Kifaya
Definition
Kifaya is al-Ghazali's practical standard for the zahid's relationship to material things: enough to meet genuine need, without excess that would burden the soul. He applies it to food (enough to sustain the body for worship), clothing (enough for modest covering and protection), and shelter (enough for lawful privacy and safety). The concept of kifaya is not an ascetic minimum designed for suffering but a rational, spiritually informed standard that frees the heart from the endless work of accumulation. What lies beyond kifaya is either generosity (if given away) or spiritual burden (if kept and clung to).
As understood in the classical tradition of Imam al-Ghazali and the scholars of his school.
Appears in
1 book in the library
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