T The Concept of Morals in Al-Ghazali's Thought
Abstract
The current decline in morality, evidenced by rising rates of crime and the negative impacts of digital technology on behavior, necessitates a return to established ethical frameworks. This article aims to address these contemporary challenges by analyzing Al-Ghazali’s concept of morals (akhlak) through a qualitative literature study approach. Al-Ghazali defines morals as a firm state of the soul that allows actions to be performed easily without the need for prior deliberation. The analysis focuses on the four internal powers that shape character—the power of knowledge, anger, lust, and justice—and emphasizes that moral perfection is achieved through mujahadah (struggle) and riyadhah (spiritual training). Furthermore, this study outlines Al-Ghazali’s classification of reprehensible traits (madzmumah), categorized into rububiyyah (divine-like arrogance), shaithaniyah (satanic deceit), bahimiyyah (animalistic greed), and sabuiyyah (predatory anger). The findings suggest that the solution to moral decay lies in the integration of faith and practice, where the ultimate goal of studying morals is not merely social order, but achieving ma'rifatullah (knowledge of God) and ultimate happiness in the hereafter.
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