- For the Maliki scholar, see Ibn al-Arabi.
| Muslim scholar Islamic golden age |
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| Name: | Abū `Abd-Allah Muḥammad ibn Ali al-`Arabi al-Ḥātimī al-Ṭā’ī |
| Title: | Ibn Arabi, Reviver of religion and al-Shaykh al-Akbar |
| Birth: | 1165 CE [1] |
| death: | 1240 ED in Damascus [1] |
| Maddhab: | Sunni Sufi |
| Main interests: | Sufism |
| notable idea: | Wahdat-ul-Wujood |
| works: | The Seals of Wisdom(Fusus al-hikam), The Meccan Illuminations(al-Futuhat al-Makkiyya), Ruh al-quds, etc |
| Influenced: | Shaykh-ul-Islam Muhammad Tahir ul-Qadri, Sadruddin al-Qunawi, al-Jandi, Da'ud al-Qaysari, Haydar Amoli, Shah Nimatullah, Mulla Sadra and many others |
Ibn Arabi (Arabic: أبن عربي), was an Arab Muslim mystic and philosopher. He was born 1165 in Murcia and died 1240 in Damascus. His full name was Abū abd-Allah Muhammad ibn-Ali ibn Muhammad ibn al-`Arabi al-Hatimi al-TTaa'i (أبو عبد الله محمد بن علي بن محمد بن العربي الحاتمي الطائي ). In the West, he is also known as Doctor Maximus and in the Islamic world as Muhyi id-Din (محيي الدين\ ("Reviver of religion") and (al-Shaykh al-Akbar) (الشيخ الأكبر "Great Master")
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Biography
Born in Medinat Mursiya the present day Murcia in south-eastern Spain in 1165 CE, he spent the first thirty-five years of his life in North Africa; he embarked on pilgrimage to Mecca and spent the next three years in the area. The final years of his life were spent in the Levant and Anatolia. He settled in Damascus, where he lived for seventeen years. He died at the age of 76 on November 16th in 638AH/1240AD and his tomb in Damascus is still an important place of pilgrimage.[2] A vastly prolific writer, Ibn Arabi is generally known as the prime exponent of the idea later known as Wahdat-ul-Wujood, though he did not use this term in his writings. His emphasis was on the true potential of the human being and the path to realising that potential and becoming the perfect or complete man (al-insan al-kamil). Some 800 works are attributed to Ibn Arabi, although only some have been authenticated.[3]
Criticism
Some Sunnis reject the notion that Ibn Arabi was a Muslim. Reasons for Ibn Arabi being branded a heretic were some of his statements in his books such as "Fusoos Al-Hikam" and "Al-Ahkaam". One example is where Ibn Arabi said, "العبد رب و الرب عبد" or "al-`abd-u rabb-un wa-r-rabb-u `abd-un" (the slave is the lord and the lord is the slave)." Sufis claim that such statements were always considered to be the most elevated exposition of mystical thought in Islam, and therefore unsuitable for the untrained mind. Ibn Arabi has also said, "الرب رب في التنزل والعبد عبد في الترقى" or "ar-rabb-u rabb-un fî t-tanazzul-i wa-l-`abd-u `abd-un fî t-taraqqâ" (The lord is a lord in his descent [to his creations] and a slave is a slave in rising). This clearly shows that he accepted the existence of creations.
Response
The Shaikh wrote his books in the Arabic used by highly literate persons. He also made heavy use of terminologies. This was common for all Sufi masters, but they first taught their students the basics before handing them their books. They also burned most of their works before death, fearing that the later untrained generations might misunderstand them. His book Fusoos Al-Hikam, for example, came under heavy fire and he was declared Kafir by many scholars. This book was translated into many languages.
Commentaries and Translations of Fusus -al- Hikam
There have been many exceptional commentaries on Ibn 'Arabi's Fusus al-hikam: the first called al-Fukuk was written by his stepson and heir, Sadruddin al-Qunawi, who had studied the book with Ibn 'Arabi; the second by Qunawi's student, Mu'ayyad al-din al-Jandi, which was the first line-by-line commentary; the third by Jandi's student, Da'ud al-Qaysari, which became very influential in the Persian-speaking world. There were many others, in the Ottoman world (eg 'Abd Allah Bosnevi), the Arab world (eg 'Abd al-Ghani al-Nabulusi) and the Persian world (eg Haydar Amoli). It is estimated that there are over 50 commentaries on the Fusus, most of which only exist in manuscript form. The more famous (such as Qunawi's Fukuk) have been printed in recent years in Iran. The Fusus was first critically edited in Arabic by Afifi (1946). The first English translation was done in partial form by Angela Culme-Seymour from the French translation of Titus Burckhardt as "Wisdom of the Prophets" (1975), and the first full translation was by Ralph Austin as "Bezels of Wisdom" (1980). There is also a complete French translation by Charles-Andre Gilis, entitled "Le livre des chatons des sagesses" (1997). The only commentary to have been translated into English so far is entitled "Ismail Hakki Bursevi's translation and commentary on Fusus al-hikam by Muhyiddin Ibn 'Arabi" in 4 volumes (1985-1991). In Urdu, the most authentic translation is supposed to be that of Maulvi Abdul Qadeer Siddiqui [But this translation contains some serious problems]. His translation is in the curriculum of Punjab University. He has made an interpretive translation and explained the terms and grammar while clarifying the Shaikh's opinions.
References
- ^ a b Sufism and Taoism, by Toshihiko Izutsu (California 1983) [1]
- ^ http://www.usna.edu/Users/humss/bwheeler/ibn_arabi.html
- ^ http://www.cis-ca.org/voices/a/Ibn-Arabi.htm
- Hirtenstein, The Unlimited Mercifier, ISBN 0-9534513-2-1
- Addas, Quest for the Red Sulphur, ISBN 0-946621-45-4
- Titus Burckhardt & Bulent Rauf (translator), Mystical Astrology According to Ibn 'Arabi (The Fons Vitae Titus Burckhardt Series) ISBN 1-887752-43-9
- Torbjörn Säfve, "Var inte rädd", ISBN 91-7221-112-1
Works
- complete list of Ibn Arabi Books in Arabic
- The Seals of Wisdom (also translated as The Bezels of Wisdom), or Fusus al-Hikam.
- The Meccan Illuminations (Al-Futuhat al-Makkiyya), his largest work discussing a wide range of topics from mystical philosophy to Sufi practices and records of his dreams/visions, often described as his Magnum Opus.
- The Diwan, his collection of poetry spanning five volumes, mostly unedited. The printed versions available are based on only one volume of the original work.
- The Holy Spirit in the Counselling of the Soul (Ruh al-quds), a treatise on the soul which includes a summary of his experience from different spiritual masters in the Maghrib. Part of this has been translated as Sufis of Andalusia, reminiscences and spiritual anecdotes about many interesting people whom he met in al-Andalus.
- Contemplation of the Holy Mysteries (Mashahid al-asrar[2]), probably his first major work consisting of fourteen visions and dialogues with God.
- Divine Sayings (Mishkat al-anwar[3]), an important collection made by Ibn Arabi of 101 hadith qudsi
- The Book of Annihilation in Contemplation (K. al-Fana' fi'l-mushahada), a short treatise on the meaning of mystical annihilation (fana).
- Devotional Prayers (Awrad[4]), a widely read collection of fourteen prayers for each day and night of the week.
- Journey to the Lord of Power (Risalat al-anwar), a detailed technical manual and roadmap for the "journey without distance".
- The Book of God's Days (Ayyam al-sha'n), a work on the nature of time and the different kinds of days experienced by gnostics
- The Fabulous Gryphon of the West ('Anqa' Mughrib), a book on the meaning of sainthood and its culmination in Jesus
- The Universal Tree and the Four Birds(al-Ittihad al-kawni[5]), a poetic book on the Complete Human and the four principles of existence
- Prayer for Spiritual Elevation and Protection (al-Dawr al-a'la[6]), a short prayer which is still widely used in the Muslim world
See also
- Islamic scholars
- Sufism
- Al Akbariyya
- Ivan Aguéli
- Mahmud Shabistari
- Wahdat-ul-Wujood
- Miguel Asín Palacios
External links
- www.ibnarabisociety.org Ibn Arabi society page about Ibn Arabi
- www.ibn-arabi.com/aboutia.htm information about Ibn 'Arabi's life and works
- Ibn 'Arabi Foundation - Pakisan
- A column of Light
- The Seals of Wisdom (فصوص الحكم)
- Selections from Ibn Arabi's "Meccan Revelations" (al-Futuhat al-Makkiyya)
- Ibn Arabi & Mystical Journey:The Journey to the Lord of Power -(John G. Sullivan Department of Philosophy Elon College)
- Correspondences between the Sufi Ideas of Ibn Arabi and Physics
- www.irfanokulu.net Ibn Arabi
- http://members.aol.com/heraklit1/ibnarabi.htm Site on scientific pantheism
