A Reflection on Main Quadruple Virtues, with the Emphasis on Ghazali's Viewpoint

The philosophical ethics in the Islamic world is greatly influenced by Hellenistic thoughts. However, Muslim thinkers have developed and enriched this moral attitude through reflection and contemplation. In hisearly phase of thought, Ghazali has been very influential in developing this attitude by writing the book entitled" Mizān Al- Amal, (the criterion for deeds) in the context of philosophical ethics. He has tried to reexamine, correct, and expound the moral virtues and vices by accepting the Platonicself-knowledge - that is, the division of man's powers and faculties into rational soul, pugnacious soul, and concupiscent soul- and his four virtues. By wisdom he means practical wisdom (phronesis)which is contrary to the views and thoughts of Yaqub Ibn Miskawayh and Moula Mahdi Narāqi. Furthermore, he believes that the virtue of justice basically does not go from one extreme to the other and the only vice against it is "injustice". Among his other beliefs is that there is not sub-virtue under the virtue of justice. This belief, like the Avicenna's belief which has been explained by Jalāl Al-din Dawāni, is due to the fact that he considers the justice as the sum of three virtues not an independent virtue.