نقد موضع غزالي در باره صوفيه

A Critical Review of Ghazli’s Approach to Sufism

غزالي در سير حقيقت‌طلبي خويش پس از كلام، فلسفه و باطنيه به طريقه صوفيه روي مي آورد. وي مرتبه صوفيان را تا جايي ارتقا مي دهد كه عقل توان درك آن را ندارد و همه حركات و سكنات آنان را مقتبس از نور نبوت مي‌‌داند. از اين رو، برخلاف متكلمان، فلاسفه و باطنيه، انتقاد مهمي‌‌را متوجه آنان نمي كند. البته او خود در رتبه عارفان بزرگ قرار نمي گيرد و فاقد بسياري از تجارب ايشان است. آثار عرفاني او نيز بسيار ضعيف تر از عرفاي ديگر است. هر چند تربيتي صوفيانه داشته و در محيطي صوفيانه پرورش يافته ولي وجود پير و مرشد كه به اذعان خود او از لوازم سير و سلوك عارفانه است در زندگي‌اش گزارش نشده است. وجود چنين گرايش‌ها و عواملي صوفي دانستن غزالي را دچار شك و ترديد مي كند.

In his quest for truth, Ghazali embraced Sufism, after his involvement with theology, philosophy and Batinism. He elevates Sufis’ position to such a degree that reason fails to grasp its meaning. He treats the whole of Sufis’ praxis as something inferred from prophecy light. A study of Ghazali’s ideas shows that other factors and motives apart from is quest for truth influenced his preference for Sufism, and his tendency to introduce the group as a salvaged sect and to give precedence over other sects of the time. Ghazali is not considered one of the great mystics, he lacks their experiences and his works are of a lower status compared with those of the great mystics. Although he was raised in an environment influenced by Sufism, he is not reported to have had a mentor as a necessary element of the mystical journey as acknowledged by Ghazali himself. Such tendencies and the factors mentioned above cast doubt on his identification with Sufis.