What is your opinion of al-Ghazali's methodology?

The questioner : Is this the last question, Shaykh?

The Shaykh : And who can guarantee to me that it is the last question?

Another questioner : Consensus, if Allah wills.

The questioner : What is your opinion of what al-Ghazali says about Nafi'?

The Shaykh : There is a long tape, a one-hour lecture in Madinah al-Munawwarah. You can request it, if Allah wills. It is about al-Ghazali.

Another questioner : A short word, Shaykh.

The Shaykh : A short word: this man previously showed deviations from the Sunnah, and then... what was hidden became completely apparent. So, praise be to Allah, many of those who are careful about the Sunnah rose up to refute him. And without a doubt, his matter is in danger because he subjected his intellect to the explanation of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), to which we were commanded to return by the explicit text of the Qur'an: That is the Sunnah. So he judged the Sunnah by his intellect. He did not benefit from the efforts of the imams, the imams of hadith, neither in the past nor in the present. Perhaps the first sign that drew attention to the danger of his methodology and his deviation was the introduction that... so he would say that he...The Shaykh : He naturally observed the rules of the scholars of hadith in authenticating and weakening, but he holds that there is no necessary connection between the authenticity of a chain and the weakness of a chain. It is possible that one whose chain is authentic is weak, and that one whose chain is weak is authentic. He gave the two examples mentioned there in the introduction, and you all know that. I used to meet with him afterwards at the Islamic University in the Supreme Council, which is held every year. He and...The Shaykh : Yusuf al-Qaradawi and I were among those selected, so we would meet. I drew his attention and said, "Shaykh, you say truth on one hand and falsehood on the other. You say that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) does not fight a people until he warns them and conveys the call to them. This is true. But where did you get the idea that when he raided Banu al-Mustaliq, he raided them while the call had not reached them? Where did you get this? Do you want the Messenger to say to every people he intends to raid, 'Beware, I am going to raid you,' even though it is from the Sunnah that when he intended a raid, he would feint against others? Then I came and authenticated the hadith 'Love Allah for three reasons.' Why? Because its meaning is correct. But does every correct meaning have to be something the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said, as we said just now? I hope you will reconsider what you wrote and promise me good. And when... Glory be to You, O Allah, and praise be to You."

Another questioner : There is a herbal doctor.

The Shaykh : No, no, I do not want this.The Shaykh : ...has its right. If I were young and this circumstance occurred for me, then yes, but...The Shaykh : ...has its right.