The first Turkish edition of this celebrated book of
’Ilm-i-hâl, which Allâhu ta’âlâ
has blessed us with the lot of
printing in Latin alphabet, was accomplished in 960 [A.D. 1552] by hadrat
Suleymân bin Jezâ. This book, a major part of which has been borrowed from the
book Ihya-ul-’Ulûm by
Hujjat-ul-islâm Imâm-i-Ghazâlî and the rest from other authentic religious
books, was by mistake entitled Hujjat-ul-islâm, which caused it to be confused with Hujjat-ul-islâm
Imâm-i-Ghazâlî’s book Eyyuhelveled (Eyyu-h-al-walad), so that most people think that the version is a
Turkish translation of that book.
The book Eyyuhel Veled is in Arabic and copies of it
exist in our various libraries, e.g. in Belediye Kütübhânesi at Bâyezit, with
serial numbers 812 and 941. Its Turkish version as well exists in libraries,
for instance in Nuriosmaniyye Kütübhânesi. We have translated into Turkish some
parts from a Persian version, which is registered with the serial number 97-
If any person thanks or praises any other person in
any way at any place at any time for any reason, this thanksgiving completely
belongs to Allâhu ta’âlâ by rights. For He, alone, is the One who creates
everything, educates and brings up everything, causes and sends every sort of
goodness. He, alone, is the owner of power and might.
May all benedictions and goodnesses be over Muhammad
‘alaihis-salâm’, His Messenger and beloved darling, and over those who are
close and beloved to him and over all his As-hâb!
Hadrat Muhammad Ghazâlî, a great Imâm, a great leader of Muslims,
an authentic document proving that Muslims are right and correct, (may Allâhu ta’âlâ have plenty of mercy on him), was born
in the city of Tus in the hijrî year 450, and passed away there in 505 [A.D.
1111]. One day one of his disciples, who had served him for many years and
learned all kinds of knowledge from him, thought to himself, “For all these
years I have endeavoured hard and learned a lot of things. I wonder what part
of all this
knowledge is the most necessary and the most useful for me? What
is the knowledge that will come to my rescue in the Hereafter, which will be my
companion in grave when all my friends go away and leave me alone, and will
save me on the Rising Day when mothers will forsake their children, brothers
will run away from one another, worldly friends will overlook each other and
everybody will be in a flurry of saving his head? And what knowledge is
unnecessary in the world and in the Hereafter? I wish I knew it and discard it?
For our Prophet ‘sall-Allâhu alaihi wa sallam’
stated, ‘May Allâhu ta’âlâ protect
us against learning useless knowledge, against a heartwho does not fear Allâhu
ta’âlâ, against a nafs that will notbe satiated with
worldlies, against eyes that will not weep for Allah, and against a prayer that
will not deserve acceptance’.”
After thinking for a long time, he decided to learn the answers to his
questions and wrote a letter to his teacher Hujjat-ul-islâm Imâm-i-Ghazâlî (may Allâhu ta’âlâ fill his grave with nûr). Begging his
teacher to pronounce benedictions over him, he added, “The answer to this
question of mine is written in your books, i.e. in Ihyâ-ul-’Ulûm,
Kimyâ-yi-sa’âdat, Tafsîrs, Hadîth-i-Erba’în, and
Minhâj. However, will you please
write me a concise, clear and useful answer so that I shall read it every
morning and act accordingly.”
Hujjat-ul-islâm Imâm-i-Ghazâlî wrote the following
answer and sent it: