The Alchemy of Happiness

What It's About

The Alchemy of Happiness is Al-Ghazali's own condensed, Persian-language version of his monumental Arabic work, Ihya Ulum al-Din (The Revival of the Religious Sciences). Written for a general readership rather than scholars, it distills his teachings on the inner life into a practical guide, covering knowledge of the self, knowledge of God, and the nature of this world and the next. Its underlying aim is to show the path toward true happiness, understood not as worldly pleasure but as spiritual fulfilment attained through the soul's purification.

Key Concepts

Central to the book is the idea that self-knowledge is the necessary starting point for knowledge of God. Al-Ghazali also addresses the discipline of self-examination, the place of marriage within a religious life, and the contested question of whether music and dancing can serve as aids to devotion rather than distractions from it. Throughout, the goal is the liberation of the soul from worldly attachment in pursuit of nearness to God.

About the Author

Al-Ghazali (1058–1111) was a Persian theologian, jurist, philosopher, and mystic, widely regarded as one of the most significant thinkers in Islamic history. He is particularly known for reconciling orthodox Islamic theology with Sufi mysticism at a time when the two were often seen as being in tension.

About This Edition

This is a 1910 translation by Claud Field.