Al Ghazzali on Disciplining the Self by Al Ghazali

44 Alchemy of Happiness
Al-Ghazzali On Disciplining the Self 45
(VI) [THE WAYS OF ACHIEVING A GOOD CHARACTER]
Know that ascetic self-discipline is a difficult and torturous
task, but if the physician is a master and knows pleasant
medicine for the way, it becomes much easier. It is the physician's
grace that he does not call the disciple at first to the
degree of the true nature of God, for he would not have the
strength to endure that. If one says to a child: "Go to the
school until you reach the level of principalship." (The child)
does not know what the pleasure of principalship may be.
Instead, one should say: "Go to the school and I shall give you
a stick and a ball tonight to play with," so that the child will
go to school out of a desire for that. When he gets older, one
persuades him with fine clothing and ornaments so that he
will refrain from play. When he gets older, one promises him
with mastership and chieftainship and says: "Silk clothing is
for women." When he is older, then one says: "Mastership and
chieftainship of the world have no basis, for death will destroy
all of them." Then one promises him the everlasting kingdom.
Consequently, it may be that the student at the beginning
of the task not be able to be completely sincere. One is patient
with him so that he continue to strive in the eagerness that
people will look upon him favorably, until one shatters the
inclination to wilful deception, the greed of the belly, and the
greed for wealth in him. When he has been liberated from
those, a sluggishness appears in him. Then one must dispel
the greed for that sluggishness in him by commanding him to
beg in the marketplace. When an acceptance of that appears
in him, one should prevent that by engaging him in some
menial tasks, such as cleaning lavatories, etc.
In the same way, one must gradually order the treatment
for each characteristic that appears in him; (but) not all at
once, for he would not be able to endure that. There are many
kinds of harms resulting from wilful deception. For example,
all such characteristics are like serpents and scorpions. The
similitude of wilful deception is the dragon which swallows
everything. The last of the characteristics to depart from the
truly righteous is that.
2 RECOGNIZING THE SICKNESS OF THE HEART
Know that just as the soundness of the body, hands, feet,
and eyes lies in that each one of them is able to do completely
that for which it was created-so that the eye sees well and
the foot walks well-so the soundness of the heart lies in that
its special quality that is part of its original innate nature and
the reason for which it was created. It is to be the loving friend
of that which is basis of original innate nature and this should
be easy for the heart.
(i) [THE SIGNS OF A HEART'S SOUNDNESS]
This is found in two things: one in will and the other in
power.
(1) As for the will: in it there is nothing more preferred
than God Most High, for the gnosis (marifat) of God Most High
is the nourishment of the heart, just as food is the nourishment
of the body.A body from which the craving for food has
departed or in which it has grown weak is sick. A heart from
which the love for God Most High has departed or in which it
has grown weak is sick. It is for this that God Most High said:
Say: If your fathers and your sons ... (Q. 9:24) "If you love your
fathers, your sons, your wives, your kinsfolk, and that which
you possess more than God Most High be patient until the
command of God Most High arrives and you shall see!"
(2)As for the power, it is that obedience to God Most High
has become easy and one finds no need to coerce oneself in
that. Rather, it is in itself one's pleasure. As the Messenger
said: "Formal prayer has become the light of my eyes."