Abstract
This thesis examines Al-Ghazali’s The Revival of the Religious Sciences and Thoreau’s Walden, arguing that both frame poverty as a spiritual path to liberation. Despite differing contexts, both philosophies are rooted in monism. Al-Ghazali, centered on Islam, articulates a theology in which Allah is both creator and totality. Similarly, Walden stems from a universalist perspective, founded on Thoreau’s independence and connection to Nature. I term Thoreau’s philosophy Naturtheism, distinguishing it from pantheism by emphasizing Nature as the source of spiritual liberation. The oneness shaping both perspectives underlies their shared valuation of voluntary poverty. For each, poverty is necessary to shed material attachments and sustain unity with the divine. Al-Ghazali positions life as a divine test in which material wealth is a barrier between man and Allah; transcendence is achieved through detachment from the world, promoting deeper devotion. Thoreau, by contrast, emphasizes interdependence with Nature, viewing poverty as a way to cultivate self, society, and spiritual clarity. His indifference to wealth—akin to Al-Ghazali’s mustaghni—stems from the belief that Nature renders man as boundless and impartial as itself. However, unlike Al-Ghazali, Thoreau deliberately invests in earthly connections, emphasizing communal experience and independence. While both uphold voluntary poverty, Al-Ghazali calls for detachment from the world to prioritize Allah, whereas Thoreau finds transcendence through conscious and deliberate engagement with the world.
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
2025 Special Focus—Fragile Meanings: Vulnerability in the Study of Religions and Spirituality
KEYWORDS
Voluntary Poverty, Spiritual Liberation, Comparative Theology, Monism, Al-Ghazali, Thoreau, Islam
