This spiritual autobiography describes Imam Abu Hamid al-Ghazali's intellectual crisis, which led him to achieve direct knowledge of God. Among his most outstanding contributions to Muslim intellectual life were masterly defenses of Islamic orthodoxy, mysticism, and law, against the attacks of those who advocated purely legalistic, or entirely esoteric, readings of the religion. He hence articulated the Islam of the middle way, in balance between the extremes of the letter and the spirit. Also included in this volume are extensive translations from key works of al-Ghazali.

Editor's preface -- Introduction -- Deliverance from error: the translation -- Notes to the translation -- The appendices. Appendix I: Fayṣal al-Tafriqa bayn al-Islām wa l-Zandaqa [The clear criterion for distinguishing between Islam and godlessness] ; Appendix II: Faḍāʼiḥ al-Bāṭiniyya wa Faḍāʼil al-Mustaẓhiriyya [The infamies (enormities) of the Bātinites and the virtues (merits) of the Mustaẓhirites] ; Appendix III: Al-Qisṭās al-Mustaqīm [The correct balance] ; Appendix IV: Al-Maqṣad al-asnāʼ fī sharḥ Maʻāni asmāʼ Allāh al-ḥusnā [The noblest of aims in the explanation of God's fairest names] ; Appendix V: Kitāb Sharḥ ʻAjāʼib al-Qalb [The book of the marvels of the heart].