The Strangest Ideas in Al-Ghazali’s The Incoherence of the Philosophers
The Incoherence of the Philosophers by Imam Abu Hamid al-Ghazali stands as one of the most fascinating and controversial works in the history of Islamic thought. Written in the 11th century, it challenged the leading philosophers of his time—such as Avicenna (Ibn Sina) and al-Farabi—and questioned the foundations of their reasoning.
What makes this book extraordinary is not only its subject matter but the way al-Ghazali used the tools of logic and reason to dismantle the philosophers’ own system. It’s both a critique and a masterpiece of philosophy itself.
🧠 1. Al-Ghazali Declared Philosophers Unbelievers in Only Three Issues
Although he debated twenty philosophical questions, al-Ghazali only accused philosophers of unbelief (kufr) in three:
- The eternity of the universe — claiming it has no beginning.
- The belief that God knows only universals, not particulars.
- The denial of bodily resurrection on the Day of Judgment.
While his criticism was sharp, it was also balanced; he labeled other issues as heresies or errors but avoided broad generalizations. This level of intellectual fairness was rare in an age of fierce theological battles.
⚡ 2. Using Philosophy to Defeat Philosophy
One of the book’s strangest features is how al-Ghazali used the philosophers’ own weapons—logic, deduction, and causality—to undermine their claims. He didn’t reject reason; he mastered it and turned it against its authors.
“He did not destroy philosophy; he made it collapse under the weight of its own logic.”
🔥 3. His Revolutionary View on Causality
Al-Ghazali denied that cause and effect are inherently connected. Fire, he argued, does not burn cotton by its nature; God creates the burning whenever the two meet. Every event, therefore, depends directly on divine will, not natural law.
This was a groundbreaking idea that anticipated, centuries later, the skepticism of David Hume—who made a very similar argument without ever reading al-Ghazali.
🌀 4. Rejecting the “Ten Intellects” Theory
Greek-influenced philosophers proposed that the universe was formed through a chain of ten abstract intellects, ending with the “Active Intellect” governing the material world. Al-Ghazali ridiculed this theory, calling it a baseless abstraction born of imagination, not revelation or reason.
😵 5. A Fierce and Unapologetic Tone
At times, al-Ghazali abandoned his usual calm and wrote with striking sharpness, saying of some philosophers:
“Such words could only come from one who imagines himself a god in miniature.”
This language shows the emotional intensity of the intellectual struggle between reason and faith in his era—it wasn’t mere academic debate but a battle for truth itself.
🌍 Influence on Islamic and Western Thought
The Incoherence of the Philosophers reshaped Islamic intellectual history. It weakened Aristotelian philosophy in the East and paved the way for a more spiritual, balanced approach combining mysticism and logic.
In Europe, al-Ghazali’s ideas influenced figures like Thomas Aquinas and later resonated with modern philosophers exploring the limits of causality and divine will.
The book even inspired Ibn Rushd (Averroes) to write his famous response, The Incoherence of the Incoherence, sparking a dialogue between faith and reason that continues to echo today.
📚 Conclusion
Al-Ghazali’s Incoherence remains a bridge between philosophy and faith—a work where intellect meets revelation. His ultimate question still challenges us:
“Can reason alone uncover truth, or does it always need the light of divine guidance?”