Concerning Divine Wisdom in the Creation of Man

Concerning Divine Wisdom in the Creation of Man is a selected translation and commentary of Imam al-Ghazali's treatise on the human anatomy and physiology. In it, al-Ghazali masterfully provides the seeker of religious knowledge a window into Allah’s creativity through the Islamic study of anatomy.

The study of anatomy for the Muslim serves as a potential means to fulfill two distinct goals:

1. To increase one’s attachment to the Creator through a deeper appreciation of the details of His creation
2. Or to become a professional with knowledge of diseases and cures

The broad audience of medical students, physicians, healthcare professionals, as well as non-medical seekers of religious knowledge will appreciate the details of human anatomy described by Imam al-Ghazali through an Islamic lens. Readers will also recognize that this discussion, though accurate from the perspective of modern medicine, reflects a distinctly different paradigm from that of modern anatomy and physiology.

Imam al-Ghazali asserts that there is a spiritual component to the human being, and that every detail of human anatomy is representative of Allah's qudra, His power, and His wisdom. In this text, al-Ghazali describes these spiritual purposes alongside the physical anatomy, with the same level of clarity and precision.

This edition includes Dr. Kamran Riaz's meticulous English translation side-by-side with al-Ghazali's original Arabic text. The translation is followed by over 150 endnotes from Dr. Riaz and Shaykh Mohammed Amin Kholwadia.