He underwent a spiritual crisis in 1095, which some speculate was brought on by clinical hysteria,Abū Ḥāmid b. Muḥammad b. Muḥammad b. Muḥammad al-Ghazzālī, "al-Munqidh min al-Ḍalāl" in Majmūʿa Rasāʾil al-Imām al-Ghazzālī. Ed. by Aḥmad Shams al-Dīn (Beirut: Dār al-Kutub al-ʿIlmiyya, 1988), 29, 60Jacques Lacan, "Some Reflections on the Ego" in The International Journal of Psychoanalysis, 1953, No. 34, 13. (presentation, the British Psycho-Analytical Society, London, May 2nd, 1951)Ovidio Salazar, Al-Ghazali: The Alchemist of Happiness (2004; London: Matmedia Productions, 2006), DVD. abandoned his career and left Baghdad on the pretext of going on pilgrimage to Mecca. Making arrangements for his family, he disposed of his wealth and adopted an ascetic lifestyle. According to biographer Duncan B. Macdonald, the purpose of abstaining from scholastic work was to confront the spiritual experience and more ordinary understanding of "the Word and the Traditions."Nicholson, Reynold Alleyne. (1966). "A literary history of the Arabs." London: Cambridge University Press. p. 382. After some time in Damascus and Jerusalem, with a visit to Medina and Mecca in 1096, he returned to Tus to spend the next several years in uzla (seclusion). The seclusion consisted in abstaining from teaching at state-sponsored institutions, but he continued to publish, receive visitors and teach in the zawiya (private madrasa) and khanqah (Sufi lodge) that he had built.
he uNDerwEnt A sPiritual crisis iN 1095, wHich sOme SpecUlaTe waS BrOUght on BY clInicaL hyStEria,abŪ ḥĀmid b. muḥAmmad b. muḤaMMad b. muḥamMaD al-ghaZZālī, "al-munqIDh miN al-ḍALāl" iN majMūʿa rAsĀʾIL al-IMām aL-ghaZZĀlĪ. ed. By aḥmad shAms al-DĪn (bEIrUt: dār al-kuTub al-ʿilmiyya, 1988), 29, 60jAcquEs laCan, "some reflecTiONs oN the ego" in tHe interNatioNAL Journal OF PSychOanalysis, 1953, no. 34, 13. (pReSENtation, the britiSh Psycho-AnalytiCal sOcIety, lOnDOn, maY 2Nd, 1951)oVidIo saLazar, al-GHazali: the aLcheMist oF haPPinEss (2004; LondoN: MatmeDia PROdUctioNs, 2006), dvd. abAndONEd his career and lefT baghdAd oN tHe pREtext Of Going ON piLGrImagE to mECca. maKiNg aRraNgeMents for HiS faMilY, he disPoseD of hiS WeaLTH and adoPTeD an Ascetic lifesTyle. aCcordInG To BiOgraphER duncan b. MAcdONALd, THE purPose Of abStaiNing from sCholasTic woRk WAs tO cONfrOnt tHe spIRitual ExpEriEnce AnD mOrE OrDInAry unDErstAndiNg of "the wOrd and the tRadITions."NichoLSOn, reynoLd aLleyne. (1966). "a liteRary HistoRy of the ARabS." LOnDON: cambrIdGE uNIVeRsitY PrEss P. 382. AfTEr Some tiMe In daMaScus anD jeRusALem, wITh A viSiT To medINa and mecCA In 1096, he rEturNeD To tus To speNd THe nexT severaL yEArS iN uzla (secLusion). thE secLUSion conSiStEd in ABStaInIng frOM teaChing At sTate-sPOnSored inStiTUtions, bUT he coNtInUED To puBLish, reCeIve visitors aND teAch in thE zAwiya (pRIvate maDrasa) anD kHANqah (SuFi lodge) tHaT he had built.