GhazzaWs Alchemy of Happiness. 



151 



mathematical proofs, about which there can be no doubt. Who- 

 ever investigates an eclipse, can establish it by demonstration, and 

 can point out its peculiarities, the period of its commencement, the 

 extent of it, and the period of duration until the reillumination be- 

 gins. And if some one tell him that the demonstration is contrary 

 to doctrine, let him not doubt the demonstration, but rather let him 

 doubt the interpretation given to the law (of the Koran). The 

 wrong done to the law by those who defend it with false interpreta- 

 tions, is greater than the wrong which is done to it by those who 

 find fault with it on a correct interpretation — as says the proverb, 

 ' a wise enemy is better than a foolish friend.' 



" If some person should argue, that as according to a tradition, the 

 Prophet once said, ' When God manifests his glory upon anything, 

 it humbles itself before it/ and that therefore this is to be taken as 

 an indication that an eclipse arises from an act of humility in the 

 presence of God, we reply, that this report is not a genuine tradi- 

 tion, and that even on the supposition of its genuineness, it would 

 be better to throw light upon its meaning, than to make use of it 

 for altercation in categorical premises. For when the proofs are 

 definite, we ought not to be controlled to such an extent by unex- 

 plained texts of the Koran. It is a cause of great joy to the infidel 

 when the apologist for the faith pretends that such views are con- 

 trary to the faith, for it then makes it easy for him to refute the 

 law. The world is now disputing whether it is a genuine tradition 

 or merely ancient. But if its genuineness should be established, it 

 would still be a matter of indifference, whether the earth were round 

 or flat, or whether the heavens above and what is below are more 

 or less than thirteen layers — seeing the thing sought to be proved 

 is, that at any rate they are all the work of God. 



" We come next to the third difference of opinion, in which the mat- 

 ters disputed about are at the foundation of religion, as the creation 

 of the world, the attributes of the creator, and the resurrection of 

 the body. In this case it is without doubt our duty to refute the 

 error with convincing arguments." 



The work of Degerando, Ristoire compare des systlmes de philoso- 

 phic, tome iv, Paris, 1823, may properly be referred to, for com- 

 parison with Smblders's Ussai, to aid farther in appreciating the 

 principles of Ghazzali in interpreting the Koran, and the grounds 

 of his opposition to Aristotle. His picture of the stand-point of 

 Ghazzali seems accurate and just. See also, Whewell, History of 

 the Inductive Sciences, 3d edition, 1857. 



