11th-century Persian philosopher Abu Hamid al-Ghazali writes, in The Alchemy of Happiness, that we humans eat, fight, and make love, and that, "In this regard, you are equal to any animal. You have to seek the reality within yourself…What are you? Where have you come from and where are you going? What is your role in the world? Why have you been created? Where does your happiness and your misery lie? If you would like to know yourself…the reality of your existence is in your inwardness. Everything is a servant of your inward heart.”
Seeking the answers to al-Ghazali's questions is a lifelong quest. Let's get started now. Please write a paragraph or more in response to each of the questions:
Seeking the answers to al-Ghazali's questions is a lifelong quest. Let's get started now. Please write a paragraph or more in response to each of the questions:
- What are you?
- Where have you come from and where are you going?
- What is your role in the world? Why have you been created?
- Where does your happiness and your misery lie?