A Review of Abu Hamed Ghazali's View about the Internality of Practical Obstacles of Realization of Moral Act

Among Muslim scholars, Abu Hamed Muhammad Ghazali puts great emphasis on self-knowledge and self-analysis to know the factors and obstacles of realization of moral act. His view about why man's moral knowledge does not necessarily lead to relevant moral act approximates to Aristotle's view which considers overcoming the weak will as well as the existence of knowledge necessary in this regard. Ghazali provides six stages for the formation of moral act which should be followed through not only providing the factors of realization of moral act but also removing its obstacles. Five obstacles can be extracted from Ghazali's sayings in Ihyae Ulum-edDeen, (The Revival of the Religious Sciences). The analysis of Ghazali's words about each of these obstacles- especially Satan- and his view about and good and bad stray thoughts in man shows that he most likely regards the origin of all of these obstacles internal, not an independent and external factor which inters into man in some way. If such a view is accepted, it will have important influences on considering, knowing and defining moral factors and obstacles, as well as on man's moral training; it can also be proposed as a comprehensive view, even beyond the boundaries of a particular religion and denomination.