ABSTRACT
This chapter constitutes four parts that examine the following facets for the purpose of elucidating the premise of Shaykh Muhammad al-Ghazali's ethos of renewal. Part one surveys the sacred roots of the Islamic tradition embodied in the Qur'an and ahadith. Part two explores al-Ghazali's adaptation of the classical genre of the sirah as part of a broader venture of renewal. Part three examines al-Ghazali's methodology of creative continuity based on the maqasid al-Shari'ah. The final part focuses on the rein-terpretation of certain Sufi and theological elements within the broader canvas of the Shari'ah. The chapter illustrates al-Ghazali's participation in the Islamic tradition through his interpretations of the Qur'an, Prophetic reports and the epic of the Prophet. It argues that al-Ghazali subscribed to the preponderance of the juristic account to be the orthodox methodology for interpretation of Islamic law.
