Based on my understanding of the beauty and aestetic concept by imam al ghazali, he also known

as Abu Hamid Muhammad Ibn Muhammad At-Tusi Al-Ghazali, The concept of beauty gave a different
meaning to Imam Al-Ghazali, the most famous Islamic thinker even in the west. Despite the fact that he
did not consider himself a philosopher, he is considered as one of the most influential figures in the fields
of philosophy and Sufism. His achievements in the field of Islamic philosophy are unmatched, making
him the "Hujjatul Islam," or "proof of Islam." Imam Al-Ghazali’s influence in Islam has been deep and
widespread. His works have been read and studied more commonly than any other Muslim writers. His
teachings have also been accepted and turned into a way of life. But most people are unaware that Al-
Ghazali has written extensively on the issue of glory.To him, his concept of beauty is based on a Sufi’s
point of view which is, everything in the universe is created by God and each one of it shows God’s
majesty and beauty; thus, every event in humans’ life also shows God’s way of guiding them.

According to Imam Ghazali, Beauty is defined as perfection in life that gives satisfaction, love and
peace of mind. Furthermore, Love has three hyrachical stages,firstly is the highest level is to love
ALLAH. The ideal beauty of God will be perceived through human 6 th sense of the eyes of the soul or
intellectuality. The love toward God will be fulfilled by practicing ‘amal makruf and nahi munkar.
Secondly is to love beauty for god sake. This type of love is to enjoy the beauty without any sense of
greediness, nafs and jealousy. Solely to appreciate the pleasure of god’s gift towards human being and
nature. Lastly is the basic and lowest type of love is to love oneself. You got to love your goodself, family
and property. To protect yourself and family from any harmfullness is the most important aspect in this
love.He also say to get what you love, you must first be patient wiith what you hate.Base on His famous
book The Alchemy of happiness are a commentary on the famous verse in hadith.‘He who knows himself
knows God.’ and he has been accepted as an orthodox authority by the Muslims, among whom his title
Hujjatul-Islam (The Proof of Islam) Then the alchemy may be briefly described as turning away from the
world to God, and it constituents are four.

Firstly is the knowledge of self, it is a key to the knowledge of God, according to the saying “He
who knows himself knows God” and written in Quran, “Soon will We show them Our signs in the
(furthest) region (of the earth) and in themselves, until it becomes manifest to them that this is the
Truth…” (Quran 41:53) and“I know myself”, meaning your outward shape, body, face, limbs, and so
forth, such knowledge can never be a key to the knowledge of God. Also described about human feelings
and desire and followed some of human attribute are those of animals, some of devils and some of angels,
and human have to find out which of these attributes are accidental and which essential. Then Step to self-
knowledge is to know that you are composed of an outward shape, called body, and an inward entity
called the heart or soul and Some idea of the reality of heart, or spirit, may be obtained by man closing his
eyes and forgetting everything around except his individuality.

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 Secondly is a key to the knowledge of God, according to the saying “He who knows himself
knows God”: that is by contemplation of his own being and attributes man arrives at some knowledge of
God. -when a man further considers how his various food, lodging. Etc., are amply supplied from the
storehouse of creation, he becomes aware that God’s mercy is as great as His power and wisdom, as He
has Himself said, “My mercy is grater than My wrath,” and according to the Prophet’s saying, “God is
more tender to His servants than a mother to her suckling-child. “Thus from his own creation man comes
to know God’s existence, from the wonders of his bodily frame God’s power and wisdom, and God’s love
from the ample provision made for his various needs. In this way the knowledge of oneself becomes a key
to the knowledge of God.

Thirdly The knowledge of this world as it really is, this world is a stage or market-place passed
by pilgrims on their way to the Next. And while man is in this worlds, two things are necessary for him
First is the protection and nurture of his soul, Secondly the care and nurture of his body. The proper
nourishment of the soul as show previously is the knowledge and love of God, and to be absorbed in the
love of anything but God is the ruin of the soul. Then, Men’s bodily needs are simple, being comprised
under three heads: Food, Clothing and a Dwelling-place. But the bodily desires which were implanted in
him with a view to procuring these are apt to rebel against reason, which is of later growth than they.
However Considering the world with which we have for a time to do, we find it divided into three
departments-Animals, Vegetable, and Mineral. The products of all three are continually needed by man
have given rise to three principal occupations.

Lastly is the knowledge of the next world as it really is, as regards the joy of heaven and the pains
of hell which will follow this life. But it often escapes them that there is also a spiritual heaven and hell,
concerning the former of which God said to His Prophet, “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither has it
entered into the heart of man to conceive the things which are prepared for the righteous. Moreover the
effect of death on the composite nature of man is as follows: Man has two souls, physical soul and a
spiritual soul, the latter is angelic nature.

In conclusion, the concept of love written by Imam Al Ghazali tells about beauty and aesthetic
concept from his personal point of view, imam Al Ghazali focuses a lot on describing beauty from
various possible perspectives and knowing its purest form, solely based on love for God. Only God who
is perfect in beauty, holy, independent, omnipotent, most sublime, all -loving and all -generous and all -
knowing. With all this knowledge of His attributes we still do not even know Him as he is. Beauty is
meant to produce love, because all beings, attributes and works of God possess its beauty, and everyone
loves the beautiful from various perspectives. Furthermore, Beauty is a vision in which something gives
pleasure to a person for a reason other than mental stimulation, personal gain or the gratification of

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natural powers. This is the kind we see today mostly and we rarely get to see spiritual beauty. Beauty is in
the eyes of people, who feel, what is beautiful to one may seem very disgusting to another. This leads us
to believe that beauty exists and does not exist at the same time for a particular person at a particular time.
Al-Ghazali also says that beauty is actually anything that reminds us of the true infinite origin of the
nature of existence created by God himself. We are naturally attracted to beauty because this and
everything related to this has a direct relationship with God because he is the only infinite creator.

REFERENCES
1. http://naungan_nur_wahyu.tripod.com/id17.html
2. Fakhrul Yusof, 2015, Imam Al-Ghazali
https://prezi.com/f1lrq_6pmohp/imam-al-ghazali/

3. A.G. Widgery, Al-Ghazali, Some Religious & Moral Teachings, 1921

https://oll.libertyfund.org/titles/ghazali-some-religious-and-moral-teachings/simple#lf0873_head_009