Al-Ghazali — Lettre à Nizamuddin Ahmad ibn Ishaq

To His Excellency Nizamuddin Ahmed bin Ishak, bin Ali bin 'Ati ibn Ishak Allah says: "And for everyone is a direction for which he turns. So race in goodness." Koran, Chapter 2 verse 148. By these words He means that we should set out own unconventional pattern or honest purpose in life and a steady obedience to the rule which we know to be right. If true holiness is true mindedness, that is the best purpose of life, fitting the individual best in all his relationships as a social being. The wise person who would make for himself the best and most out of life will take good care of this purpose and gratify every sense as well in as many ways as he can because the highest happiness exists as the only consolation in the deep and habitual feeling of devotion. Those who set the best purpose in life may be divided into three groups: #Those who are indifferent to the realities of life are the most common. #Those who are wise and live in conformity to nature. #Those who are enlightened on the mysteries of Divine affairs, and whose hearts live the secrets of Allah. The first group look at the world which is a fast-fading shadow, and believe that the pleasures in the world are everlasting. Being over-powered by pleasures and receiving impressions of forms by means of appearances, they become worshippers of wealth and power. It was of such that the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, warned that two wolves could not cause as much destruction to a flock of sheep as wealth and power could to Muslims. The world is a prison and these men of the world are its prisoners. How strange that prisoners should revel in misery? Whosoever prides himself upon this world is lowly; he who is rich is in fact poor and he whose power rests upon it is frail. The Holy Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said: "Allah will inflict punishment on those who worship wealth and wear expensive clothing.…