Al-Imam Al-Ghazali's Efforts in Defeating the Batini Shia
Imam Al-Ghazali rahimahullah was foremost among the thinkers who launched an all-out war against the heretical Shia through his writing. He wrote numerous books in refutation of the Shia, the most famous of which was Fada'ih Al-Batiniyyah. He was commissioned to write this book in 487 AH.
The most amazing thing was the courage shown by Imam Al-Ghazali rahimahullah in his campaign against the Batini Isma'ili Shia, at a time when their preachers were widespread in Persia and the danger they posed reached such a point that they established fortresses and citadels and threatened people's safety. They carried out assassinations on a wide scale, targeting many politicians and thinkers, foremost among whom was Nizam al-Mulk.
Imam Al-Ghazali rahimahullah began this campaign on the orders of the authorities, in addition to his own desire as a Sunni scholar to do his duty in defending true Islam.
Among the things that were said about Imam Al-Ghazali rahimahullah was that he was continually criticizing the Batini Shia, uncovering the contradictions in its thought, and exposing its scandalous deeds and bad intentions. Despite the fact that he was well-known at this time, this criticism could have cost him his life. He had also witnessed the assassination of Nizam Al-Mulk.
The Batini Shia used to threaten everyone among those who were close to the king, or those among the scholars who they thought posed a danger to them. They threatened their adversaries with vengeance at the point of a dagger or in poisoned food or some other method which they were skilled in and carried out with all precision.
If this proves anything, it proves the courage of Imam Al-Ghazali rahimahullah in speaking the truth out loud and confronting falsehood, regardless of the outcome, and his faith that nothing would befall him except that which Allah had decreed for him.
This is a lesson and reminder for contemporary scholars to be sincere towards Allah in resisting the new Batinis. [The new Batinis, according to our understanding, are the modernist scholars and thinkers. They peddle falsehood under different guises and ruses like Ikhtilaf, Maslaha, Maqasid ash-Shari'ah, etc.] I have seen some of those who are regarded as scholars showing their fear of them, being afraid of being killed or assassinated or accused of sectarianism.
Some of them have succumbed to the Batini influence and flattery that carries no weight in terms of the Shari'ah, or even in terms of transient worldly concerns. Thus, they leave them to tamper with the beliefs of the Ummah and that which is sacrosanct.
Some scholars have even contributed to deceiving the Muslim masses, even though they are well aware of the danger that these people pose to the beliefs and morals of the Ummah. Do they not fear a day when the hearts and eyes will be overturned?
[Salah ad-Deen al-Ayubi, vol.1 pp.237-239]
