The Epistemic Status of Mystical Experience in Ibn ʻArabī’s Legal Reasoning

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The works of Aristotle left an indelible impression on Arabic philosophy after the translation movement. While many philosophers accepted the works of the revered First Teacher (Al-Mu‘allim al-awwal), as Aristotle was designated, others sought to reformulate his ideas in accordance with their own priorities. One such thinker is the hugely influential mystical theorist, Muḥyī al-Dīn ibn ‘Arabī (d. 638/1240), who agrees with Aristotle that all existents are hylomorphic compounds made from the combination of form with matter that comes from prime matter, or hyle (hayūlā), which he frequently uses interchangeably with ‘substance’ (jawhar). He claims that prime matter or substance accepts all forms (ṣuwar), but he theologizes these terms as he believes all things are loci of divine manifestation. Ibn ‘Arabī thus situates Aristotelian hylomorphism within the framework of his own metaphysics. He proceeds to equate the universal hayūlā with the primordial ‘cloud’ (‘amā’), mentioned in prophetic traditions, from which all things in the different levels of existence derive because of the existentiating divine breath. When it comes to the sensible world in particular, Ibn ‘Arabī employs the Qur’anic term of ‘dust’ (habā’) to denote prime matter that serves as the basis of sensible hylomorphic compounds. This study conducts close textual content analysis to demonstrate the way in which Ibn ‘Arabī theologizes Aristotelian hylomorphism to expound his conception of the different realms of existence.

“…399). This showcases Ibn 'Arabī's propensity to reclassify the reliability of prophetic traditions based on his spiritual unveiling, or esoteric knowledge (Lala 2022).…”

Section: The Breath Of the Compassionate And The Cloudmentioning

confidence: 86%

Ibn ‘Arabī and the Theologization of Aristotelian Hylomorphism

Lala

2023

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“…ammad correcting misconceptions and misapprehensions that Ibn 'Arabī had, or they were interactions that were initiated by Ibn 'Arabī and pertained to specific juristic questions, such as raising the hands during formal prayer (raf' al-yadayn). Since the latter has been dealt with extensively elsewhere, I will not detail those interactions here (Lala 2022b). Suffice it to say that Ibn 'Arabī had recourse to the highest authorities when it came to specific juristic problems, as is also evident from the questions he was able to ask prophets when he had his spiritual ascension (Addas [1989(Addas [ ] 1993Morris 1987bMorris , 1988).…”

Section: Ibn 'Arabī's Juristic and Personal Interactions With Prophet...mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This is different to even his trivial interactions with Prophet Muh . ammad in which the Prophet teaches him points of Islamic law that he did not know, such as how many times and when hands should be raised in formal prayer (Lala 2022b), or whether humans or angels are superior (Addas [1989(Addas [ ] 1993. There is some complementarity, nevertheless, between Ibn 'Arabī's first interaction with Al-Khid .…”

Section: Interactions With Al-khid Rmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dead Men Talking: Ibn ‘Arabī’s Interactions with Messengers and Saints

Lala

2024

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The mystical thinker Muhyi al-Din ibn ‘Arabī (d. 638/1240) had many audiences with the dead. This article explores who Ibn ‘Arabī interacted with, and how. Usually as dreams and visions, the meetings Ibn ‘Arabī had with messengers were generally at key milestones in his life, or to confer particular distinctions upon him. A special subset of these visions was of Prophet Muḥammad specifically, and these were to derive a legal ruling from him, or because he was under the special care of the Prophet. Conversely, the audiences he had with departed saints were largely to do with more quotidian issues, either regarding his relationship with spiritual masters, or to correct a misapprehension about someone. Finally, but more seldom, he had physical interactions with corporealised spirits from beyond. As these betrayed a higher rank than mere visions, they were reminiscent of his audiences with messengers in that they confirmed his exalted spiritual rank.

“…Recent research has elaborated on how Ibn 'Arabī operates at two levels of exegesis: one for the vulgum pecus, which is the ostensible (z . āhir) meaning of the Qur'an, and one for the spiritually-enlightened, for whom he discloses the deeper meaning (Lala 2022a(Lala , 2022b. Without undermining the ostensible meaning and without addressing the inherent contradiction between it and the deeper meaning, Ibn 'Arabī holds both meanings to be concurrently true.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Queen of Sheba in the Mystical Thought of Ibn ‘Arabī

Lala

2023

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The mystical commentary on the story of Bilqīs, the Queen of Sheba, from chapter 27 of the Qur’an carried out by the highly influential Sufi thinker Muḥyī al-Dīn ibn ‘Arabī (d. 638/1240), shows that he differs radically from exoteric Sunni exegetes. The principal reason for this is Ibn ‘Arabī’s complete reliance on spiritual unveiling (kashf) as a hermeneutic tool. In the chapter on Sulaymān of Fuṣūṣ al-ḥikam, Ibn ‘Arabī represents Bilqīs as the most perspicuous instantiation of the divine Name, “the Compassionate” (Al-Raḥmān). It is the divine trait of compassion, says Ibn ‘Arabī, that provides the existentiating impetus required to bring forth the entire cosmos. Due to her personification of this trait, Bilqīs’ ascent to the pinnacle of gnosis and her ontological superiority over her peers is extolled by Ibn ‘Arabī in her Qur’anic story.