Ep 133 - Shaykh Asim Yusuf on Ghazali's Ihya: Timeless Wisdom for Modern Seekers

Shaykh Dr Asim Yusuf joins Boys in the Cave for a deep dive into Imam al Ghazali’s Ihya Ulum al Din, how to read it in our time, and how its spiritual psychology maps onto modern clinical insights.

We cover decontextualizing and recontextualizing sacred texts, the metaphysics of eating, marriage and companionship, contentment in a consumer world, and why spirituality is the ruh of the religion.

What you will learn

• Why an Ihya commentary speaks to today’s seekers, and how to apply it, context first, then decontextualize, then recontextualize

• Metaphysics of eating, turning sunlight into worship, tasbih into ibadah

• Reading Book of Marriage through Book of Companionship for modern couples

• A common good economy, contentment as a cure for hyper capitalism

• Where Islamic and secular psychologies meet, origin, nature, purpose of the human

• Why spirituality is not a niche, it is the breath of the deen

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 https://www.humanappeal.org.au/ https://education.nuralhabib.org/

Timestamps

00:00:00 Sponsor message, Human Appeal Australia, Gaza relief projects

00:01:12 Welcome back, Shaykh Asim Yusuf returns to BITC

 00:01:40 Why write an Ihya commentary, teaching since 2014, page by page method

00:02:18 How to make the Ihya speak now, lessons gathered from 400 to 500 hours of classes

00:09:47 Metaphysics of eating, upgrading tasbih to ibadah, light into light

00:11:17 Book 12, marriage, reading Ghazali’s context, sociology of relationships

00:12:14 Why some passages sound paternal, audience, education, and age gaps in the 5th century

00:16:29 From eternal principles to our moment, the Ihya’s usul for reapplication, heart focused frame

00:31:03 Translating terms, jihad as striving, how a word can flip a verse’s meaning

00:36:13 Hunger, restraint, eating with others, a common good economy, contentment versus consumerism

00:52:13 Theistic and secular psychologies, the X model, where experiences overlap

01:50:46 Closing reflections, every moment reveals a new facet, keep the tradition alive

01:53:02 Spirituality is the ruh of the religion, do not let your deen be a ghost, let it live in you

01:54:15 Final counsel, bring ruh and jasad together, closing duas and sign off