Reconstruction of the Concept of Islamic Personality Al-Ghazali's Perspective as the Foundation for Spiritual, Moral, and Social Character Development
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.64540/t01mrx12Keywords:
Al-Ghazali, Islamic Personality, Character Education, Spiritual Character, Moral Character, Social Character, Tazkiyat Al-NafsAbstract
The development of globalization and digital technology has generated significant challenges for character formation, including weakened spirituality, declining moral sensitivity, and reduced social responsibility. This condition indicates the need for a holistic character development framework that integrates spiritual, moral, and social dimensions. This study aims to reconstruct the concept of Islamic personality from Al-Ghazali’s perspective as a foundation for developing spiritual, moral, and social character. This research employed a qualitative approach using library research. The data were collected from Al-Ghazali’s primary works and relevant contemporary scholarly literature on Islamic education, character education, spirituality, morality, and social development. The data were analyzed through content analysis, interpretation, comparison, and conceptual reconstruction. The findings reveal that Al-Ghazali views Islamic personality as an integrated unity of the heart (qalb), intellect (‘aql), soul (nafs), spirit (ruh), and observable behavior. Personality formation is carried out through tazkiyat al-nafs, including self-awareness, self-control, spiritual discipline, moral habituation, and social actualization. This study reconstructs Al-Ghazali’s concept into a holistic model consisting of three interconnected dimensions: spiritual character as the foundation of divine awareness and self-reflection; moral character as the process of self-control and the habituation of virtuous conduct; and social character as the actualization of empathy, justice, tolerance, and social responsibility. The study concludes that Al-Ghazali’s thought remains relevant to contemporary Islamic education, particularly in responding to moral crises, digital ethical challenges, individualism, and the imbalance between academic achievement and character development.
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