The Jerusalem Epistle

The Jerusalem Epistle (al-Risala al-Qudsiyya) is a small theological tract written by perhaps Islam's most influential thinker Abu Hamid al-Ghazali (d.1111/505). Written while living in Jerusalem, Ghazali sets out in four "cornerstones" (arkan) each with ten "foundations" (usul) what he takes to be the core Muslim doctrine a general believer must assent to. Although terse and short, the Jerusalem Epistle is layered with theological and philosophical arguments. This book contains an edited version of the original Arabic text of the Jerusalem Epistle followed by extensive notes to help the reader unpack the key notions and arguments for further study and systematic reflection. This is the first time a fully annotated edition of the Jerusalem Epistle has appeared in the English language.