Al-Ghazali: The Mysteries of Charity and the Mysteries of Fasting

In the Mysteries of Charity and Its Important Elements (Kitāb asrār al‑zakāt wa-muhimātiha; book 5), and the Mysteries of Fasting and Its Important Elements (Kitāb asrār al-ṣiyyām wa-muhimātiha; book 6), of the forty books of the Revival of the Religious Sciences (Iḥyāʾ ʿulūm al-dīn), Abū Ḥāmid al-Ghazālī explains the inner and outer meanings of charity and fasting, two pillars of worship for Muslims. These  are two of the five books that deal with the inner dimensions of Islamic worship; books 3, 4, and 7 address purification, prayer, and pilgrimage, respectively.

This readable yet comprehensive work covers an array of issues from the essential outward aspects of paying charity, to the inward aspects of the state of the heart during the fast and how to humble oneself completely. As a practical, yet profound book, it is an indispensable guide for Muslims who seek a deeper comprehension of these two fundamental practices for Muslims, and for all those interested in understanding the meaning and role of charity and fasting in Islam.