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Spiritual_Roadmap_by_Ghazali, page : 67
not truth the criterion of the man; and that is erroneous in the extreme.
This shows the incorrect tendency to simply reject the ethics of philosophers.
(b) There is also an incorrect tendency in accepting them. When a man looks into their books, such
as
the `Brethren of Purity‟ and others, and sees how they mingle their teaching with maxims of the
prophets
and utterances of mystics, he often approves of these and accepts them, forming a high opinion of
them.
Next, however, he readily accepts the falsehood they mix with that, because of the good opinion
resulting
from what he noticed and approved. That is a way of gradually slipping into falsehood.
Because of this tendency, it is necessary to abstain from reading their books on account of the
deception
and danger in them. Just as the poor swimmer must be kept from slippery banks, so must mankind be
kept
from reading these books; just as the boy must be kept from touching the snake, so must the ears be
This shows the incorrect tendency to simply reject the ethics of philosophers.
(b) There is also an incorrect tendency in accepting them. When a man looks into their books, such
as
the `Brethren of Purity‟ and others, and sees how they mingle their teaching with maxims of the
prophets
and utterances of mystics, he often approves of these and accepts them, forming a high opinion of
them.
Next, however, he readily accepts the falsehood they mix with that, because of the good opinion
resulting
from what he noticed and approved. That is a way of gradually slipping into falsehood.
Because of this tendency, it is necessary to abstain from reading their books on account of the
deception
and danger in them. Just as the poor swimmer must be kept from slippery banks, so must mankind be
kept
from reading these books; just as the boy must be kept from touching the snake, so must the ears be