Still today, Muhyiddin Ibn al-‘Arabi, who died in 1240
C.E., maintains the distinguishing facet as one of the most controversial, yet
influential thinkers within Islam—as well as a progenitor of the Sufi
tradition.[1] Throughout his life, Ibn al-‘Arabi, also
known as the “Greatest Master” or ash-shaykh al-akbar[2], influenced many
Muslims and non-Muslims with his original and prolific writings—the two most
important works being, al-Fusus al-Hikam and al-Futuhat al-Makkiyya.
Ibn al-‘Arabi’s writings are so influential,
the Fusus and Futuhat, continue, even today, to create a sense of esoteric, Gnostic
authority. Not only did Ibn al-‘Arabi
expound on al-Ghazali’s perception of dhawq, or tasting, within the
ascetic, Sufi idea of the knowing or perceiving al- haqq[3](or true reality of the Real or “face”
of God), Ibn al-‘Arabi
also delved into the esoteric mysticism in which further illuminates the ultimate
purpose of humanity within the cosmos, and in accordance to the Absolute God or
the Real. For Ibn al-‘Arabi, this
congenital, primordial form, or fitrah, of humanity provides the
potential for ultimate joy, and love innate, for oneself as well as for the Real’s
self. From the beauty and love of His
most majestic name, Allah, the Real provides humanity a purpose, as vicegerent,
to manifest a particular knowledge of the Real as if looking through a mirror
at His own reflection; thus, God, willingly chooses, by His nature, to wield humanity,
who inherit the fullness of all His Divine names, attributes, and the very
essence of his Divine being, to manifest unto Himself the universal and
particular knowledge of His own essence and of His own Self. Therefore, humanity may know the Real, inasmuch
as humanity may know one’s individual self.
Ideally, this post is designed to postulate Ibn al-Arabi’s use of the
Sufi path as a superior, incorporated methodology to understand the ontological and epistemological
truths of God and humanity, which supersede the more inferior, and singular attempts made
by contemporary philosophers and theologians.
Ontological Origins
and Destiny by means of Wahdat al-Wujud
Within
the study of Islamic philosophy, following deep-seated traditions laid forth by
mainly the peripatetic works as well as the Neo-Platonist, syllogistic
reasoning and logic, based on the assertions of demonstration and dialectic
proofs, initiated truth regarding the grasping of essential concerns pertaining
directly to the ontological questions of wujud or being and its place within
the theological aspect of tawhid or unity of the Real; which of course,
is fundamentally the most vital principal within Islam.
However to Ibn al-‘Arabi, preceding
Islamic philosophers perceived only a sense of the truth through assiduous
study and logic, but neglected the vital path of Sufi mysticism, which emphasizes
humanity’s faqr or poverty so that
one element may die as another is reborn; as if the dhiqr or remembrance and dhawq
or tasting directly produces kashf or
an unveiling. It is in this Sufi path of
illumination, that the folks or friends may truly understand al-haqq
or the true reality of the Real.[4]
The universal role
of the Real within the Islamic tradition of tawhid, demonstrates an
intricate function within falsafa, fiqh, and kalam[5]
that illuminates the understanding of ontology. According to Ibn al-‘Arabi, the Real manifests
Himself, within the cosmos, as the locus of existence; this source of the Real
is tawhid, in which the Real constitutes Himself as the one united, singular
reality or al-haqq in all existence.[6] Notwithstanding, Ibn al-‘Arabi further
elucidates the principle of tawhid
with his illumination of the phenomenon of wahdat al-wujud—or the oneness
of being. Wahdat al-wujud further expounds on the principle of tawhid
by incorporating elements of tanzih
and tashbih which, for Ibn al-‘Arabi,
composes a full understanding of God with unity—but also, a sense of fictitious
multiplicity concerning the particulars.[7] Toshihiko Izutsu writes in his book, The Concept and Reality of Existence,
The ‘unification of existence’ thus
understood consists in a fundamental intuition of the one single reality of
‘existence’ in everything without exception.
In the Absolute, which corresponds theologically to God, it sees
‘existence’ in its absolute purity and unconditionality, while in the things of
the phenomenal world it recognizes the concrete differentiations of the
selfsame reality of ‘existence’ in accordance with its own inner
articulations. Philosophically this is
the position generally known as ‘oneness of existence’ (wahdat al-wujud),
which is an idea of central importance going back to Ibn ‘Arabi.[8]
Thus, while tanzih provides the Real with a universal knowledge of the cosmos, tashbih incorporates a particular
knowledge of the cosmos in as far as humanity perceives the Real in a sense of
multiplicity; so for Ibn al-‘Arabi, the Real is a universal God as well as a
particular or personal God. Initially,
the term used by Ibn al-Arabi was al-wahid al-kathir or the one wujud
with many manifestations or the one many.
Thus, not only does wahdat al-wujud involve oneness of being, it
also incorporates multiplicity in the manifestations of this one wujud.[9] Notwithstanding, wahdat al-wujud also
reveals the Real, in His nature, to have a universal and particular knowledge
of all things within the cosmos through his essence. Thus by the will of the Real and through wahdat
al-wujud, the Real attributes humanity a purpose and the ability to
manifest His form since everything is a self-disclosure or tajalli of the Real.[10]
A critical dissection
of the term wahdat al-wujud first warrants an understanding of tanzih or the Real in transcendence and
His wujud or al-wujud al-Mutlaq
(pure sheer wujud).[11] Within the discipline of Islamic philosophy,
ontology or the study of the nature of wujud, or being as such, engenders
intrinsically as the fundamental issue of discussion. For Ibn al-‘Arabi, the wujud of the
Real exhibits an absolutely indispensable role as the enigmatic and
inexplicable essence of the Real, or God, that is employed in all things and in
every aspect of all things.[12] Everything other than the Real’s wujud is nonexistent. Even though the Real’s wujud displays
being in an unknowable sense or quality, to fully understand ontology, al-haqq
or reality of wujud inherently involves a finding; so
actually, a better translation of the term wujud is, being found.[13] William C. Chittick, in his book, Imaginal
Worlds: Ibn al-‘Arabi and the Problem of Religious Diversity, eloquently
states, “Wujud is invisible in
itself, but nothing can be seen without wujud; or rather, we see nothing
but wujud, made diffuse and visible by the veils that are the created
things.”[14] Therefore, wujud ultimately derives
from the Real and is visible and inherent in all things, albeit wujud is
also hidden as the Real is One without oneness and Alone without loneliness.[15]
The term wahdat
means oneness or unity. As stated
previously, tawhid is the most important term in understanding
Islam. Muslims seek to be one with the
Real or God as He is one within Himself.
Accordingly, Ibn al-‘Arabi writes that humanity has the ability to be
one with the Real, since He can be found only through his creation.[16] Hence, since the Real’s absolute existence is
sheer unity or oneness, and humanity is His creation, humanity inherits the
ability to be unified or become one with the Real so He can be found.[17] In a Divine perspective, the Real sees humanity
as Himself, there is only the Real; or rather, the Real and his creations are
unified in wahdat al-wujud; for as Ibn al-Arabi writes in his Kitab
al-ahadiyyah, “He sees Himself by Himself; He conceives Himself by Himself;
He knows Himself by Himself.”[18] Finally, Toshihko Izutsu affirms this unity by
writing, “The Absolute remains in its original Unity in no matter how many
different forms it may manifest itself.
In a sense the world of Multiplicity is essentially of the very nature
of the Absolute; it is the Absolute itself.”[19]
Universally,
the Real emanates his wujud in all He creates which consequently embodies
His wujud within every aspect of
everything in different intensities within the cosmos. The Real’s wujud abides in all that is
seen and all that is hidden, within all forms and images.[20] For this reason, the Real emanates his wujud
amongst all creation thus creating within our being a contingency; in
consequence, for Ibn al-‘Arabi, the Real establishes an incomparability or tanzih
as a universal transcendent wujud.[21] Thus, within the entire cosmological scheme
and inside the vast universe contains interwoven within each existent or mawjud,
the Real’s wujud. This single
reality or application of the Real’s wujud within all creation unites
the created as one; for as the Real witnesses us, He witnesses Himself.[22] Thus as the Giver of his own wujud, the Real
has a universal and transcendent knowledge of the cosmos, for he is a universal
God. Seyyed Hossein Nasr states in his
book, Ideals and Realities of Islam,
“This belief is not, however in any way anthropomorphic, for the Divine Essence
(al-Dhat) remains absolutely
transcendent and no religion has emphasized the transcendent aspect of God more
than Islam.”[23]
For Ibn al-‘Arabi,
the Real also manifests Himself as a personal God with a particular knowledge
of the cosmos within wahdat al-wujud;
this element of the Real’s unity is tashbih, familiarity, or the “face” (wajh) of God. Thus, the Real does not only guide humanity
on the path, but He also walks the path.[24] This element of familiarity not only
demonstrates a voluntary manifestation of will and love emanated from the Real
to the cosmos, but it also, in a sense, creates a type of multiplicity. Multiplicity is the ontological status of the
phenomenal which manifests various relative forms of the Real and maintains
that the Real has hidden the true haqq
of his form within the form and faculties of the cosmos. [25] So the manifestation of multiplicity or the
essence of the Real only appears in humanity’s senses; thus even though the
Real is only one true reality, He manifests Himself in a myriad of different
forms.[26] In the Qur’an it states, “Our word for a
thing when We intend it, is only that We say to it, Be, and it is.[27] Thus, multiplicity is inflections of the word
“Be,” for they are manifested within each being, but are created by God’s one
breath or wujud.[28]
The form in which
the Real manifests his tashbih or
familiarity (similarity) is through the bestowment of His essence, or rather
for Ibn al-‘Arabi, His Divine names and attributes within the cosmos as the
locus of the Real’s tajalli.[29] Again, Izutsu so eloquently states, “The
absolutely unconditioned Absolute appears divided because of the different
‘names and forms’ and this corresponds to the Islamic concept of Quiddities
(mahiyat or mahiyah [mahiyyah]) which are nothing other that the externalized
forms of the Divine names and attributes.”[30] For Ibn al-‘Arabi, the concept of quiddities,
or the essence of the Real, manifests as borrowed existence or Absolute wujud within wahdat al-wujud. Yet there
are two types of bestowals or gifts which manifest within being; these two
types of gifts are the Real’s wujud and
the Real’s names.[31] For the reason that the Real loves to be known
and bestows or gives His Divine names and attributes amongst all the cosmos,
this binds the cosmos to him in a personal familiarity or tashbih and brings forth an opportunity and purpose for humanity to
know the “face” of the Real through the materialization of the Divine names and
attributes within humanity’s own self.
According to Ibn al-Arabi, through the materialization of the Divine
names and attributes, humanity perceives the oneness of the Real in different
manifestations. This inherently
demonstrates elements of similarity and elements of differences, but of course,
since the Real is one, these elements of similarity are synonymous with the
elements of differences.[32] This also provides the Real with a particular
knowledge of humanity once humanity reflects in return the Divine names and
attributes.
The
Real knows humanity with a particular knowledge since humanity manifests the
fullness of all Divine names and qualities of the Real by holy emanation. Traditionally in Islam, God bears ninety-nine
Divine names; albeit, Ibn al-Arabi articulates that the Real’s Divine names are
infinite. Ibn al-‘Arabi writes “The
names of God are infinite because they are known by what comes from them, and what
comes from them is infinite.”[33] This infinite manifestation of the familiar
explains the verse in the Qur’an, “Wherever you turn, there is the face of God,”
thus these are ayat or signs of the
Real.[34]
All
that is existent manifest the Divine names and attributes in different
intensities. However since humanity
demonstrates a particular purpose, humanity inherits all the Divine names and
attributes, and specifically, the fullness of seven particular names which are
frequently called the seven key attributes of the Real in which the entire
cosmos depend.[35] These attributes are: Alive, Knowing,
Desiring, Powerful, Speaking, Generous, and Just. Therefore, by understanding these qualities, humanity
may understand the Divine names and attributes of the Real and how they reflect
within humanity’s being as well.[36] Yet, all these names incorporate within the
All-Comprehensive name of the Real, Allah.
Humanity is the only existent within the cosmos that manifests the
fullness of this All-Encompassing name Allah, for humanity is created in the
All-Merciful’s form. [37]
For Ibn al-‘Arabi,
the interpretation of the scripture, “And He taught Adam all the names, then
presented them to the angels,” inspires the ideology that the Real bestowed
upon humanity all of His Divine names and attributes, which in turn reflects humanity
in accordance to His own form. To Ibn
al-‘Arabi, this concept is essential in understanding the status of humanity
over all other creations within the cosmos, as well as the purpose in which humanity
also inherits. Within the metacosm or
divine reality, creation is subdivided into microcosm and macrocosm. The macrocosm also inherits the Divine wujud of the Real, as well as the
infused Divine names and attributes; albeit, the macrocosm only inherits these
so called manifestations of the Real in a spectrum of intensities which does
not include the All-Encompassing name, Allah.
The macrocosm, which is all the cosmos including angels, inherits these
names and manifests them completely; thus if an angel is manifested with the
name of the All-Compassionate they manifest only the name of the All-Compassionate
and cannot be cruel.[38]
The microcosm
inherits all of the Divine names and attributes of the Real including the
All-Encompassing name Allah which is the highest level in tafadul or degrees of excellence, for all things are barzakh or exist in niches; therefore the
microcosm is humanity.[39] Humanity inherits all of the names and
attributes because humanity is created in the form of the Real and requires the
fullness of all His Divine names and attributes to fulfill humanity’s destiny
and become a “perfect man.”[40] For without the fullness of all of the Divine
names and attributes including the All-Encompassing name of Allah, humanity
would only manifest a name or attribute in comparison to the macrocosm;
therefore, if humanity inherited the name of the All-Compassionate, humanity
could only manifest this particular name.
Thus, with the fullness of all of the Divine names and attributes, humanity
may manifest these names and attributes in a state of all-comprehensiveness
like unto the Real.[41] Again, Chittick states, “It is precisely this
human all-comprehensiveness that allows for the existence of every sort of
human possibility, every imaginable attribute, every conceivable act, whether
good or evil, noble or base, just or unjust, compassionate or cruel.”[42] This is done because of the Real’s desire, as
an expression of love for Himself, to be manifested; this is only found and
manifested within humanity, in which provides humanity a purpose.
The
bestowal of these names and attributes emanates from what Ibn al-‘Arabi calls
the Breath of the All-Merciful or nafas
al-Rahman.[43] The All-Merciful Breath is the physical
action in which directly causes the emanation of these Divine names and
attributes, as well as the literal creation of the cosmos.[44] Ibn al-‘Arabi expresses,
It is by virtue of this divine presence
that the world exists. God most high
says, ‘Our Word to a thing when We desire it is Be, and it is.’ This is an Essence owning Will and Speech. That thing would not be if it were not for
the Essence, Its Will—which is the attribution that denotes attention being
turned in a specific way towards the bringing into being of something—and if
not for His saying Be! upon this attention being turned toward that thing.[45]
As established previously, the
Breath of the Real within his utterance of the word “Be” is the actual
characteristic bridge that adjoins the names and attributes to that which is
then created within the cosmos. Chittick
explains it as, “The Breath of the All-Merciful, deals with the details of the
cosmic degrees as they become articulated within the divine speech.”[46] For Ibn al-‘Arabi, the scripture, “So when I
have made him complete and breathed into him of My spirit, fall down making
obeisance to him,”[47]
means the spirit within the Breath is literally received by the receptacle,
diverse forms, which begets creation.[48] Thus, if this form is divine it is the form
of humanity, which emerges upon the form of the Real; accordingly, since humanity
is the manifestation of the perfect Real, the cosmos inscribe a circle of
adoration around humanity.[49]
Also
for Ibn al-‘Arabi, the Breath is what gives existence within his creation, but
within Himself, the Breath is non-manifested.
Consequently, the Breath constantly displays its properties within the
cosmos as well as a renewal of creation within each Breath.[50] Ibn al-‘Arabi writes,
The Breath of the
All-Merciful is the forever turning its attentiveness, and nature is forever
undergoing generation as the forms of this Breath, so that the Divine Command
may never be rendered ineffectual, since ineffectuality is impossible. So Forms are temporally originated and become
manifest in accordance with their preparedness to receive the Breath.[51]
So in a direct sense, the entire
cosmos depend directly upon the rendering of the Breath of the Real; for the
Breath of the Real is a constant phenomena in which brings direct physical
existence to both microcosmic and macrocosmic forms within the cosmos.
With
the establishment of Ibn al ‘Arabi’s principal paradigm, concerning the
universal and particular essentials that integrate within wahdat al-wujud,
which articulates the bestowal of both the transcendent tanzih and
familiar tashbih of the Real, who infinitely bestows upon humanity, in
regards to the physical creation by means of the All-Merciful Breath, that
inherently provides humanity with a particular purpose and means to achieve a
true knowledge of the Real as well as joy.
Therefore, it is humanity’s purpose to manifest, in perfection, all of
the Real’s Divineness,[52] so
that the Real may be known to humanity and Himself. This love to be known, of and by the Real,
endows humanity with a critical and essential role as vicegerent within the
cosmos; for if human beings ceased to exist, so would the cosmos. However, even though humanity harnesses the
potential to manifest the complete and absolute divineness of the Real, for Ibn
al-‘Arabi, humanity must come to know how to accomplish this complete
manifestation or become the perfect man. Then, how may humanity achieve this
perfection?
The Epistemology of the Sufi Path and
Illumination by means of Dhawq and Kashf
According to Ibn
al-‘Arabi, theological and philosophical reasoning does not induce the
inclusive ability to perceive al-haqq. In fact, Ibn al-“Arabi agreed with the esoteric
path al-Ghazali attributed to Sufism. Al-Ghazali,
who was an exceptional figure of importance as an elite theologian and scholar
who greatly contributed to Islamic intellectualism and succeeding philosophical
and theological thought, suffered in a hindrance of spiritual stagnation or doubt. This spiritual crisis of doubt resolved from
the inability to determine al-haqq or the true reality of all things
and fundamentally know, through verification or tahqiq, this reality without doubts.[53] Philosophically speaking, the true reality of
the One derives directly from deducing logical truths through verifications of
the senses that testify, by means of philosophical reasoning and knowledge of
the sciences, on foundations of syllogistic demonstration, then being relayed
to the masses by means of rhetorical dialectic.
However, unlike philosophy, al- Ghazali and Ibn al-‘Arabi write that the
senses are misleading and cannot be trusted, for how could one trust the senses
of a feverous man who is cold; thus finding truth by means of only
philosophical discourse and trust of the senses—or a priori knowledge—may, in a
sense, demonstrate parts of the truth, but cannot exhibit full haqq through tahqiq.
Also,
in regards to theology, humanity may gain knowledge, understand relevant
doctrine, and perform ritual ordinances that confirm, in principle, a certain
understanding of the truth. Conversely,
there is a key fundamental aspect, within theology, that excludes a security
and ultimate knowledge of al-haqq. For al-Ghazali and Ibn al-‘Arabi, this
exclusion of truth can be alleviated by dhawq
or a tasting of axiomatic experiences that not only provide tahqiq, but also led to kashf or unveiling. These elements of dhawq and kashf can only
be opened in training under a shaykh
or Sufi master within Sufism.
Sufism is a mystical approach, a direct
experience of the objects of faith, which for Ibn al-‘Arabi, provides the
friends or folk with specific verifications (tahqiq) of the al-haqq
through the unveiling (kashf) of irfan or gnosis, which in turn, inspires
direct cognition with the divine or imaginative faculty through means of al-‘ilm
al-laduni, or knowledge from the Divine presence, manifested into either revelation,
or wahy, and inspiration, or ilham, which provides, in
circumference, al-haqq.[54] Sufism embarks on a sojourn of personal
exploration that incorporates the pursuit of elevating humanity’s tafadul or degrees of excellence and
taking upon themselves the Divine names and attributes of the Real within their
terrestrial existence. Michael Marmura
writes of this Sufi tradition within The
Cambridge Companion to Arabic Philosophy, as the process of annihilating a
part of humanity’s worldly self, so that the a spiritual self can be reborn in
pursuit of manifesting the Divine names and attributes of the Real, thus
becoming closer to Him.[55] This is why Ibn al-‘Arabi refers to Sufis as
the folk or friends of the Real, for Sufis are the folk of the kashf or unveiling concerning themselves
with manifesting all the encompassing names of the Real and becoming His
perfect reflection, which is the perfect man, or al-insan al-kamil.[56]
Since humanity is
the Real’s vicegerent within the cosmos and Sufism concentrates their mystical
spirituality within their sojourn to truly know al-haqq and receive the verification of al-haqq by gnosis, this path of Sufism can be followed by everyone
who desires to follow and can envelope in the perfection of themselves.[57] This journey leads to dhawq or the tasting of the Real, or His wujud, and the understanding al-haqq
of His wujud.[58]
In this arduous
sojourn for perfection and the achievement of al-insan al-kamil, or perfect man, Sufis must, in actuality, seek
for their own joy.[59] Initially to seek true felicitation, Sufis
must realize that within humanity’s very being is the need to annihilate all
sense of pride and manifest faqr or
poverty.[60] This involves continuous endeavor, within humanity’s
belonging to the world, to purify him from all activities of pride or ego.[61] In a sense, Sufis must be willing to relinquish
all attachments to the world and become impoverished, so that the Real will be
willing to grant them with his wealth.
As the Qur’an states, “O people, you are the poor toward God, and God,
He is the Wealthy, the Praised One.” [62] Thus, for Sufis, in order to be made rich
with joy, one must receive it from the Real by merit of his need and faqr.
Chittick reaffirms this idea, “When people recognize the true nature of
their poverty, they strive to have no object of need other than God.”[63]
After detachment
of the worldly wealth, Sufis must then reattach themselves to the clear path to
ultimate joy which leads directly to the Real.
The Sufi path to joy anchors within the revealed law of the prophets and
provides a focal point to permit a direction to follow.[64] This law is the second meaning of Shari’a,
or the following of the revelations of the prophets, morality, and establishing
a proper relationship with the Real through means of ritual supplication,
prayer, dhiqr (remembrance), fasting,
and explicitly following the Qur’an and all integrated literal guidance which
lead to the Real.[65] Ibn al-‘Arabi illustrates this point in his
book of poems Journey to the Lord of Power: A Sufi Manual on Retreat,
Your first duty is to search for the
knowledge which establishes your ablution and prayer, your fasting and
reverence. You are not obliged to seek
out more than this. This is the first
door of the journey; then work; then moral heedfulness; then asceticism; then
trust. And in the first of the states of
trust, four miracles befall you. These
are signs and evidences of your attainment of the first degree of trust. These signs are crossing the earth, walking
on water, traversing the air, and being fed by the universe. And that is the reality within this door. After that, stations and states and miracles
and revelations come to you continuously until death.[66]
This Sufi path merits from the emptying
of humanity’s ego and the filling of humanity’s spiritual dhawq, or tasting, which leads to the rebirth of that which
preceded earthly existence and that which was inherent with fitrah—but then consequently, veiled at birth.[67] A vital aspect of tasting is first dhiqr
or remembrance of the Real and humanity’s state of fitrah.[68] For it is essential to first remember the
Real in order to taste the truth; because all of humanity knows that the Real discloses
Himself within themselves. Nonetheless, humanity does not recognize or remember
this because of the veil.[69] Thus by remembering and tasting, humanity is
not only led to joy, but also to the unveiling (kashf) of that which was veiled; for the door[70] will
open and irfan will be known. Kashf
or the unveiling is the essential principle of Sufism because it is the point
in which the Real chooses to manifest humanity al-haqq or the original
absoluteness. Kashf is the direct
revealing of the divine truths to humanity, or in a sense, a direct connection
with humanity to bestow irfan.
Izutsu describes kashf in regards to being, “In the absolute
consciousness of a mystic-metaphysician, on the contrary, it reveals itself in
its original absoluteness beyond all relative determinations. This is what is technically known as kashf
or mukashafah, the experience of unveiling.”[71]
Within kashf, or the unveiling of the true and
essential haqq, complete irfan or gnosis is achieved by the means
of two sources of manifestations which are given directly through al-‘ilm
al-laduni or knowledge from the Divine presence—even though, there are
three basic paradigms to gain knowledge.
These three basic methods of knowledge are wahy or revelation, ilham
or inspiration by means of kashf, and rational investigation or
philosophical reasoning.[72] Wahy or revelation is inherent directly
to the imaginative faculty or imagination of a prophet in which brings the Real
closer to the prophet and humanity through the prophet’s dissemination of the
revelation. As Chittick explains, “The
prophets are the models who establish the diverse paradigms of perfection;” for
these noble prophets perceive with a “direct perception and understanding of
various modalities of reality.”[73] This wahy asserts the Real’s similarity
and immanence in relation to humanity.[74] For a prophet, wahy is an inherent
quality innately given to act as a messenger of the Real without recompense.
Ilham
merits from a process of self purification found essentially on the path of
Sufism. Ilham and wahy are
synonymous regarding spiritual content; however, for humanity who are engaged
in seeking ilham, the application of balance of vision is
essential. In other words, prophets
manifest a direct link to their imaginative faculty, in which they are linked,
in a sense, to the Real. However, for
saints and folk of the unveiling, they must see with the eye of rationality or
the rational faculty as well as with the eye of imagination or the imaginative
faculty. These faculties, the rational
and imaginative, are also connected with personal and universal aspects of the
Real or tanzih and tashbih.
The rational faculty recognizes the Real as a transcendent being or tanzih,
thus pushing Him away; while the imaginative faculty prescribes an idea of
familiarity or tashbih which brings the Real close. Yet, since humanity manifests all of the
Divine names and attributes of the Real, humanity is the precise self
expression of Him and is able to perceive things as they truly are or al-haqq. Hence, in order for them to amalgamate a
balanced vision, see with both eyes, and perceive al-haqq as it truly
is, the saints and folk must purify the eye of their heart, which is the source
of discernment between the two eyes of rationality and imagination. As Chittick states, “The locus of such a
vision is the heart, whose beating symbolizes the constant shift from one eye
to the other; made necessary by the divine unity, which precludes a
simultaneously dual vision.”[75] This exhorts such importance and heed to
Sufism, because Sufism is the mystical path in which leads to the purification
of the eye of the heart which provides kashf and irfan.
For Ibn al-‘Arabi,
wahy and ilham supersede all other forms of obtaining knowledge
in ontological pursuits. Ibn al-‘Arabi
writes,
The knowledge of states is closer to
the knowledge of mysteries than to the knowledge of investigative reason, but
closer still to the category of necessary intellectual knowledge. However, since reason can only reach it
through being in formed of it by someone who knows it or has witnessed it--a
prophet or friend of God--it is therefore distinct from necessary knowledge.
Nonetheless, the knowledge of states is necessary for one who experience them.[76]
Prophets, saints and folk of the
unveiling or the perfect men demonstrate a superior knowledge of al-haqq
because, for Ibn al-‘Arabi, these men who are sent by the Real are not
different than He who sent them; thus, in a sense, He has sent Himself.[77] This is the unification of the knower and the
known, as Izutsu maintains, “Whatever may happen to be the object of knowledge,
the highest degree of knowledge is always achieved when the knower, the human
subject, becomes completely unified and identified with the object of so much
so that there remains no differentiation between the two.”[78] For as the Qur’an states, “And certainly We
created man, and We know what his mind suggests to him and We are nearer to him
than his jugular vein.”[79] So, wahy received by prophets and ilham
received by the folk of the unveiling or perfect man supersede all knowledge
gained by philosophical reasoning and logic.
Thus, true knowledge is by following the path of the Sufi, rather than
the path of the philosopher.
For
Ibn al-‘Arabi, philosophical reasoning is not detrimental in anyway, but rather
merits only a portion of the ability to perceive the fullness of al-haqq. Izutsu illustrates this concept in writing,
“The stick giving guidance to the blind man here symbolizes the rational
faculty of the mind. The strange thing
about this is that the stick upon which the blind man relies happens to be the
very cause of his blindness.”[80] Philosophical knowledge faults in one
important aspect; it demonstrates a subjective speculation to humanity’s own
perspective thus limiting the ability to actually know truth without first
following the Sufi path of dhiqr, dhawq, kashf, and irfan.[81] Philosophical reason can benefit humanity if
it leads humanity to the true mystical intention of Sufism. But, because philosophy derives from the
logical reasoning concerning the perception of the senses based on syllogistic
arguments, for Ibn al-‘Arabi, philosophy is not a concomitant phenomenon
vis-à-vis the Real, but in actuality, only a perception of those whom have
fallen into ignorance and lies.[82]
Within
this Sufi path or journey to perfection, humanity may find pure joy in
realizing and remembering that which was lost.
This reconciliation with the Real and remembrance of humanity’s true fitrah
is a principle key within kashf and in gaining irfan. Once humanity exhibits the aptitude of the
perfect man or al-insan al-kamil, humanity
thus manifests all of the Divine names and attributes in the brightest
intensity and in theory, according to Ibn al-‘Arabi, humanity reflects the Real
as if He was looking into a mirror. For
this is humanity’s purpose, to manifest the Real to Himself. It is this purpose that awards humanity with
definitive joy in knowing al-haqq.
Also, because of the Real’s love to be known and manifested to Himself,
the perfect man provides this reflection back to the Real. This is the humanity’s goal, plan, and
purpose. For Ibn al-‘Arabi, this is the
precise reason for the existence of humanity, within the cosmos, as vicegerent
to the Real.
The
Real desires for humanity to become perfect.
For Ibn al-‘Arabi, “Only the perfect man is the crown of the king,”
because Divine perfection can only manifest within humanity.[83] No other creation within the cosmos carries
such an adamant potential and thus the reason why humanity manifests all of His
Divine names and attributes including the most Divine All-Encompassing name
Allah. This inherits humanity with a
more perfect plane above all other existents within the cosmos including
angels.[84] For the perfect man is the man who has
perfected himself within his sphere and received irfan through kashf
and knows the true nature of al-haqq.
For the perfect man is the “noblest adornment through which it is
adorned.” Through the perfect man, humanity
may be judged and measured by the “scale of law.” Through the perfect man, the order of the
universe is established and overthrown. Through and in the perfect man, the
Real may manifest Himself to Himself; He may decree, He may judge, and He may
love.[85] Thus, for Ibn al-‘Arabi, humanity’s purpose
in the cosmos, a vicegerent to the Real, is to become the perfect man.
Accordingly, humanity’s
purpose as vicegerent is perfection.
Through perfection humanity is able to have joy in the true knowledge of
the Real and be able to perceive His “face” in every created thing within the
cosmos. For the Real, He knows Himself,
but desires to know Himself in a relative and qualified manner; thus He created
the cosmos and His vicegerent to perceive of Himself in manifestation “as if it
were in a mirror.”[86] Ibn al-‘Arabi writes in his Fusus al-Hikam,
The Real willed, glorified be he, in
virtue of His Beautiful names, which are innumerable, to see their identities--if
you so wish you can say: to see His identity--in a comprehensive being that
comprises the whole affair insofar as it is possessed of existence and His
Mystery is manifest to Himself through it.
For the vision a thing has of itself in itself is not like the vision a
thing has of itself in another thing, which will be like a mirror for it;
indeed, He is manifest to Himself in a form accorded by the locus seen, which
would not have manifested to Him without the existence of that locus and His
self-disclosure to it.[87]
Therefore, the perfect man is the
bezel in which you place the gem.[88] It is in this perfect man, by fulfilling his purpose,
in which the Real may perceive of Himself by the reflection of Himself, within
His most precious creation, to whom inherits the All-Encompassing name of Allah
and reflects the love and the knowledge of the Real to Himself in accordance to
when He gazes at Himself in His mirror.
Primary
Sources
Ibn al-‘Arabi,
Muhyiddin. al-Fusus al-Hikam (The
Ringstones of Wisdom). Translated by
Caner K. Dagli. Chicago
Ibn al-‘Arabi,
Muhyiddin. al-Futuhat al-Makkiyya (The
Meccan Revelations or Openings).
Translated by William C. Chittick and James W. Morris. Edited by Michel Chodkiewicz. New
York
Ibn al-‘Arabi,
Muhyiddin. at-Tadbirat al-Ilahiyyah
fi Islah al-Mamlakat al-Insaniyyah (Divine Governance of the Human Kingdom Canada
Ibn al-‘Arabi,
Muyiddin. Journey to the Lord of
Power: A Sufi Manual on Retreat.
Translated by Rabia Terri Harris.
Rochester
Ibn al-‘Arabi,
Muyiddin. The Mysteries of Bearing
Witness to the Oneness of God and Prophethood of Muhammad (selections from
al-Futuhat al-Makkiyya). Translated
by Aisha Bewley. Edited by Laleh
Bakhtiar. Chicago
Al-Qur’an.
Translated by M. H. Shakir. Elmhurst
Secondary
Sources
Chittick, William
C. Ibn ‘Arabi: Heir to the Prophets. Oxford
Chittick, William
C. Imaginal Worlds: Ibn al-‘Arabi and
the Problem of Religious Diversity. Albany : State University of New
York
Chittick, William
C. The Self Disclosure of God:
Principles of Ibn al-‘Arabi’s Cosmology.
Albany : State
University of New York
Chittick, William
C. The Sufi Path of Knowledge: Ibn
al-‘Arabi’s Metaphysics of Imagination.
Albany : State
University of New York
Izutsu,
Toshihiko. The Concept and Reality of
Existence. Tokyo :
Keio University
Lumbard,
Joseph. In class Lecture Notes. 26 November 2007. NEJS 190b Islamic Philosophy, Brandeis University ,
Waltham , MA
Lumbard,
Joseph. In class Lecture Notes. 06 December 2007. NEJS 190b Islamic Philosophy, Brandeis University ,
Waltham , MA
Marmura, Michael
E. “Al-Ghazali.” The Cambridge Cambridge : Cambridge University
Nasr, Seyyed
Hussein. Ideals and Realities of
Islam. Boston
[1] William C. Chittick, Ibn
‘Arabi: Heir to the Prophets, (Oxford
[2] Heir to the Prophets,
1.
[3] Haqq or al-haqq is
defined as the true reality of the Absolute God; also, within Sufi tradition, al-haqq is used as strictly the Real
or God Himself.
[4] Muhyiddin Ibn al-‘Arabi, al-Fusus al-Hikam (The Ringstones of
Wisdom), Translated by Caner K. Dagli, (Chicago
[5] Philosophy (falsafa), legal jurisprudence (fiqh), theology (kalam)
[6] Toshihiko Izutsu, The
Concept and Reality of Existence, (Tokyo: Keio University and Kokusai
Printing Company, 1971), 18.
[7] Izutsu, 20.
[8] Izutsu, 18.
[9] William C. Chittick, Imaginal
Worlds: Ibn al-‘Arabi and the Problem of Religious Diversity, (Albany:
State University of New York Press, 1994), 15.
[10] Fusus, 4.
[11] William C. Chittick, The
Sufi Path of Knowledge: Ibn al-‘Arabi’s Metaphysics of Imagination,
(Albany: State University of New York Press, 1989), 7.
[12] Imaginal Worlds, 16.
[13] Imaginal Worlds, 15.
[14] Imaginal Worlds, 16.
[15] Muhyiddin
Ibn al-‘Arabi, at-Tadbirat al-Ilahiyyah fi Islah al-Mamlakat al-Insaniyyah
(Divine Governance of the Human
Kingdom
[16] Tadbirat, 257.
[17] Izutsu, 19.
[18] Tadbirat, 234.
[19] Izutsu, 19.
[20] Tadbirat, 233.
[21] Muhyiddin
Ibn al-‘Arabi, al-Futuhat al-Makkiyya (The Meccan Revelations or Openings),
Translated by William C. Chittick and James W. Morris, Edited by Michel
Chodkiewicz, (New York
[22] Fusus, 12
[23] Seyyed Hussein Nasr, Ideals
and Realities of Islam, (Boston: Beacon Press, 1972), 5.
[24] Fusus, 106.
[25] Izutsu, 18-19.
[26] Izutsu, 20.
[28] Joseph
Lumbard, In class Lecture Notes, (26 November 2007 , NEJS
190b Islamic Philosophy, Brandeis University : Waltham ,
MA 11/26/07 .
[29] William C. Chittick, The
Self-Disclosure of God: Principles of Ibn
al-‘Arabi’s Cosmology, (Albany: State University of New York Press, 1998),
91.
[30] Izutsu, 19.
[31] Fusus, 19.
[32] Lumbard, 12/06/07 .
[33] Fusus, 31.
[34] Qur’an, 2:115.
[35] Imaginal Worlds, 21.
[36] Imaginal Worlds, 21.
[37] Heir to the Prophets, 32.
[38] Imaginal Worlds, 32.
[39] The Sufi Path of Knowledge, 14.
[40] Imaginal Worlds, 32.
[41] Imaginal Worlds, 31-33.
[42] Imaginal Worlds, 32.
[43] Fusus, 19.
[44] Futuhat, 51.
[45] Fusus, 119.
[46] Self-Disclosure, xxvii.
[47] Qur’an 15:29.
[48] Futuhat, 52.
[49] Futuhat, 53.
[50] Futuhat, 54.
[51] Futuhat, 54.
[52] The manifestation of the
Divine wujud, names, and attributes.
[53] Michael
E Marmura, “Al-Ghazali,” The Cambridge
Companion to Arabic Philosophy,
Edited by Peter Adamson and Richard C. Taylor, (Cambridge :
Cambridge University
[54] Imaginal Worlds, 3.
[55] Marmura, 140.
[56] Fusus, 2.
[57] The Sufi Path of Knowledge, 3.
[58] The Sufi Path of Knowledge, 3.
[59] Heir to the Prophets,
47.
[60] Heir to the Prophets,
47.
[61] Izutsu, 8.
[62] Qur’an, 35:15.
[63] Heir to the Prophets,
48.
[64] The Sufi Path of Knowledge, 27.
[65] The Sufi Path of Knowledge, 27.
[66] Muyiddin
Ibn al-‘Arabi, Journey to the Lord of Power: A Sufi Manual on Retreat,
Translated by Rabia Terri Harris, (Rochester: Inner Traditions International,
1981), 30.
[67] Izutsu, 8.
[68] Journey to the Lord of
Power, 31.
[69] Heir to the Prophets,
22.
[70] The open door refers to
Prophetic inheritance in which the Real and only the Real can choose to open
the door and manifest the true reality or al-haqq. Imaginal Worlds, 8.
[71] Izutsu, 9.
[72] Imaginal Worlds, 11.
[73] Imaginal Worlds, 7.
[74] Heir to the Prophets,
19.
[75] Heir to the Prophets,
19.
[76]
Muyiddin Ibn al-‘Arabi, The Mysteries of Bearing Witness to the Oneness of
God and Prophethood of Muhammad (selections from al-Futuhat al-Makkiyya),
Translated by Aisha Bewley, Edited by Laleh Bakhtiar, (Chicago: Great Books of
the Islamic World, 2002), 7.
[77] Tadbirat, 234.
[78] Izutsu, 5.
[79] Qur’an, 50:16.
[80] Izutsu, 6.
[81] Mysteries of Bearing
Witness to the Oneness of God, 6.
[82] Futuhat, 6-7.
[83] Futuhat, 44.
[84] Futuhat, 44.
[85] Futuhat, 44.
[86] Fusus, 3.
[87] Fusus, 3-4.
[88] Fusus, 6.
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