Page:A Moslem seeker after God - showing Islam at its best in the life and teaching of al-Ghazali, mystic and theologian of the eleventh century (IA moslemseekeraft00zwem).pdf/274



was rounded and complete, but Ghazali was one of those whose reach exceeds their grasp; he was always striking after something he had not at tained, and stands in many respects nearer to mod ern mind than Averroes. Renan, though far from sympathizing with his religious earnestness, calls him the most original mind among Arabian philosophers/

The disciple of Al-Ghazali is perhaps of all Mos lems the nearest to the Gospel, and we may hope that when his works are carefully studied and com pared with the teaching of Christianity many may find in him a schoolmaster to lead them to Christ. Educated Moslems of to-day may well heed the warning with which Al-Ghazali closes his " Con fessions ": " The knowledge of which we speak is not derived from sources accessible to human dili gence, and that is why progress in mere worldly knowledge renders the sinner more hardened in his revolt against God. True knowledge, on the con trary, inspires in him who is initiated in it more fear and more reverence, and raises a barrier of defense between him and sin. He may slip and stumble, it is true, as is inevitable with one encom passed by human infirmity, but these slips and stumbles will not weaken his faith. The true Mos lem succumbs occasionally to temptation but he repents and will not persevere obstinately in the path of error. I pray God the Omnipotent to place us in the ranks of His chosen, among the number