The Influence of al-Ghazali on the Use of Logic as a Thinking Methodology in Islamic Sciences

Abstract

Al-Ghazali (d. 1111) represents one of the most important turning points in the history of logic in the Islamic world. He emphasized logic in particular in his efforts to remedy the shortcomings he observed in the traditions of Fiqh (Islamic Jurisprudence and Kalam (Islamic Theology) and to make these sciences more systematic. Al-Ghazali's terminology, views, and conceptualizations were influential in the beginning of the use of logic as a methodology of thought in Islamic sciences. Al-Ghazali's work in the field of logic, primarily directed toward practical goals in the religious sciences, presented a comprehensive example of applied logic that had not been seen before. He offered a wide range of suitable examples that could appeal to the minds of those engaged in religious sciences. His emphasis on the importance and value of logic helped spread it throughout the Islamic world and incorporate it into the madrasa curriculum. He ended the debates on logic in Islamic philosophy, thereby establishing a legitimate foundation for logic in the Islamic world. Thus, logic became an important part not only of philosophy but also of all religious sciences, especially theology. Many Islamic thinkers, especially theologians, benefited from logic to acquire knowledge.