Is al-Ghazali's book "Jawahir al-Qur'an" good and do you recommend reading it, or are there reservations about it?

Ghazali's book "Jawahir al-Qur'an" (Gems of the Qur'an) explores the objectives and secrets of the Qur'an. It divides the surahs and verses of the Qur'an into six types: three important precursors and fundamentals (defining what one is called to, the straight path, and the state upon arrival), and three enriching and complementary consequences and corollaries (the states of those who respond and those who break their covenants, narrating the states of the deniers, and the cultivation of the stations along the path).

However, criticisms have been leveled against it, such as its belittling of exoteric knowledge, its susceptibility to philosophical and esoteric Sufi perspectives, and its reliance on weak hadiths. Dr. Daraz debated Ghazali regarding his confinement of verses, asserting that his compilation resulted in disparate materials lacking logical unity.

It is not advisable to read this book except for a well-versed student of knowledge who is familiar with the principles of understanding the Qur'an and the methodologies of those who deviate. This is due to its philosophical and esoteric interpretive content. Ibn Taymiyyah mentioned that Ghazali was influenced by philosophy and presented it in a Sufi framework in books like "Jawahir al-Qur'an." Ibn al-Arabi said that Ghazali "entered the belly of the philosophers and could not get out."

The conclusion of the answer is that the book, despite its benefits, requires a specialized reader to be fully aware.