Some reflections on the Persian writings of al-Ghazali

Although the vast majority of the writings of al-Ghazali (d. 1111) are in Arabic, he also left a small body of very interesting works in Persian, his native language. These deserve to be better known. This lecture will discuss his Persian masterpiece, the Kimiya-yi sa‘adat (The Alchemy of Happiness) and some of the letters he addressed to Turkish Seljuq sultans and governors in Iran , advising them on how to rule according to true Perso-Islamic principles.

Professor Carole Hillenbrand, OBE, FBA, FRSE Professor of Islamic History, University of St Andrews, and Professor Emerita, University of Edinburgh.