INTRODUCTION Dear seeker, your purpose here on Earth is to actualize your servitude to God Most High, as He says,

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A Mureed’s Guide
to Al-Ghazali’s Minhaj Al-Abideen
By Ramzy Ajem

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INTRODUCTION
Dear seeker, your purpose here on Earth is to actualize your
servitude to God Most High, as He says,
“I have only created the Jinn and Mankind, that they may serve Me.”
(Quran 51:56)
Servitude to God entails worshipping Him and that is the whole
point of acquiring sacred knowledge. Worship is the harvest of this
life, the foremost achievement of every man and woman, the
merchandise of the saints, the way of those determined, and the
path to felicity and paradise. God the Transcendent says,
“I am your Lord so worship Me!” (Quran 21:92), and
“Behold, this is a recompense for you, and your striving is
thanked.” (Quran 76:22).
Striving is required because the path to Paradise is riddled with a
variety of hurdles. This is why the Prophet ‫ﷺ‬ said,
“Paradise is surrounded by unpleasantries, and the Fire is
surrounded by delightful impulses.” [Al-Bukhari & Muslim]
Moreover, our social context and peculiar time in history does not
make Paradise any more easy to attain as seekers are few, good
company is rare, working hours are long, and distractions are more
pervasive than ever. For these reasons, it is crucial that every seeker
have a clear understanding of the Seven Primordial Hurdles
(`aqabat) along this path and how to methodically overcome each,
as Imam Abu Hamid Al-Ghazali elucidates in his book Minhaj
A Mureed’s Guide to Al-Ghazali’s Minhaj Al-Abideen - Draft Copy v2.5 R. Ajem
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3. Al-Abideen ila Jannati Rabil ‘Alameen (The Worshipper’s Way to
Paradise).
This classic is perhaps the most concise and beneficial of his works
on this topic. It is his last written work, tailored for the average
seeker of his era to help conquer the seven hurdles (`aqabat) on the
path of servitude and worship. Explaining why he wrote it, the
Imam says:
“Upon finding these hurdles on the path, we contemplated
deeply on how to traverse it, and what a servant will need
in terms of attitudes, tools, theoretical strategies and
practical approaches, so as to secure his journey by God’s
succor without being stumped by its ruinous obstacles […]
And so God answered me, as it is He who answers the call
of those in dire need, by showing me the secrets of the
path, and inspiring me to place down a wondrous order in
this book, the likes of which have not been mentioned in
all of my previous works.”
In an attempt to make these teachings readily accessible to a
western audience, I have authored this text as a guide to
Al-Ghazali’s Minhaj Al-Abideen. May God make it a means of
success and felicity for every English-speaking Muslim who is
chosen to travel this path.
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4. HOW IS GUIDANCE TO THE PATH OF WORSHIP REALIZED?
1. Divine Providence
When a divine inspiration is made on the heart towards guidance,
one may experience an inclination within to worship God. This is
evidenced in the meaning of His words:
“Is he whose breast God has expanded unto Islam, so he walks
in a light from his Lord.” (Quran 39:22)
The Messenger of God ‫ﷺ‬ alluded to this meaning when he said,
“Verily when light (nur) enters the heart, it is opened and
expanded. They asked, “O Messenger of God, is there any
sign of this light by which it may be recognized?” He said,
“Yes. Indifference to the abode of illusion, retreating to the
abode of eternality, and preparation for death before its
arrival.” [Al-Hakim, Al-Mustadrak]
This heartfelt light prompts you to notice blessings that you
perpetually enjoy. As one becomes more cognizant of his or her
wellbeing, abilities, intellect, speech, and other favors, the more
one feels a sense of gratitude to the Bestower of these blessings, and
fears reprisal or loss for being ungrateful.
2. The Call of the Messenger ‫ﷺ‬
When the most influential human being in the history of mankind
makes an extraordinary claim, it cannot go unexamined by
onlookers. Our Master Muhammad ibn Abdullah ‫ﷺ‬ (c. 570 CE
– 632 CE) is God’s Servant and Final Messenger sent to all people
entirely. He was aided by inimitable miracles (mu’jizat), the reports
of which have been mass transmitted from every generation to the
next until it reached us preserved in content and in transmission.
Any thoughtful mortal would certainly pay heed to his call and
consider the truth of his claim, especially when considering that it
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5. confirms the universal truth of God’s existence and Oneness and all
prior messages of previous Messengers. Ignoring the Warner of
eternal punishment (al-Nazir) is not an option for anyone who
receives an invitation to think and investigate his claim, ‫ﷺ‬.
If one genuinely reflects over the life and reputation of this
Messenger ‫ﷺ‬, one will be persuaded to respond in some
meaningful way to his claim. The way towards Iman is the way of
knowledge because through it, truth is recognized and claims are
verified. The entirety of his message is contained in “There is no
deity besides God and Muhammad is the Messenger of God” and
studying it entails acquiring genuine knowledge from his
inheritors who have preserved it for us in text and in meaning.
The essential message involves acquiring knowledge of:
1. God, His Oneness, Attributes and Acts;
2. God’s Messengers and their necessary qualities;
3. The Unseen, such as Revelation, Divine Destiny, the
Angels, Life after Death, the Day of Judgement, and
Paradise and Hell;
4. and Human accountability to worship God through
obedience to Him.
Learning this knowledge marks the beginning of the path of
worship and its first challenge.
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6. WHAT ARE THE SEVEN HURDLES?
There are seven hurdles along the path of servitude and worship;
which are:
1. Sacred Knowledge ‫ﻋﻘﺒﺔ‬
‫اﻟﻌﻠﻢ‬
2. Repentance ‫ﻋﻘﺒﺔ‬
‫اﻟﺘﻮﺑﺔ‬
3. Impediments ‫ﻋﻘﺒﺔ‬
‫اﻟﻌﻮاﺋﻖ‬
4. Hindrances ‫ﻋﻘﺒﺔ‬
‫اﻟﻌﻮارض‬
5. Incentives ‫ﻋﻘﺒﺔ‬
‫اﻟﺒﻮاﻋﺚ‬
6. Impairments ‫ﻋﻘﺒﺔ‬
‫اﻟﻘﻮادح‬
7. Praise & Gratitude ‫ﻋﻘﺒﺔ‬
‫اﻟﺤﻤﺪ‬
‫واﻟﺸﻜﺮ‬
The seven hurdles are in the chronological order of one’s spiritual
journey, each occurring with the gradual progression on the path
of worship. Each challenge is either a hurdle that blocks you from
reaching your destination or a rite of passage, which if dealt with
properly, allows one to move onto the next stage in one’s spiritual
journey. Each hurdle has prescribed remedies that help one
overcome it and continue the journey.
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