Al-Ghazali : Jesus Christ

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We now give other " sayings " of Jesus, as Al-Ghazali himself does, in somewhat confused order. Although not quotations or even misquotations from the Gospels, they are of interest as completing the list and also because they show what Al-Ghazali and other Moslems thought was the teaching of Jesus the Prophet.

" Said Jesus (on him be peace), ’ How many a sound body and beautiful face and eloquent tongue will to-morrow cry out in the fires of hell !’ " (Vol. IV, p. 383.)

" Said Jesus, ’ Which of you can build a house upon the waves of the sea ? Such is the world ; therefore do not take it as an abiding place’ " (Vol. Ill, p. 141.)

" They said to Jesus,’ Teach us the secret of the love of God’. He replied : ’ Hate the world and God will love you’ " (Vol. Ill, p. 141 ; cf. James 4 : 4.)

" Said Jesus, ’ O my disciples, be satisfied with the least of the world as long as your religion is at peace even as the people of the world are satisfied with the least of religion and their possessions are at peace’" (Vol. Ill, p. 142.)

" Said Jesus, ’ O thou who seekest the world for the sake of pure gold, the forsaking of the world is greater treasure’ " (Vol. Ill, p. 142.)

" They asked Jesus (on him be peace) which is the best of good works. He replied : ’To accept whatever God does with pleasure and to love him’" (Vol. IV, p. 258.)

" Said Jesus the Son of Mary (on him be peace), ’ Woe to the lover of this world how soon he shall die and leave it and all that is in it. The world deceives him and he trusts it and has confidence in it, etc’" (Vol. Ill, p. 141 ; cf. Luke 12 : 21.)

" Said Jesus (on him be peace), ’ Mortify then your bodies that your soul may see your Lord’ " (Vol. Ill, p. 56 ; cf. Rom. 8 : 13.)

" Said Jesus (on him be peace), ’ The likeness of him who teaches good works and does not do them is that of a woman who commits adultery in secret and then the result of her crime becomes evident to all around her from her condition’ " (Vol. I, p. 48.)

"Said Jesus (on him be peace), ’Whosoever turns away a beggar from his house the angels will not visit that dwelling for seven days’ " (Vol. II, p. 162.) This saying is often quoted by Moslems to-day. They all believe Jesus was the friend of the poor and needy.

"Said Jesus (upon him be peace), ’Blessed is he to whom God has taught his book ; he will not die a proud oppressor’ " (Vol. Ill, p. 235.)

" Said Jesus (on him be peace), ’ Blessed is the eye which sleeps and does not regard transgression but is wide-awake for that which is not sinful’ " (Vol. IV, p. 260.)

" The disciples said to Jesus (on him be peace), ’What is the best of good works ?’ He replied : ’ That which is done to God and in which you seek the praise of no one else’ " (Vol. IV, p. 273.)

" Said the disciples of Jesus the Son of Mary : ’ O Spirit of God ! Is there any one on earth like thee ?’ He replied : ’ Yes. For whosoever is girded with the remembrance of God and is silent because of this and who looks only for the favour of God, he is like me.’ " (Vol. IV, p. 305.)

" Said Jesus, ’ Beware of the evil look, for when it is in the heart it produces lust and evil desire.’" (Vol. IV, p. 74 ; cf. Matt. 5 : 28.)

"Said Jesus (on him be peace), ’Whosoever multiplies lies his beauty departs from him : and whosoever increases care his body becomes ill ; and whosoever has a bad character punishes himself.’ " (Vol. Ill, p. 85.)

" Said Jesus : ’ The greatest sin with God is that his servant should say, ’God Knows,’ concerning something which he knows is untrue, or that he tell lies concerning what he has seen in his dreams.’" (Vol. Ill, p. 98.)

" Said Jesus (on him be peace) to his disciples : ’ How would you act if you saw one of your brothers sleeping and the wind had taken off his garment ?’ They said : ’We would cover him.’ Said Jesus : ’ No, but you would expose him.’ They said : ’ God forbid ! Who would do such a thing !’ He replied : ’ When one of you hears a word against his brother he exaggerates it and spreads the report to others !’ " (Vol. II, p. 142.)

" It is related that Jesus (upon him be peace) said,’ O company of disciples, ye are free of transgression, but we the company of apostles are free of infidelity.’" (Vol. IV, p. 124.)

" Said Jesus (on him be peace), ’ With difficulty will the rich man enter paradise’" (Vol. IV, p. 140 ; cf. Christ’s saying, Matt. 19 : 23.)

" Said Jesus (on him be peace),’ Truly I do not love a fixed dwelling place and I dislike the pleasure of the world’ " (Vol. IV, p. 140.)

" Said Jesus (on him be peace), ’ Do not look upon the property of the people of this world for its glory is as nothing in the light of your faith’ " (Vol. IV, p. 144.)

" It was said to Jesus : ’ If you will allow us we will build a house and worship God in it.’ He replied : ’ Go and build a house upon the sea’. They said :’ How can we build upon such a foundation ? ’ He replied : 1 How can your worship exist together with your love of the world ?’" (Vol. IV, p. 158.)

" It is related that Jesus said : ’ Four things do not come to us except with difficulty. Silence, which is the first principle of worship, humility, the abundant remembrance of God and poverty in all things.’" (Vol. IV, p. 159.)

"Said Jesus (on him be peace), ’Verily I say unto you, whosoever seeketh heaven let him eat barley-bread and sleep on the dunghill with the dogs. This is enough for me’ " (Vol. IV, p. 164.)

" Jesus was accustomed to say, ’ O children of Israel, let the water of the brook suffice you and the vegetable of the field and the barley loaf ; and beware of the white loaf for it will keep you from worship’ " (Vol. IV, p. 164.)

"Said Jesus (on him be peace), ’My food is hunger ; all my thoughts are fear of God ; my dress is wool ; my warming-place in winter is the rays of the sun ; my candle is the moon ; my steed is my legs ; my food is fruit that springs from the ground ; I go to bed and have nothing and arise without anything ; and yet there is no one richer than I am’" (Vol. IV, p. 146.)

" Said Jesus (upon him be peace), ’ The world is a bridge ; therefore cross over it and do not build on it’" (Vol. Ill, p. 149.)

"Said Jesus (on him be peace), ’Whosoever seeks the world is like him who drinks water from the salt sea. The more he drinks the more he thirsts.’ " (Vol. Ill, p. 149.) This occurs for the second time, but Al-Ghazali loves to repeat his own sayings as well, often in the same book.

" It is related in the gospels that whosoever shall ask for forgiveness of him who praises him, has driven away the devil." (Vol. Ill, p. 127.)

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