ly. Ghazzali
is consequently to be regarded as a decided adherent of Sufism and as
approving of the enthusiastic tendencies accompanying it. He narrates in
his autobiography[7] how he left his family in Bagdad and went to
Damascus, where for two whole years he studied Sufism. Afterwards he
made the pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina. In his lonely musings things
were revealed to him, which, he said, could not be described, and he
arrived at last at the firm conviction that the Sufis were on the way of
God and that their teaching was the best. It must be admitted that by
Sufism Ghazzali meant that kind of it which held fast to the general
principles of Islam and was in accord, even though only externally, with
the orthodox party. These Sufis adhered to the Koran and the traditions,
but interpreted them allegorically. Mysticism must always be propped up
by a positive religion, as it has no support in itself.

[5] From Von Kremer.

[6] Von Kremer.

[7] "The Confessions of Al Ghazzali" (Wisdom of the East
series).

CHAPTER II

HASAN BASRI[8]
(D 728 AD)

Hasan Basri was born in Arabia at Medina, where his mother had been
brought as a captive and sold to Omm Salma, one of the wives of the
Prophet. Arrived at man's estate, and having received his liberty, he
retired to Basra on the Persian gulf, a stronghold of the ascetic sect.
Here he lived undisturbed, though his open disavowal of the reigning
family of Ommeyah exposed him to some danger. The following incident,
illustrating his independence of character is narrated by Ibn Khalliqan.
When Omar ibn Hubaira was appointed to the government of Irak in the
reign of the Caliph Abd-al Malik (A.D. 721) he called for Hasan Basri,
Muhammad Ibn Sirin and as Shabi to whom he said, "Abd al Malik has
received my promise that I will hear and obey him; and he has now
appointed me to what you see, and I receive from him written orders.
Must I obey him in whatever orders he takes upon himself to give?" To
this Ibn Sirin and as Shabi gave a cautious reply, but Hasan Basri,
being asked his opinion, made this answer: "O Ibn Hubaira! God outweighs
Abd al Malik, and Abd al Malik cannot outweigh God; God can defend thee
from Abd al Malik, and Abd al Malik cannot defend thee from God. He
will soon send an angel to take thee from thy throne, and send thee from
the width of thy palace into the narrowness of the tomb. Then thy deeds
alone can save thee." Ibn Hubaira then rewar