Skepticism and Mystical Epistemology in Al-Ghazali and Khayyam

This article explores the contrasting perspectives on skepticism between Al-Ghazali and Umar Khayyam within the context of the Islamic Golden Age. The main focus is on Al-Ghazali’s intellectual and spiritual autobiography, particularly his work Al-Munqidh min al-Dhalal, which details his profound crisis of faith and quest for epistemological certainty. Al-Ghazali critiques the limitations of reason and philosophical rationalism, ultimately embracing Sufism as the true path to soul purification and divine truth. In contrast, Umar Khayyam, through his poetic masterpiece Rubaiyat, expresses an existential and poetic skepticism, often portraying a cynical view of religious dogma and the absurdity of life. Employing a qualitative hermeneutic approach, this study analyzes their key works to uncover how both thinkers grappled with doubt, meaning, and the nature of knowledge. The findings reveal that Al-Ghazali synthesizes reason and mystical experience, asserting that true knowledge arises from spiritual enlightenment rather than intellectual speculation. Meanwhile, Khayyam affirms uncertainty as a fundamental aspect of human existence, advocating for the appreciation of life’s fleeting pleasures as a form of philosophical resignation. This comparative exploration highlights two influential yet divergent responses to skepticism in Islamic thought one anchored in divine transcendence, the other in poetic existentialism. The study contributes to a deeper understanding of epistemology, spirituality, and the quest for meaning in Islamic intellectual history.