Therapy of Zuhd Based on Al- Ghazali Spiritual Theory Through Kitab Al-Arbain Fi Usul Al-Din

Abstract

Within the ambit of tasawwuf discipline, zuhd is defined as a quality that put the life of hereafter on the higher point compared to this temporary worldly life. Besides, it is one of the praiseworthy actions and demanded to be practiced by Muslims. Nonetheless, this article is trying to discuss the quality of zuhd based on spiritual theory of al-Ghazali (w.505D) in order to face the current challenges. This research used the content analysis method by referring the al-Ghazali masterpiece entitled “al-Arbain Fi Usul al-Din”. This study found that the quality of zuhd that have been discussed by al-Ghazali is parallel to what had been projected by the prominent Sufi masters such as al-Hasan al-Basri (d. 10H/ 729 AD) (Mat Saad, 2011), al-Harawi (d. 481H/ 1089 AD). Besides, al-Ghazali in this writing piece also focussed on how to inculcate the zuhd quality within the human soul. This study concludes that zuhd that had been shown by al-Ghazali and the previous prominent Sufi masters is referring to an action of enjoying the worldly pleasures moderately and not putting the luxurious life as their aim of life. This study also found that the zuhd portrayed by them able to shun the extreme feeling of loving the worldly pleasures that always favoured by soul cum brings the destruction to social life.