Review and Analysis of Faḍā‘iḥ al-Bāṭiniyya of Abū Ḥāmid al-Ghazālī

In the book Faḍā‘iḥ al-Bāṭiniyya, Ghazālī, in rejecting the ideas of Bāṭiniyya (Ismaʿilites), criticized the infallibility of the Imam and attributed some ideas to them that are doubtful. In this research, this book is introduced and Ghazali’s method, literature, and the content of the book are reviewed. The main criticisms of Ghazālī over Bāṭiniyya are denying the rational method, the belief in the infallibility of the Imam, and the belief in the Imam is designated by nass (divine designation). The last two are common between Bāṭiniyya and the Imāmiyya, and their main difference is in determining who is Imam. The most important argument of Ghazālī is that Bāṭiniyya deny the rational method, therefore they only acknowledge the teachings of the infallible Imam who is determined by divine designation, while the Imam is neither infallible nor chosen by divine designation because the Imam’s infallibility leads to the belief that the revelation is revealed to him and leads to the rejection of khātamiyya (finality of prophethood), and the massivereport of the divine designation of the Imam necessitates that the knowledge of the existence and clarity of nass is evident and the person will indisputably become Imam. The answer to this argument is that Bāṭiniyya do not deny the rational method, rather, they consider it insufficient. Also, in his second and third criticisms, Ghazali bases his arguments on the denial of reason by Bāṭiniyya which is a false premise. Other concerns over Ghazālī’s criticisms are as follows: he himself admits that the Imams have a kind of infallible knowledge; the Imams claim Imamate, not prophethoodmassive report and clarity of divine designation does not require the same understanding by all people; that something is evident does not lead to its occurrence.