Imam Ghazali: The Beginning of Guidance

Imām Ghazālī’s Bidayat al-Hidāyah

Bidayat al-Hidāyah is a profoundly motivational manual that presents the fundamentals of attaining guidance through taqwā. Imām Ghazālī emphasizes that, just as there is an ultimate goal in this noble pursuit, there is also a beginning-which must be firmly established in order to achieve true success. He then elaborates on the essential principles of this “beginning.”

While concise and to the point, the manual is structured in the form of a detailed daily timetable, offering the reader both strong inspiration and heartfelt counsel. The book is divided into three sections: obedience to Allāh, refraining from disobedience, and the proper etiquette of companionship with the Creator and with creation.

As one of Imām Ghazālī’s final works, Bidayat al-Hidāyah reflects a lifetime of learning, experience, and spirituality. It also serves as an accessible introduction to his broader corpus of works.

This edition, published for the first time with Arabic text, includes transliteration and explanatory notes for the supplications contained within.