Al-Ghazali on Vigilance and Self-examination is the thirty-eighth chapter of the Revival of the Religious Sciences and follows on from Al-Ghazali on Intention, Sincerity & Truthfulness. Here Ghazali focuses on the different stations of steadfastness in religion (murabata), vigilance and self-examination being its cornerstones. As in all his writings, Ghazali bases his arguments on the Qur’an, the example of the Prophet and the sayings of numerous scholars and Sufis. As relevant today as it was in the 11th century, this discourse will be of interest to anyone concerned with ethics and moral philosophy.

While this present work is entitled Vigilance and Self-examination, the main virtue is ‘steadfast commitment’ (murabata): vigilance and self-examination being two of its stations. Al-Ghazali refers to the Qur’an and states that God has enjoined upon creation patience and steadfast commitment and that the latter is made up of six stations: agreeing the conditions the soul must follow (musharata), vigililance (muraqaba), self-examination (muhasaba), punishment (mu’aqaba), renewed striving (mujahada) and, finally, censure (mu’ataba). Of these six stations, al-Ghazali gives particular attention to vigilance and self-examination which he considers to be the cornerstone of steadfast commitment.

‘…the series as a whole, [is] a significant contribution to our understanding of this key figure in Islamic intellectual thought.’
Oliver Leaman, BRISMES Bulletin.