Al-Ghazali on Religious Language

Abstract

"Religious language" seeks to detect and explain the nature of the language used in the religious statements. This detection helps us to understand the main aim or the real meaning of religious beliefs stated in the form of the human language. Based on his own theological attitudes and mystical findings, Al-Ghazali has expressed different views on this issue, considering the different levels of public perception. Hence, he sometimes deems it to be necessary to avoid the allegorical interpretation. However, he sometimes remarks upon the necessity of rejecting the literal meaning and sometimes, by discussing the "spirit of meaning", which he propounded himself, without denying the literal meaning, he takes into consideration the real essence of meaning, regardless of the features of its instances. However, his thought on this issue, also involves equivocation, and his journey into the semantics of divine attributes ends with his belief that its core will not be understandable to anyone, and its meanings will not be grasped by human understanding.

Keywords

• assimilation without qualification
• allegorical interpretation
• spirit of meaning
• equivocation
• ineffability