Ihya Ulum al-Din, Book 2: The Book of Belief

The Foundations of Belief is Book 2 of al-Ghazālī’s Revival of the Religious Sciences.

The creed can be recited in under a minute. This book asks whether it could be defended, and whether it has reached the heart. Al-Ghazālī states the belief of the People of the Sunnah article by article, then shows how it should be taught — to a child, to a beginner, to a doubter — and how far a proof is meant to go. Reason is given its work. Revelation is left standing where it stands.

This English is taken from the classical Arabic of the Iḥyāʾ, not rebuilt from an older translation. It can be read straight through, or studied beside the original.

Know what you believe. Then you can be asked anything.