R. J. McCarthy) (Twayne Publishers, 1980)
  • Creation and the Cosmic System: Al-Ghazali and Avicenna
    Richard M. Frank (C. Winter, 1992) Google Books →
  • Al-Ghazali and the Ash'arite School
    Richard M. Frank (Duke University Press, 1994) Google Books →
  • Al-Ghazali's Philosophical Theology
    Frank Griffel (Oxford University Press, 2012) Google Books →
  • Ideas, Images, and Methods of Portrayal: Insights into Classical Arabic Literature and Islam
    Sebastian Gunther (ed.) (Brill, 2005) Google Books →
  • Probing in Islamic Philosophy: Studies In The Philosophies Of Ibn Sina
    M. E. Marmura (Global Academic Publishing, 2004) Google Books →
  • Islamic Philosophy and Mysticism
    Parviz Morewedge (ed.) (Caravan Books, 1981) Google Books →
  • Ghazali: The Revival of Islam
    Eric Ormsby (Oneworld Publications, 2007) Google Books →
  • Ghazali's Unique Unknowable God
    F. Shehadi (E. J. Brill, 1964) Google Books →
  • Al-Ghazali, The Mystic: A Study of the Life and Personality of Abu Hamid Muhammad Al-Tusi Al-Ghazali
    Margaret Smith (Luzac & Co, 1944) Google Books →
  • Muslim Intellectual: A Study of al-Ghazali
    W. Montgomery Watt (Edinburgh University Press, 1963)
  • The Faith and Practice of Al-Ghazali
    W. Montgomery Watt (First published 1951, Oneworld Publications, 1995) Google Books →

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Programme ID: b055j9rv

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Auto-category: 181.07 (Islamic philosophy)

Hello (First sentence from this episode) Hello. In the 11th century AD, the Middle East, particularly the cities of Baghdad, Damascus and Jerusalem, was a flourishing centre of learning and cultural activity.