This writing discusses the implications and contributions of Abu Hamid Muhammad al-Ghazali, driven by the fact that there is an ongoing debate regarding whether intellectual stagnation in Islamic thought can be attributed to al-Ghazali's ideas or not at all. As a prominent figure, Al-Ghazali has been the subject of extensive research and study by numerous Muslim and non-Muslim scholars. This paper serves as a complementary addition to existing literature. In detail, there are three key points addressed in this paper: a summary of the intellectual biography of al-Ghazali, a critical examination of Islamic thought, particularly in philosophy, and the implications and contributions of al-Ghazali to the development of contemporary Islamic thought through an intellectual biography approach and a research design focused on concept/thought studies. The findings of this study suggest that al-Ghazali's critique of philosophers and philosophy should be viewed as a preventive measure. al-Ghazali successfully campaigned to establish Ash'arite theology as the unassailable religious orthodoxy in Islam. Therefore, it is not an exaggeration to consider al-Ghazali as one of the most influential figures in the history of Islamic thought.