The Alchemy of Happiness

The Alchemy of Happiness
	Cover of a 1308 Persian copy held in the Bibliothèque nationale de France
Author	Al-Ghazālī
Original title	Kimiya-yi Sa'ādat (Persian: کیمیای سعادت)
Translator	Muhammad Mustafa an-Nawali, Claud Field, Jay Crook
Language	Classical Persian
Subject	Islamic ethics and Philosophy
Publication date	Early 12th century
Publication place	Persia
LC Class	B753.G33

Kīmīyā-yi Sa'ādat (Persian: کیمیای سعادت English: The Alchemy of Happiness/Contentment) is a book written by Abū Ḥāmid Muḥammad ibn Muḥammad al-Ghazālī, a Persian theologian, philosopher, and prolific Muslim author, often regarded as one of the greatest systematic thinkers and mystics of Islam, in Persian.^[1] The Kimiya-yi Sa'ādat was written towards the end of his life shortly before 499 AH/1105 AD.^[2] During the time before it was written, the Muslim world was considered to be in a state of political, as well as intellectual unrest. Al-Ghazālī, noted that there were constant disputes about the role of philosophy and scholastic theology, and that Sufis became chastised for their neglect of the ritual obligations of Islam.^[3] Upon the release of this book, the Kimiya-yi sa'ādat allowed al-Ghazali to considerably cut the tensions between the scholars and mystics.^[3] Kimiya-yi sa'ādat emphasized the importance of observing the ritual requirements of Islam, the actions that would lead to salvation, and avoidance of sin. The factor that set the Kimiya-yi sa'ādat apart from other theological works at the time was its mystical emphasis on self-discipline and asceticism.^[3]

^ Bowering, Gerhard. "ḠAZĀLĪ, ABŪ ḤĀMED MOḤAMMAD, I." Encyclopædia Iranica. Print
^ Bowering, Gerhard. "[Untitled]." Rev. of The Alchemy of Happiness Translated by Claud Feild and Revised by Elton L. Daniel. Journal of Near Eastern Studies July 1995: 227-28. Print
^ ^a ^b ^c Bodman Jr., Herbert L. "(untitled)." Rev. of The Alchemy of Happiness Translated by Claud Feild and Revised by Elton L. Daniel. Journal of World History Fall 1993: 336-38. Print.

[1] Bowering, Gerhard. "ḠAZĀLĪ, ABŪ ḤĀMED MOḤAMMAD, I." Encyclopædia Iranica. Print

[bowering-2] Bowering, Gerhard. "[Untitled]." Rev. of The Alchemy of Happiness Translated by Claud Feild and Revised by Elton L. Daniel. Journal of Near Eastern Studies July 1995: 227-28. Print

[bodman-3] Bodman Jr., Herbert L. "(untitled)." Rev. of The Alchemy of Happiness Translated by Claud Feild and Revised by Elton L. Daniel. Journal of World History Fall 1993: 336-38. Print.

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