The Representation of the Early History of Islam in the Works of Sheikh Mohammad al-Ghazali

Many Muslim scholars have used the Early history of Islam as an ideal example to explain their current situation and give a vision of the future and a prospect to solve the problems. Especially regarding the new social, political and economic circumstances in the last century and with the emergence of modernity, Egyptian scholars tried to provide a new representation of the early history of Islam in order to conduct society toward integrity in an Islamic manner. In this research, we try to study and put in context the works of Sheikh Mohammad al-Ghazali, one of the Egyptian contemporary Islamists, in order to scrutinize his representation of the early history of Islam. Ghazali with a Salafi attitude, introduces the early history of Islam to the Muslims’ Egyptian society and other nations, as the basis of returning to the golden ages of past. Besides the history of Islam he uses the Quran and Seerah to explain the past. The time and circumstances which Ghazali lived in made him confront capitalism, communism, and socialism and investigate social justice, political and cultural colonialism, the potential for establishing an Islamic government, women’s issue, the Quran and its concepts, the issue of Palestine, and Judaism in order to find a solution for the decline of the Egyptian society.