THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE MASTER-DISCIPLE TRADITION IN MEDIEVAL PHILOSOPHICAL SOURCES: THE CASE OF ABU HAMID AL-GHAZALI’S RISALA IN IHYA’ ULUM AL-DIN

Abstract

The master-disciple relationship played a crucial role in the transmission of knowledge in medieval Islamic philosophy. This study examines the evolution of this tradition through the lens of Abu Hamid al-Ghazali’s (1058–1111 CE) treatise Risala as part of his monumental work Ihya’ Ulum al-Din. By analyzing textual evidence, historical context, and the pedagogical methods described in al-Ghazali’s writings, this paper highlights how the master-disciple framework facilitated intellectual and spiritual development, ensuring continuity and authenticity in scholarly circles.

In the medieval Islamic world, the pursuit of knowledge was deeply intertwined with ethical, spiritual, and intellectual development. Central to this pursuit was the ustoz-shogird (master-disciple) tradition, which ensured the transfer of knowledge not merely as information but as a holistic cultivation of character and intellect. Abu Hamid al-Ghazali, a towering figure in Islamic philosophy and Sufism, provides an exemplary model of this pedagogical framework in his Ihya’ Ulum al-Din (Revival of Religious Sciences), particularly in his Risala.