Imam al-Ghazali

Edoardo Albert is a London-based writer of Italian and Sri Lankan extraction. He specialises in religion, travel and archaeology, and gets up early in the morning (5am!) to write stories.

This slim volume outlining the life of Imam al-Ghazali, an 11th-century Muslim scholar and saint, is fairly sparse in content, reviewing only the most important biographical details of al-Ghazali’s life, from his birth in what is now Iran to his scholarly career and his later years when he abandoned scholarship, turned to Sufism, and traveled the Middle East as a mendicant and mystic. Al-Ghazali is a fascinating figure, and even a short biography like this reveals his importance in the history of Islamic thought. Readers looking for a basic introduction will be satisfied with the straightforward prose, inclusion of beautiful photographs and medieval paintings, and inset boxes with background information about al-Ghazali’s cultural and historical context. The simple prose and abundance of b&w illustrations may also pique the interest of younger readers and serve as a gateway to further reading about Islamic history and culture. Part of a series of short books aimed at introducing Islam in small pieces, works like this deserve more attention and a place in high school libraries. Ages 14–up. (Jan.) — Publishers Weekly, November 2012

• Introduction • Who was al-Ghazali?Chapter 1 • ChildhoodChapter 2 • The studentChapter 3 • The young scepticChapter 4 • Professor al-GhazaliChapter 5 • CrisisChapter 6 • A new lifeChapter 7 • Going back to his rootsChapter 8 • What was al-Ghazali like?TimelineGlossaryBibliographyFurther readingIndexThe author