Depend on you ( follow the instruction) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Depend on you ( follow the instruction) - Essay Example ided that there was no way he could rationalize faith, and discovered another way to figure out the â€Å"truth† which was that of immediate experience which is based on imagination and intuition, not rationality. This is what is taught in the Sufi faith. Ghazali went to Syria to rediscover Islam, and went to live with the Sufi monks. Then he went on a pilgrimage to Mecca. It was during this pilgrimage that he was convinced that he was appointed to be a great reformer of the faith of Islam and his task was to inspire people. He went on to live in seclusion after this part of his life. He died in December 1111. Al Ghazali’s Alchemy of Happiness is one of the many books he wrote during his lifetime. This book shares what he thought of the significance of spirituality and religion in mankind’s quest for happiness. The book itself starts with the words, â€Å"He who knows himself is truly happy†. For Al Ghazali, everyone is perfect but that perfection is covered with the accumulation of worldly passions and animalistic desires. Thus, for him, mankind only requires â€Å"polishing† to achieve that perfection; to be polished is to â€Å"purify the heart from passion and resentment until, like a clear mirror, reflects the light of God†. For him, music and dance are perfect ways of achieving happiness. This is exemplified in the Sufi dervishes. Sufi dervishes are basically spinning, and spinning basically presents the idea that everything revolves around God and He is the center of every activity, as well as he surrounds every activity. As he said, â€Å"music and dance do not put into the heart what is not there already, but only fan into a flame of dormant emotions†. Also, his views on love and marriage proved to be philosophical as well. For him, marriage is an important part in our lives, mainly for the â€Å"worshippers to increase in number†. Although Al Ghazali may be chauvinistic at some point, stating that marriage is convenient because there will be someone to