In this short biography you will discover how Imam al-Ghazali rose from his humble background as a fatherless young boy to become the preeminent Muslim scholar of the eleventh century and a towering figure in the history of Islamic thought. It also reveals why, after years of success, he left behind his prestigious teaching position and became a penniless traveler trying to experience the peace of a contented inner life.

With illustrations, photographs, and maps, the rich and diverse world that produced al-Ghazali is vividly brought alive.