Al-Ghazali on Sharia: The objectives of the Sharia are the protection of religion, life, intellect, family and property
Abu Hamid Al-Ghazali, may Allah have mercy on him, said, “What we mean by welfare is the protection of the objectives of the Sharia. Namely, the objectives of the Sharia in creation are five: the protection of religion, life, intellect, family relations, and property. Everything that advances the protection of these five fundamentals is considered benefit, and everything which fails to protect these five fundamentals is considered corruption.”
Source: al-Musṭaṣfá fī ‘Ilm al-Uṣūl 1/174
قال أبو حامد الغزالي رحمه الله لَكِنَّا نَعْنِي بِالْمَصْلَحَةِ الْمُحَافَظَةَ عَلَى مَقْصُودِ الشَّرْعِ وَمَقْصُودُ الشَّرْعِ مِنْ الْخَلْقِ خَمْسَةٌ وَهُوَ أَنْ يَحْفَظَ عَلَيْهِمْ دِينَهُمْ وَنَفْسَهُمْ وَعَقْلَهُمْ وَنَسْلَهُمْ وَمَالَهُمْ فَكُلُّ مَا يَتَضَمَّنُ حِفْظَ هَذِهِ الْأُصُولِ الْخَمْسَةِ فَهُوَ مَصْلَحَةٌ وَكُلُّ مَا يُفَوِّتُ هَذِهِ الْأُصُولَ فَهُوَ مَفْسَدَةٌ
المستصفى في علم الأصول القطب الثاني في أدلة الأحكام خاتمة القطب ما يظن أنه من أصول الأدلة وليس منها الأصل الرابع من الأصول الموهومة الاستصلاح 1/174