Al-Ghazali on Patience and Thankfulness

Originally written as a manual of spiritual instruction, these writings examine Sufi and mystical influences within the Muslim tradition. A crucial work of medieval Islamic thought, this portion of Revival of the Religious Sciences provides insight into the intellectual and religious history of the Muslim world. The virtues of patience and thankfulness are defined and their place in the Islamic worldview is elucidated, with particular attention paid to their attainment and the influences that divert people from these virtues.
Al-Ghazali on Patience and Thankfulness is a translation of the thirty-second chapter of The Revival of the Religions Sciences (Ihya’ ‘Ulum al-Din) . This chapter fills in the last of the four sections of the Ihya’ , the section dealing with the virtues or what is conducive to salvation. Ghazali here presents definitions for patience and its different forms; the need for patience; the degrees of patience; and why patience is considered to be half of faith. The second part of this chapter deals with thankfulness and again Ghazali gives us definitions for thankfulness, its nature and its blessings. In addition to the translation, Dr Henry Littlejohn provides an extensive introduction which illustrates the importance of the topics of patience and thankfulness in Islam throughout the centuries.