İyi ile Kötü Arasında İnsan: Gazâlî’de Hayvan, Melek ve Şeytan
Human Between Good and Evil: Animal, Angel and Devil in Ghazali

Summary/Abstract: In Ghazali, living things consist of three classes: animals, angels and humans. In terms of the position occupied in creatures, animals and angels form the opposite poles, while humans are in the middle class because they have some distinctive and common features with the other two. Here, in terms of living, man is placed in a superior position over animals, and angels over human beings. Because man has a mind that is not found in animals, and an angel has a "nearness to God" that is not found in human beings. However, while it is impossible for an animal to become like a human, it is quite possible for a human to become like an angel. Because, in order for the animal to get closer to the human and the human to the angel, soul and mind are needed. It is the human, not the animal, that has the soul and the mind. However, on this journey, man encounters two great obstacles: his own body and the devil. But he is not helpless in the face of these obstacles; the angels are always with him as supporters of the soul that is from the same realm as them. In short, with his body and soul, man can be good or bad religiously and morally according to the attitude he takes in the face of the angel’s inspirations and the devil’s misgivings. In this respect, it can easily be said that he is in a very unique position among creatures.

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