odoxy
impugned, as appears from a striking story narrated by the Arabic
historian Abu'l Feda. He tells us that Ghazzali's most important work,
"The revival of the religious sciences" had created a great sensation
when it reached Cordova. The Muhammadan theologians of Spain were
rigidly orthodox, and accused the work of being tainted by heresy. They
represented to the Caliph Ali Ibn Yusuf that not only this but all
Ghazzali's other works which circulated in Andalusia should be collected
and burnt, which was accordingly done. Not long after, a young Berber
from North Africa named Ibn Tumart wandered to Bagdad, where he attended
Ghazzali's lectures. Ghazzali noticing the foreigner, accosted him, and
inquired regarding religious affairs in the West, and how his works had
been received there. To his horror he learned that they had been
condemned as heretical and committed to the flames by order of the
Almoravide Caliph Ali. Upon this, Ghazzali, raising his hands towards
heaven, exclaimed in a voice shaken with emotion, "O God, destroy his
kingdom as he has destroyed my books, and take all power from him." Ibn
Tumart, in sympathy with his teacher, said, "O Imam[44] Ghazzali, pray
that thy wish may be accomplished by my means." And so it happened. Ibn
Tumart returned to his North African, proclaimed himself a Mahdi, gained
a large following among the Berbers, and overthrew Ali and the dynasty
of the Almoravides. This story is not entirely beyond doubt, but shows
the importance attached by Ghazzali's contemporaries to his influence
and teaching.

As an example of Ghazzali's ethical earnestness, we may quote the
following from his Ihya-ul-ulum ("Revival of the religious sciences").
He refers to the habit common to all Muhammadans of ejaculating, "We
take refuge in God." "By the fear of God," he says, "I do not mean a
fear like that of women when their eyes swim and their hearts beat at
hearing some eloquent religious discourse, which they quickly forget and
turn again to frivolity. There is no real fear at all. He who fears a
thing flees from it, and he who hopes for a thing strives for it, and
the only fear that will save thee is the fear that forbids sinning
against God and instils obedience to Him. Beware of the shallow fear of
women and fools, who, when they hear of the terrors of the Lord, say
lightly, 'We take refuge in God,' and at the same time continue in the
very sins which will destroy them. Satan laughs at such pious