Endless Tajalli

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A Historiograph of Ibn ʿArabi

Ali Hussain

INTRODUCTION

It is perhaps safe to assume that any contemporary specialist

in Islam’s intellectual and mystical traditions is familiar with

Muhiddin Ibn ʿArabi (1165–1240).

Muhiddin Ibn ʿArabi (1165–1240).11 This gure’s thought has This gure’s thought has

proven to be a fecund intellectual soil for many Western

spe-cialists who authored biographies, expositions,

cialists who authored biographies, expositions,

commentar-ies and works in other genres all revolving around his life and

ies and works in other genres all revolving around his life and

writings. Oer the past decades, the research surrounding this

thinker has ourished as the oera understanding of mediea

Islamic mysticism of these specialists has deepened and

pub-lished monographs in the genre have increased dramatically

lished monographs in the genre have increased dramatically

in oume and range. Thus, whereas ear works on Ibn ʿArabi

presented either a generic overview of his thought or

transla-tions of the shorter treatises and poems, published monographs

tions of the shorter treatises and poems, published monographs

today on the Shaykh range from detailed expositional works

on specic concepts in his thought to comparatie studies that

engage Ibn ʿArabi in an inteectua diaogue with arious phio

engage Ibn ʿArabi in an inteectua diaogue with arious phio-

-sophica trends in the modern word.

sophica trends in the modern word.

This study attempts to survey some of these major trends

and monographs pubished in

and monographs pubished in the Wthe West on Ibn ʿArest on Ibn ʿArabi, particuabi, particu-

-ar oer the past three to four decades. These works incude

ar oer the past three to four decades. These works incude

authoritative references

authoritative references like Chittick’slike Chittick’s Su PathSu Path, , Chodkiewicz’sChodkiewicz’s

Seal

Seal or Addas’ or Addas’ Quest Quest ; detailed expositions like Haj Yousef’s; detailed expositions like Haj Yousef’s

Time

Time; comparative studies like Almond’s; comparative studies like Almond’s SusmSusm and, lastly,and, lastly,

some noe iterar appropriations of Ibn ʿArabi’s image, such

as Meddeb’s

as Meddeb’s TombeauTombeau. Howeer, before deing into the task. Howeer, before deing into the task

at hand, it is worthwhie rst discussing a brief histor of Ibn

1. Cf. Addas,

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ʿArabi studies in the West prior to the period in focus in this

sure.

Considerabe efforts

Considerabe efforts to epore to epore Ibn ʿArabi’s writings b WestIbn ʿArabi’s writings b West-

-ern speciaists can be traced back to the beginning of the 20th

ern speciaists can be traced back to the beginning of the 20th

centur. Nichoson’s three major works –

centur. Nichoson’s three major works – StudiesStudies,, The MysticsThe Mystics

and the translation of

and the translation of TTarjuman arjuman al-Ashwaqal-Ashwaq – coectie epore– coectie epore

a wide arra of themes and concepts preaent in Ibn ʿArabi’s

prose and

prose and poetrpoetr..22 Horten’s Horten’s Mystische Mystische TTexteexte and Nyberg’sand Nyberg’s Kleinere Kleinere

Schriften

Schriften would continue Nicholson’would continue Nicholson’s efforts, both s efforts, both offering Ger-offering

Ger-man renditions of some of Ibn ʿArabi’s treatises and poetr.

man renditions of some of Ibn ʿArabi’s treatises and poetr.

Meanwhile, Ayni’s

Meanwhile, Ayni’s La La QuintessenceQuintessence,, in a similar fashion toin a similar fashion to

Nicholson’s

Nicholson’s The MysticsThe Mystics,, presents an outine of Ibn ʿArabi’s kepresents an outine of Ibn ʿArabi’s ke

phiosophica and metaphsica concepts.

In the mid-20th centur, other trends were deeoped

In the mid-20th centur, other trends were deeoped amongamong

Western speciaists in their approach to Ibn ʿArabi’s thought

and works. Paacios’ three works in Spanish:

and works. Paacios’ three works in Spanish: Abenmasarra Abenmasarra,, La La

Escatologia

Escatologia Musulmana Musulmana andand El Islam Cristiani El Islam Cristianizadozado attempt to sit- attempt to

sit-uate Ibn ʿArabi’s thought within the arger histor of Europe’s

uate Ibn ʿArabi’s thought within the arger histor of Europe’s

intellectual and philosophical traditions, Islamic and

other-wise. In the genre of transations, Burckhardt’s French rendi

wise. In the genre of transations, Burckhardt’s French rendi-

-tion of

tion of Fusus Fusus al-Hikamal-Hikam would inspire numerous later attempts would inspire numerous later attempts

at translating this controversial and provocative work into

arious Western anguages. Aso, Raph Austin’s transation of

Ibn ʿArabi’s hagiographica works,

Ibn ʿArabi’s hagiographica works, Ruh Ruh al-Qudsal-Quds andand Al-Durra Al-Durra

al-Fakhira

al-Fakhira, provided a unique insight into the latter’s percep-, provided a unique insight into the latter’s

percep-tion of his miieu as he offers criticism of institupercep-tiona Susm in

tion of his miieu as he offers criticism of institutiona Susm in

Eastern Isamdom and

Eastern Isamdom and amentation for its Western counterpart.amentation for its Western counterpart.

W

Worthy of mention in orthy of mention in this regard also are works this regard also are works that explorethat explore

a specic area of Ibn ʿArabi’s thought. Corbin’s

a specic area of Ibn ʿArabi’s thought. Corbin’s L L’Imagination’Imagination

créatrice

créatrice, pubished in 1958, remains an authoritatie reference, pubished in 1958, remains an authoritatie reference

2.

2. StudiesStudies specically discusses the theme ofspecically discusses the theme of al-Insan al-Kamilal-Insan al-Kamil and itsand its

appropriation by later gures in the

appropriation by later gures in the AkbariAkbari school, such as ʿAbd al-Karimschool, such as ʿAbd al-Karim

al-Jili; cf,

al-Jili; cf, Studies Studies , 77. On the other hand,, 77. On the other hand, The MysticsThe Mystics and Nicholson’sand Nicholson’s

translation of

translation of Tarjuman al-Ashwaq Tarjuman al-Ashwaq both discuss Ibn ʿArabi’s poetry and the both discuss Ibn ʿArabi’s poetry and the

theme of love

theme of love predominant in this predominant in this genre of writings. Moreover, Nicholsongenre of writings. Moreover, Nicholson

debates in his translation of the

debates in his translation of the TarjumanTarjuman the hostile position of another the hostile position of another

Wes

Western tern specialist, Reinhart specialist, Reinhart DozyDozy, , in in regards regards to to Ibn ʿArabi’s authorship Ibn ʿArabi’s authorship ofof

the

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ʿArabi studies in the West prior to the period in focus in this

sure.

Considerabe efforts

Considerabe efforts to epore to epore Ibn ʿArabi’s writings b WestIbn ʿArabi’s writings b West-

-ern speciaists can be traced back to the beginning of the 20th

ern speciaists can be traced back to the beginning of the 20th

centur. Nichoson’s three major works –

centur. Nichoson’s three major works – StudiesStudies,, The MysticsThe Mystics

and the translation of

and the translation of TTarjuman arjuman al-Ashwaqal-Ashwaq – coectie epore– coectie epore

a wide arra of themes and concepts preaent in Ibn ʿArabi’s

prose and

prose and poetrpoetr..22 Horten’s Horten’s Mystische Mystische TTexteexte and Nyberg’sand Nyberg’s Kleinere Kleinere

Schriften

Schriften would continue Nicholson’would continue Nicholson’s efforts, both s efforts, both offering Ger-offering

Ger-man renditions of some of Ibn ʿArabi’s treatises and poetr.

man renditions of some of Ibn ʿArabi’s treatises and poetr.

Meanwhile, Ayni’s

Meanwhile, Ayni’s La La QuintessenceQuintessence,, in a similar fashion toin a similar fashion to

Nicholson’s

Nicholson’s The MysticsThe Mystics,, presents an outine of Ibn ʿArabi’s kepresents an outine of Ibn ʿArabi’s ke

phiosophica and metaphsica concepts.

In the mid-20th centur, other trends were deeoped

In the mid-20th centur, other trends were deeoped amongamong

Western speciaists in their approach to Ibn ʿArabi’s thought

and works. Paacios’ three works in Spanish:

and works. Paacios’ three works in Spanish: Abenmasarra Abenmasarra,, La La

Escatologia

Escatologia Musulmana Musulmana andand El Islam Cristiani El Islam Cristianizadozado attempt to sit- attempt to

sit-uate Ibn ʿArabi’s thought within the arger histor of Europe’s

uate Ibn ʿArabi’s thought within the arger histor of Europe’s

intellectual and philosophical traditions, Islamic and

other-wise. In the genre of transations, Burckhardt’s French rendi

wise. In the genre of transations, Burckhardt’s French rendi-

-tion of

tion of Fusus Fusus al-Hikamal-Hikam would inspire numerous later attempts would inspire numerous later attempts

at translating this controversial and provocative work into

arious Western anguages. Aso, Raph Austin’s transation of

Ibn ʿArabi’s hagiographica works,

Ibn ʿArabi’s hagiographica works, Ruh Ruh al-Qudsal-Quds andand Al-Durra Al-Durra

al-Fakhira

al-Fakhira, provided a unique insight into the latter’s percep-, provided a unique insight into the latter’s

percep-tion of his miieu as he offers criticism of institupercep-tiona Susm in

tion of his miieu as he offers criticism of institutiona Susm in

Eastern Isamdom and

Eastern Isamdom and amentation for its Western counterpart.amentation for its Western counterpart.

W

Worthy of mention in orthy of mention in this regard also are works this regard also are works that explorethat explore

a specic area of Ibn ʿArabi’s thought. Corbin’s

a specic area of Ibn ʿArabi’s thought. Corbin’s L L’Imagination’Imagination

créatrice

créatrice, pubished in 1958, remains an authoritatie reference, pubished in 1958, remains an authoritatie reference

2.

2. StudiesStudies specically discusses the theme ofspecically discusses the theme of al-Insan al-Kamilal-Insan al-Kamil and itsand its

appropriation by later gures in the

appropriation by later gures in the AkbariAkbari school, such as ʿAbd al-Karimschool, such as ʿAbd al-Karim

al-Jili; cf,

al-Jili; cf, Studies Studies , 77. On the other hand,, 77. On the other hand, The MysticsThe Mystics and Nicholson’sand Nicholson’s

translation of

translation of Tarjuman al-Ashwaq Tarjuman al-Ashwaq both discuss Ibn ʿArabi’s poetry and the both discuss Ibn ʿArabi’s poetry and the

theme of love

theme of love predominant in this predominant in this genre of writings. Moreover, Nicholsongenre of writings. Moreover, Nicholson

debates in his translation of the

debates in his translation of the TarjumanTarjuman the hostile position of another the hostile position of another

Wes

Western tern specialist, Reinhart specialist, Reinhart DozyDozy, , in in regards regards to to Ibn ʿArabi’s authorship Ibn ʿArabi’s authorship ofof

the

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among toda’s speciaists on Ibn ʿArabi’s cosmoogica concept

known as the imagina ream (

known as the imagina ream (ʿalam al-khayalʿalam al-khayal). Een though). Een though

Corbin’s writing dispas a striking Shiʿite bias, his reectie

exposition presents a novel, contextualized discussion of Ibn

ʿArabi’

ʿArabi’s ideas within the s ideas within the framework of framework of Isamic ImamoogIsamic Imamoog..33 This This

Shiʿite appropriation of Ibn ʿArabi is aso preaent in Corbin’s

other works, case in point being

other works, case in point being Histoire Histoire..

Corbin’s works and the other endeavors mentioned above

roughly describe the topography of Western research on Ibn

ʿArabi in the rst haf of the 20th centur. Undoubted, these

works inuenced the current trends in Ibn ʿArabi studies among

Western speciaists, which this sure aims to discuss. The

study will begin by examining a diverse sample of

study will begin by examining a diverse sample of crucial mon-crucial

mon-ographs that have been published roughly during the past three

ographs that have been published roughly during the past three

decades. Due to the imited space aowed, the emphasis wi

be on monographs published in Western languages, primarily

Engish, with some brief mention of works in French, Spanish

and German. These works are organied in arious categories:

epositions, transations, poemics, sources of inuence, biogra

epositions, transations, poemics, sources of inuence, biogra-

-phies, comparative endeavors, bibliographies and study guides,

phies, comparative endeavors, bibliographies and study guides,

posteriorit and, ast, contemporar contetuaiations. This

cassication shoud in turn aid in sketching an outine of what

have been the major intellectual trends and genres of works

explored so far by specialists in their endeavor to approach Ibn

ʿArabi’

ʿArabi’s ife and s ife and thought.thought.

A concluding section will then offer some thoughts, based

upon the main discussion, on some unexplored academic

directions where future research and studies on Ibn ʿArabi

might proceed. These proposed directions incude some areas

of the Shakh’s thought that sti require speciaist attention:

for eampe, new transations of certain works of Ibn ʿArabi’s;

new endeaors to compare

new endeaors to compare Ibn ʿArabi’Ibn ʿArabi’s thought with other aris thought with other ari-

-ous intellectual or spiritual traditions; and lastly, new efforts

ous intellectual or spiritual traditions; and lastly, new efforts

to increase the understanding and awareness of the various

3.

3. This term is useThis term is used often by Corbin d often by Corbin inin L’ImaginationL’Imagination and other works,and other works,

such as

such as Histoire de la Philosophie Islamique Histoire de la Philosophie Islamique , to refer to the devotion in, to refer to the devotion in

Shiʿism to the twelve imams.

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sociopolitical, religious and cultural contexts within which Ibn

ʿArabi’

ʿArabi’s ife and work s ife and work deeoped.deeoped.

HISTORIOGRAPHICAl SURvEy

Before deing into eamining the sampe of works in this sec

Before deing into eamining the sampe of works in this sec-

-tion, I should offer some cautionary remarks regarding this

tion, I should offer some cautionary remarks regarding this

stud’s imitations. First, the monographs discussed are in

no way meant to be an exhaustive list of all the works

pub-ished on Ibn ʿArabi. Considering the tremendous amount of

ished on Ibn ʿArabi. Considering the tremendous amount of

iterar output aaiabe at the Muhiddin Ibn ʿArabi Societ

(MIAS) aone,

(MIAS) aone,44_{not to mention also the practically innumerable}_{not to mention also the practically innumerable}

generic surveys on Islamic history, such as Hodgson’s

generic surveys on Islamic history, such as Hodgson’s VentureVenture55

or Schimmel’s

or Schimmel’s Mystical Mystical DimensionsDimensions,,66 that include some kind ofthat include some kind of

mention, albeit

mention, albeit en passant en passant , of Ibn ʿArabi, it woud cear be, of Ibn ʿArabi, it woud cear be

an indomitable task to include all of these works in the

ensu-ing discussion. Thus, the sure at hand is representatie of

ing discussion. Thus, the sure at hand is representatie of

mostly English works, including some mention of monographs

in other ke research anguages, such as French, German and

Spanish.

Secondly, the choice of categories provided for this

bibliographical survey is certainly not the only possible

clas-sication for the Shakh’s writings, which are rather difcut to

sication for the Shakh’s writings, which are rather difcut to

categorie. This is most due to the fact

categorie. This is most due to the fact that Ibn ʿArabi’that Ibn ʿArabi’s metas meta-

-physical and intellectual framework is somewhat intertwined

physical and intellectual framework is somewhat intertwined

and organic, which means that a discussion on one topic

is bound to inoe man other themes and concepts – that

is, eporing the theme of the perfect man (

is, eporing the theme of the perfect man (al-insan al-kamilal-insan al-kamil))

inevitably requires mentioning the notion of manifestations

(

(tajalliyat tajalliyat ) and other concepts in the cosmo-ontoogica frame) and other concepts in the cosmo-ontoogica frame-

-work of unit of being (

work of unit of being (wahdat al-wujud wahdat al-wujud ). Athough this prob). Athough this prob-

-lem rarely presents itself in book-length monographs where the

lem rarely presents itself in book-length monographs where the

author usually has enough space to fully explore a theme or a

4.

4. At least 175 articleAt least 175 articles, aside from the bos, aside from the book-length monographsok-length monographs..

5. Hodgson,

5. Hodgson, Venture Venture , vol. 2, 226, 228, 232, 238–244, 246, 314, 331,, vol. 2, 226, 228, 232, 238–244, 246, 314, 331,

367, 334–335, 462, 464, 465.

6. Schimmel,

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topic, it arises often in shorter papers where an amalgamation of Akbari themes are amost awas discussed.

Moreoer, a reader famiiar with Ibn ʿArabi’s thought wi note that while some of these categories and sub-categories represent Ibn ʿArabi’s own motiations, such as prophetoog and sainthood, others reect contemporar interests, such as feminism or uniersaism. Other categories sti, such as episte-mology or ontology, represent mostly a personal choice and do not necessari reect Ibn ʿArabi’s own motiations. Again, this sure’s choice of categoriation reects most m own under-standing of Ibn ʿArabi’s corpus, and is mere one of man possibe such cassications that ineitab ar according to arious persona motiations and commitments.

last, the scope of this sure is imited to works on Ibn ʿArabi authored b Western academic speciaists. Howeer, one could consider extending this type of research to also include monographs on Ibn ʿArabi authored b reigious schoars, enthusiasts and academics from other regions in the world, especia Isamdom.7 Incorporating these additional works into a survey such as this might reveal some new contexts within which Ibn ʿArabi’s thought and image is being reshaped and appropriated.

ExPOSITIONS

Works that attempt to adumbrate and expound upon Ibn ʿArabi’s thought and writings might er we be the most dif -cut set of monographs to cassif. This is primari due to the fact that many of the authors in this genre tend to incorpo-rate numerous Akbari themes in their writings, which in turn makes these monographs difcut to categorie. Neertheess, a particuar cassication was sought in order to sketch a coher -ent outline of those topics and concepts that have received the

7. In this regard, it is worthwhile referring to Keller’s Sea . Keller is a shaykh in the Shadhiliyya tariqa and in this work he presents both a tra-ditionalist exposition on Ibn ʿArabi’s Weltanschauung and criticism of the Western academic appropriation of the latter.

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most extensive coverage from specialists and those that are rela-tie understudied and sti merit inestigation.

General, comprehensive overviews

The most pivotal works in this regard are Chittick’s monu-menta monographs: Su Path (SPK ) and Self-Disclosure (SDG). Aside from the detailed commentaries, extensive translation of numerous segments from the Futuhat and comprehensive oeriew of Ibn ʿArabi’s thought, it is Chittick’s sophisticated methodoog of rendering Ibn ʿArabi’s works into Engish that is of utmost importance. The author’s discussion on this issue, found in the respective introductions of SPK 8 and SDG,9 reveals a crucial intellectual tension that inevitably faces any transla-tor of Ibn ʿArabi’s works and those of other Musim mstics. This contentious dilemma is essentially the desire to present a coherent outline of the Shaykh’s thought to the reader while simultaneously transmitting the perplexing and paradoxical incoherence inherent in man of these writings. Therefore, Chittick’s endeavors, more than just merely adumbrations of Ibn ʿArabi’s thought, are most important a crucia insight into the academic sensitivity needed to approach and translate such monumenta and sophisticated works as those of Ibn ʿArabi and other Musim mstics.

Sainthood

The theme of sainthood (walaya) nds etensie interest among Western specialists, Chodkiewicz’s Seal being perhaps the most piota monograph in this regard. The author of this work does not just discuss Ibn ʿArabi’s iews on sainthood or the con-troersia post of sea of saints (khatm al-walaya), but he aso expounds upon the intellectual genealogy of this concept going back to al-Hakim al-Tirmidhi, the 9th-century Muslim mystic

8. Chittick, Su Path_{, ix–xx.}

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who purported introduced this concept. Thus, in this sense, Seal is not only an excellent resource for understanding Ibn ʿArabi’s iews on walaya, but also for situating his framework within the arger tradition of Isamic msticism.

Prophetology

The most profound insight into Ibn ʿArabi’s perception of God’s sent messengers arguably occurs in his controversial and famed work Fusus al-Hikam. Thus, in works ike Netter’s Su Metaphys-ics, one nds an etensie discussion on this er same topic precisely as it is expounded upon in the Fusus. Simiar, Aus-tin’s transation of this same work – to be discussed beow – includes an introduction at the beginning of every chapter that proides a crucia insight into Ibn ʿArabi’s ision and method-oog behind eer prophetic gure’s esoteric reaities and wis-doms, an approach which has been followed by other specialists, name Emore in ‘Qurʾanic Wisdom’. Aside from these works, there hae aso been quite a few efforts that discuss Ibn ʿArabi’s connection with and ision of specic prophets. Thus, Goton’s Jésus, Shah-Kazemi’s ‘Jesus’ and Hakim’s ‘The Spirit’ all discuss Ibn ʿArabi’s reationship with the gure of Christ. Meanwhie, Hirtenstein’s ‘lunar view’ and ‘Brotherhood of Mik’ epound upon Ibn ʿArabi’s association with two other prophetic gures, Adam and Abraham, respectie.

Love and mercy

Ibn ʿArabi, as Corbin reates, is to be considered a prominent gure in the cut of Fedeli d’Amore.11 This hypothesis certainly nds ampe eidence in the Shakh’s writings. Thus, Austin’s ‘Meditations’, Beneito’s ‘On the Diine loe’ and Chittick’s ‘The Diine Roots’ a reoe around Ibn ʿArabi’s coniction that all forms and displays of love are in actuality manifes-tations of an essentia onging for union with the diine. Of

10. Chodkiewicz, Seal , 27–32.

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course, this theme is very much related to the larger cosmo-ontoogica notion of breath of the mercifu (nafas al-rahman) – the undering fabric and er ieihood of the cosmos. It is not surprising then to nd some of these same authors who dis-cussed Ibn ʿArabi’s iews on oe aso epound upon his cosmo-ogica and metaphsica conception of Merc. Beneito’s ‘The Presence’, Chittick’s ‘The Anthropoog’ and works b other specialists, such as Haj Yousef’s ‘Treasury’, supplement and situ-ate the discussion on love within the larger context of celestial and ontoogica merc.

Exoteric foundations

An emerging trend since the 1980s among speciaists has been the motiation to epore some of the eoteric (zahir ) founda-tions of Ibn ʿArabi’s thought, in order to baance the somewhat oeremphasied esoteric (batin) aspect. The centra work that in a sense ushered in this trend is Chodkiewicz’s Ocean. This intellectual excursion, much like the author’s above-discussed Seal, is a thorough and detaied work. Chodkiewic epores Ibn ʿArabi’s eotericism b highighting the seeming Quranic organization of the latter’s magnum opus, Al-Futuhat al-Makkiyya (The Meccan Reeations).12_{Although Chodkiewicz is unique}

in his usage of such structural comparative methods in order to epore Ibn ʿArabi’s eoteric foundations, other authors hae nonetheess contributed considerab to this genre. Particuar, Winkel’s similar endeavor, Islam, is a discussion of Ibn ʿArabi’s remarkably rich, yet surprisingly scarcely explored, discourse on Islamic law (qh).

Ethics

Speciaist works reoing around Ibn ʿArabi’s iews on ethics usually take place under the heading of manners/etiquette (adab). Knsh’s ‘Reams’ epounds upon and reeas Ibn ʿArabi’s rather contentious perspective on this topic through the latter’s

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cosmo-ontoogica foundations. Knsh epicates that athough certain human acts and traits might be considered evil in this ower ream (al-hayat al-dunya) where diine command (taklif ) has jurisdiction, a more provocative reality presents itself in Ibn ʿArabi’s eschatoogica iews, whereb the essences of these er same actions and traits are revealed as being utterly good, since in actuality they were naught but the acts and attributes of the Divine, the only real actor in a wujudi framework ike Ibn ʿArabi’s.

Eschatology

Continuing with the above-mentioned theme of ‘end of times’, there hae been arious works that specica epore Ibn ʿArabi’s eschatoogica iews. For eampe, Morris’ ‘The Mahdi’ discusses the inteectua treatment of this high messianic g -ure b Ibn ʿArabi as it occurs in Chapter 366 of the Futuhat.13 Similarly, Chittick’s Imaginal Worlds14_{explores the themes of}

the minor hour, death of a human being/microcosm (al-saʿa al-sughra) and the major hour, death of the cosmos/macro-cosm (al-saʿa al-kubra) through the Akbari prism of the isthmus (ʿalam al-barzakh) and the imagina ream (ʿalam al-khayal).

Feminism

A speciaist famiiar with Ibn ʿArabi’s writings most probab is aware of the novel and somewhat provocative feminist ele-ments in the Shakh’s anthropic and deistic iews. Hakim’s ‘Twofold perception’ and Shaikh’s Su Narratives are two of these crucial works that explore the various appropriations of this gender-sensitie topic b Ibn ʿArabi in his arious mon-ographs. Athough both these authors’ discussions reoe around the central cosmic role of women as a particular mani-festation of God, Hakim attempts to specica gie a brief out-ine of the arious roes a femae subject pas in Ibn ʿArabi’s thought, while Shaikh is motivated instead to situate a critical

13. Morris, ‘The Mahdi’, 1.

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analysis of this topic within the context of its appropriation by other contemporar speciaists, such as Nasr and Murata.15

Spiritual pedagogy

James Morris’ works have been pivotal in exploring the cen-tra themes of mora discipine (tarbiya) and spiritua reaiation (tahqiq) in Ibn ʿArabi’s Weltanschauung . In The Reective Heart , ‘Communication’ and other expositions, Morris expounds upon the quintessential motivation and intention underlying Ibn ʿArabi’s works. Particuar, Morris reeas that the Shakh did not necessarily intend for his magnum opus to be read purely as a phiosophica treatise on cosmoog or ontoog. Rather, Ibn ʿArabi’s undering premise and supposition is that an reader of his works would be very much engaged in the ongoing process of tahqiq and tarbiya as relevant and pertaining to their own contet and set of predispositions.

Ontology

various works hae aso epounded upon Ibn ʿArabi’s iews regarding the beginning of existence on a microcosmic and macrocosmic ee. Hameen-Antia’s ‘Immutabe Entities’ , Mesbahi’s ‘The Unity’ and Abadi’s ‘Aspects’ all revolve around different aspects of Ibn ʿArabi’s ontoog, from both a cosmo-ogica and anthropocosmo-ogica perspectie. like numerous other themes, this topic is explored within the larger metaphysical notion of unit of being (wahdat al-wujud ), of which Ibn ʿArabi’s thought is an example par excellence.

Epistemology

Ibn ʿArabi’s iews on knowedge and knowing are inter-twined with the notion of gnosis (maʿrifa) and the two narra-tions (ahadith), of questionable authenticity, often quoted by the Shakh and other Musim mstics: ‘whomsoeer knows

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himsef, knows his ord’ (man ʿarafa nafsahu ʿarafa rabbahu) and the purported saing of the diine: ‘I was a hidden treasure and oed to be known. Therefore, I created the cosmos so that I ma be known’ (kuntu kanzan makhyyan, fa-ahbabtu an uʿraf, fa-khalaqtu al-khalqa li-kay uʿraf ). These two statements are the basic framework underlying works like Houédard’s ‘Notes’, Kalin’s ‘Knowing the Self’ and Abrahamov’s ‘Theory’, which expound upon the human subject’s search for knowledge and the role of this anthropic voyage in the Divine’s own love and desire to witness Himsef in the other.

Universalism

Ibn ʿArabi’s heart’s ‘acceptance of eer form’ has been eten-sively discussed by Western specialists, especially those belong-ing to the MIAS. The organiation’s origina founder, Buent Rauf, consistent emphasied this aspect of Ibn ʿArabi’s thought. The former’s effort was continued in works ike young’s ‘Uniersa Nature’ and ‘Towards a Uniersa Point of view’, Twinch’s ‘Circe’ and Dadoo’s ‘Reigious Puraism’. It is worth mentioning aso that speciaists discussing this specic topic usually tend to situate it in an overall contemporary con-tet. Thus, for eampe, one nds in yiangou’s ‘The Gobaia-tion’ an attempt to explore some of the major philosophical movements and shifts in history, such as the Enlightenment, Existentialism, Modernism and post-Modernism, through the prism of Ibn ʿArabi’s understanding of uniersaism and unit.

TRANSlATIONS

This genre of works, as the title insinuates, includes the various renditions of Ibn ʿArabi’s works from the origina Arabic into arious Western anguages – most Engish, French, German and Spanish.

Fusus al-Hikam – There have been at least four renditions of this controersia work throughout the past few decades. Two notabe Engish transations, the rst b Austin and the second

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b Rauf – the atter being in actuait a rendering of Hakki’s own Ottoman Turkish ersion – were pubished in the 1980s. In 2004, Dagi foowed Austin and Rauf’s efforts with his own English transcription titled The Ringstones. As regards transa-tions in other Western anguages, Giis’ and Mouinet’s French renditions are the atest important contributions.

Al-Futuhat al-Makkiyya – Athough Ibn ʿArabi’s magnum opus has not receied a comprehensie transation – which is understandabe considering its sie and sophistication – there have been nonetheless various efforts to expose a larger base of readers to this monumenta work. Worth of mention in this regard is Chodkiewicz’s, Chittick’s, Morris’ and Gril’s master-ful rendition, titled The Meccan Revelations, of selected excerpts from the Futuhat . Aso noteworth are the indiidua efforts by Chittick, who translated two whole chapters, Shamash and Hirtenstein’s collaborative effort to translate excerpts from the Futuhat ’s preface and the almost innumerable other renditions that are dispersed throughout expositional works on Akbari thought.16

Other works in prose – There have been numerous notable efforts to transate Ibn ʿArabi’s arious prose writings other than the Fusus or Futuhat . Worth of mention are Emore’s Engish rendition of ʿAnqaʾ Mughrib (The Fabuous Grphon); Morris’ and a-Jerrahi’s transation of Ibn ʿArabi’s manua for spiritua pedagogy Kunh ma la budda li-l-murid minh (What is indispensa-be for the Seeker); Austin’s preious-mentioned transation, Sus, of Ibn ʿArabi’s crucia hagiographica works Ruh al-Quds (The Ho Spirit) and Al-Durra al-Fakhira (The Gorious Pear); Hirtenstein’s translation of Hilyat al-Abdal (The Four Piars of Spiritua Transformation) and, joint with Notcutt, transation of Mishkat al-Anwar (Diine Saings); Taji-Farouki’s transation of Al-Dawr al-Aʿla (A Praer for Spiritua Eeation and Protec-tion); Jaffra’s transation of Al-Ittihad al-Kawni (Treatise on Unication); and numerous other simiar endeaors.

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Poetry – Perhaps the most noteworth effort in this regard is b Ses. This speciaist has pubished numerous, critica ana-ed, transated seections from Ibn ʿArabi’s poetr. Notabe among these are: Stations which includes some of the Shaykh’s own verses and those of other mystics like Rumi; translation of Qif bi-l-Manazil (‘At the Wa Stations, Sta’) and other seec-tions from Tarjuman al-Ashwaq (Ardent Transator of Desires) such as the famed and controversial ‘Gentle Now, Doves of the Thornberry and Moringa Thicket!’ Aside from Sells’ efforts, McAuley’s recently published Ibn ʿArabi’s Mystical Poetics is probab the most substantia epositiona work on Ibn ʿArabi’s coection of poetr, name his Diwan. Incidenta, seec-tions from this same compendium of poetry have been trans-lated and expounded upon by other specialists, such as Austin, Hirtenstein and Deadrière.

POlEMICS

There have been a few key works published in the West that explore the entrenched, longstanding tradition of polemics sur-rounding Ibn ʿArabi’s thought and writings, especia in Isam-dom. Knsh’s Ibn ʿArabi in the Later Islamic Tradition provides a detailed look into the defensive and detractive tracts surround-ing the Shakh that hae been authored since his passsurround-ing. What makes Knysh’s endeavor particularly insightful is that the author does not present an atomized or disconnected chrono-logical recounting of these accounts; rather, a detailed investi-gation is given whereby the reader can tell not only how Ibn ʿArabi’s persona and thought were re-imagined b these arious polemicists, but also how some of the cited accounts themselves were ‘whimsica’ appropriated to t their author’s motiations and commitments. In this regard, this effort remains one of the most critical and comprehensive investigations into this histor-ica charged aspect of Ibn ʿArabi’s works.

Aso worth of mention is Homerin’s ‘Ibn ʿArabi in the Peope’s Assemb’. Whereas Knsh gies a broad, chronoogi-ca outine of the poemichronoogi-ca debate surrounding Ibn ʿArabi, Homerin explores closely one such event that took place

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in 1970s Egpt and which reoed around the ote b the Peope’s Assemb of Egpt ( Majlis al-Shaʿb al-Misri) to ban the pubishing of Ibn ʿArabi’s entire works. Homerin’s eposition masterfully discusses how a controversy that initially began with the motivation to publish Yahya’s critical edition of the Futuhat eventually developed into a full-scale national

contro-versy revolving around freedom of the press and intellectual rights. Most important of course, ‘Ibn ʿArabi in the Peope’s Assembly’ provides yet another crucial insight into the polemi-cied and constant re-appropriated image of Ibn ʿArabi in contemporar Isamdom.

last, Morris’ ‘An Arab Machiaei’ is an investigation into the subtle polemical strategies and methods by one of the most famed Musim historians and socioogists, Ibn Khadun. Whereas most readers of the latter’s Al-Muqaddima (The Pro-egomena) woud not perceie a iscera attack b the author against Susm, Morris reeas through cose inspection ari-ous aspects of this Occidental Muslim polymath’s writings that belie not simply his criticism of Islam’s mystical tradition, but specica his wish to reformuate Susm according to his own understanding of ‘orthodo’ and moderation. Moreoer, this enterprise of religious fervor occurs, as Morris shows, within the context of Ibn Khaldun’s political vision and hope for a utopian Musim societ.17

SOURCES OF INFlUENCE

This genre represents perhaps the most crucial yet least explored area of research in Ibn ʿArabi studies. The works in this categor inestigate the possibe sources of inuence on the greatest master that helped shape his intellectual Weltanschauung .

In a similar fashion to Chodkiewicz’s endeavor in Seal,18 Radtke’s ‘A Forerunner’ epores the possibe inuence this 9th-centur Musim mstic had on Ibn ʿArabi, specica in regards to the notion of sea of sainthood (khatm al-walaya). The fact

17. Morris, ‘An Arab Machiavelli’, 4–7. 18. Cf. Expositions section above.

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that Ibn ʿArabi designated a ength section in the Futuhat to answering a ist of approimate 150 questions posed b Tirmidhi, who stipulated that only the seal of sainthood would be able to correctly respond to these inquiries, further elevates the importance of an intellectual connection between these two piota Musim mstics.

The enigmatic connection between Ibn ʿArabi and another paragon of Islamic mysticism comes out in full force in Addas’ eposition ‘Abu Madan and Ibn ʿArabi’. The seeming tre-mendous inuence Abu Madan has on Ibn ʿArabi’s thought, which is apparent in the former’s extensive appearance in the Futuhat , athough the two gures neer actua met, makes this endeavor by Addas a particularly insightful look into the Su saints’ (awliyaʾ) unique understanding of authenticit and the legitimacy to be found in the sayings of the pious prede-cessors (al-salaf al-salih), a theme that in itsef was epored b other speciaists, such as Ernst in ‘The Man’. In much the same wa as Addas, Ernst sought to highight Ibn ʿArabi’s creatie referencing and connection to yet another Muslim mystic and pious predecessor, Baaid a-Bistami.

Knsh’s short essa on Ibn ʿArabi in The Literature of Al-Anda-lus presents an outine of the atter’s ife in the Iberian Penin-sula and the literary tradition of that region within which his thought deeoped and matured. Knsh discusses some of the centra inteectua gures in Andausia at the time, such as Ibn Qasi and Ibn Barrajan, who might hae possib inuenced Ibn ʿArabi’s iews and writings.19 This in turn provides an insight into the possib arger etent of inuence that a-Andaus’ inteectua miieu, etending back to gures ike Ibn Masarra, might hae had on Ibn ʿArabi.

In this regard, Paacios’ Abenmasarra and Morris’ Ibn Masarra both epore the thought and inuence of this controersia mstic/phiosopher on the Iberian Peninsua and consequent Ibn ʿArabi himsef. Meanwhie, Garrido’s arious essas highight a specic area where Ibn Masarra coud hae inspired his Anda-lusian successor, namely in the esoteric branch of mysticism

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known as ‘science of [properties of] the etters’ (ʿilm al-huruf ). Taking all these efforts into consideration, it is clear that there has been considerabe progress in situating Ibn ʿArabi within the arger inteectua heritage of the Iberian Peninsua. Etending this research further to incude other centra gures, such as Ibn Tufayl or Ibn Rushd alongside some of the major inuences in Eastern Isamdom – where Ibn ʿArabi resided in the second haf of his ife – such as Rasaʾil Ikhwan ahl al-safa (Treatises of the Brethren of Purit) or the works of a-Ghaai and a-Suhrawardi the martr (al-maqtul), will make more clear and iid the etent of the diaogue Ibn ʿArabi had with his enironment and miieu.

BIOGRAPHIES

Related to the previous genre of works, there are also various monographs that gie a biographica outine of Ibn ʿArabi’s ife, incuding his arious traes and teachers. The most detaied and academically rigorous of these efforts is perhaps Addas’ Quest . Aside from the actua contents of this work, the author’s introduction is equally crucial in its discussion of the tremen-dous bias present in the various medieval monographs that were used as the literary references and sources for Quest . This hegemonic partiality seems to be primarily due to the fact that many of the Muslim historians who authored biographical accounts of Ibn ʿArabi were either defenders, detractors or disinterested spectators.20 Although Quest and Addas’ newer, shorter and more condensed biography, Voyage are not compre-hensie insights into Ibn ʿArabi’s inteectua diaogue with the various traditions of Western and Eastern Islamdom, they are nonetheless groundbreaking efforts and quintessential starting points for other speciaists to continue this author’s effort.

Hirtenstein’s The Unlimited Mercier is a particularly novel, contemporarily contextualized biography of the Greatest Mas-ter. As the author epicates in the preambe, his intention was to proide an oeriew of Ibn ʿArabi’s ife for the genera,

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speciaist reader. One would have to concur, after reading this monograph, that Hirtenstein’s motivation was accomplished briiant. What grants The Unlimited Mercier its novel and captivating quality as a biographical narrative is the author’s consistency in bringing out the contemporary relevance of Ibn ʿArabi’s thought by highlighting certain aspects of the latter’s ife and the reeance of these eents for the modern reader.22 Therefore, if Quest is an authoritative reference for special-ists, then Hirtenstein’s endeavor is an excellent introductory resource for general readers simply interested in an outline of Ibn ʿArabi’s ife and works.

Other crucial contributions to the genre of biographies in the West hae been the arious works of Gerad Emore. His three papers ‘Ear life’, ‘On the Road’ and ‘Ibn a-ʿArabi’s Roots’ are groundbreaking in both their interrogation of assumed facts about Ibn ʿArabi’s ear ife23 in the Iberian Peninsua and ines-tigation of the possibe inuences of that region’s arious inte-ectua traditions on the deeopment of the atter’s thought. In this sense, Elmore’s efforts, alongside Addas’ and Hirtenstein’s biographical works, form a quintessential corpus that aids in better understanding and situating Ibn ʿArabi’s ife within the arger contet of 12th/13th centur Isamdom.

COMPARATIvE ENDEAvORS

A genre of works that has received extensive attention by spe-ciaists are those that attempt to engage Ibn ʿArabi in a diaogue with other intellectual and mystical traditions, Islamic or other-wise. These comparatie endeaors are so dierse and numer-ous that each major categor deseres a separate discussion: Mystical Traditions – Expositions that fall under this category incude on the one hand works ike Kain’s ‘Ibn ʿArabi and

21. Hirtenstein, The Unlimited Mercier _{, ix.}

22. Ibid., 3–7, 40–2.

23. Elmore, ‘Early Life’, 347. Especially challenging the purported bourgeois status of Ibn ʿArabi’s family.

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Mulla Sadra’ and Ohlander’s ‘The Relationship’, which explore the simiarities and differences between Ibn ʿArabi’s thought and other mystical strands in the Islamic tradition, and on the other hand works ike Fenton’s ‘The Hierarch’, lópe-Barat’s ‘Saint John of the Cross and Ibn ʿArabi’ and Amond’s ‘Diine Needs’, which compare Ibn ʿArabi’s thought with arious ms-tica strands in the Judaeo-Christian reigious traditions.

Oriental Traditions – Perhaps the most crucia work in this regard is Izutsu’s Susm which seeks to compare Ibn ʿArabi’s cos-mological, ontological and anthropological outlook with the Orienta Taoist mstica and phiosophica tradition of lao Tu. Aside from the actual comparison, which peculiarly occupies ess than 20 pages of the 400-page work, it is perhaps Iutsu’s remarkab ucid adumbration of Ibn ʿArabi’s thought which grants Susm its importance among the academic communit. Other notable works in this category include Murata’s Chinese Gleams and ‘Unit of Being’, both of which epore the Chinese Musim schoar liu Chih’s endeaor to formuate an Isamic cultural framework that is rooted and intertwined with the vari-ous Chinese inteectua traditions, case at point Confucianism. Philosophy – The specialist with perhaps the most pivotal con-tributions to this categor is Saman Bashier. Among his arious works, Ibn ʿArabi’s Barzakh, Story and ‘Standpoint’ eloquently host an inteectua diaogue between Ibn ʿArabi and arious gures from Western phiosoph, ranging from Pato to Rort. Also, Almond’s Susm compares Ibn ʿArabi’s understanding of logos with the post-Modernist philosophical school of Decon-struction and the writings of its iconic founder and epigone Jacques Derrida. Amond epores a series of noe comparisons

between seemingly similar Derridean and Akbarian notions, such as différence and al-Haqq (The Rea) or l’écriture and scrip-ture. Thus, whereas most speciaists endeaored a comparison between Ibn ʿArabi and pre-modern Western inteectua per-sonas, Almond’s effort is unique in its attempt to engage the Shakh in a diaogue with a piota gure in 20th-centur post-Modernist phiosoph.

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Religio Perennis – In this perennialist school of René Guénon and Frithjof Schuon, numerous works hae been pubished that attempt to bring out the common intellectual components in the world’s major spiritual, religious and philosophical tradi-tions. Shah-Kaemi’s Paths is a perfect eampe of such a work. This exposition hosts a dialogue about cosmology, ontology, psychology and a slew of other philosophical topics between three sages, each representative of his own respective world-renowned spiritua tradition: the Musim Ibn ʿArabi, Christian Meister Eckhart and Hindu Shankara. Whateer a critic’s opin-ion might be of a devotopin-ion that attempts, at all costs, to reveal an inherent, transcendent harmony between all spiritual and religious traditions, Paths and other works by perennialists rep-resent a unique attempt to bring Ibn ʿArabi into a discussion between the longstanding spiritual and mystical traditions of the word.

BIBlIOGRAPHIES AND STUDy GUIDES

The masterfu endeaor b yaha in the 1960s to present a bibiographic ist of a the works authored b Ibn ʿArabi, his L’Histoire et Classication, was continued in the efforts of other specialists, such as Notcutt’s ‘A Handlist’ and Hirtenstein’s ‘Seected Major Works’. Aso, in this regard, the MIAS Archie Project represents a crucia deeopment in updating yaha’s cassication based upon a new anasis of manuscripts, most found in Turke. Hirtenstein’s and Cark’s ndings shoud shed some ight on how these manuscripts might rene speciaists’ understanding of Ibn ʿArabi’s corpus.

last, there hae aso been efforts to deeop pedagogi-cal manuals that instruct the reader on how to approach Ibn ʿArabi’s works. Morris’ ‘Rhetoric’, ‘How to Study’, Harris’ ‘Ibn ʿArabi’s al-Istilah’ and MacEwan’s ‘Beginning a Stud’ are examples of such endeavors.

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POSTERIORITy

Considering the tremendous amount of inuence Ibn ʿArabi’s writings and thought have had on Islamic mystical and intel-ectua traditions, it is natura to nd man monographs authored on thinkers posterior to the Shaykh who propagated and reformuated the atter’s works. The dierse endeaors b Western authors in this genre range from general overviews of Ibn ʿArabi’s inuence and interpretation b his posteriors to dis-cussions on the former’s fame in specic regions of the word. General Overview – Morris’ two ke studies, ‘Ibn ʿArabi and his Interpreters’ and ‘Ecept His Face’ are groundbreaking and authoritative surveys of various Muslim and non-Muslim inter-pretations and reformuations of Ibn ʿArabi’s thought. Morris investigates on the one hand Muslim thinkers like Jili, al-Qashani, and a-Jaaʾiri, each of whom offered a personaied treatment of Ibn ʿArabi, and on the other hand non-Musim speciaists ike Paacios, vasan and Ruspoi who transated ari-ous works of and about the Greatest Master.

Sadr al-Din al-Qunawi – There have also been numerous works reoing around this foremost discipe of Ibn ʿArabi’s, man of which have been published in the Journal of the Muhyiddin Ibn ʿArabi Society in a oume ( JMIAS, o. 49) specia dedicated to a-Qunawi. These works most reoe around this discipe’s contributions and inuence on the posterior propagation and spread of Ibn ʿArabi’s thought. Thus, Chittick’s ‘The last Wi’, ‘The Centra Point’ and Khaifa’s ‘A-Qunawi’s Discourse’ and other monographs all explore the tremendous role this disci-ple had in propagating Akbari thought in various regions of Isamdom.

Akbari school – Aside from exploring al-Qunawi’s role in spreading Ibn ʿArabi’s thought, there hae aso been efforts to expound upon the various contributions of other thinkers who were themsees discipes of Ibn ʿArabi or a-Qunawi. Chit-tick’s ‘Jami on Diine loe’ epores certain mstica themes

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in the works of a poet who, together with ʿIraqi, might both be considered as poets of the Akbari school par excellence. Gri’s translation of Kitab al-Inbah and Hirtenstein’s partial English translation of Ibn Sawdakin’s K. al-Wasaʾil (‘I entrust to ou a bequest’), aongside Protich’s fu German rendition of the atter, both epore the theme of spiritua discipine (tarbiya) in the writings of these direct discipes of Ibn ʿArabi who accom -panied their teacher during his arious traes. Aso, Scatto-in’s ‘Ke Concepts’ is a masterfu transation of a-Farghani’s introduction and commentar on Ibn a-Farid’s famed poem. This student of Ibn ʿArabi’s inteectua schoo offers an onto -logical narrative of the cosmos, thoroughly rooted in Akbari thought, that provides an insight into the similarities between Ibn ʿArabi’s and Ibn a-Farid’s respectie wordiews.

Islamic Traditions – A considerable number of monographs have also been devoted to exploring the spread of the Shaykh’s thought in various Islamic intellectual and mystical traditions a oer Isamdom. For eampe, Godas’ ‘Moa Fanari and Misbah al-Uns’, Tahrali’s ‘A General Outline’ and Kiliç’s ‘The Ibn ʿArabi of the Ottomans’ a epore the spread of Akbari thought in Anatoia. On the other hand, lipton’s ‘South Asian Heir’ and Staig’s ‘Ibn ʿArabi’s inuence in Musim India’ both explore the contemporaneous spread of Akbarism in the Asian Subcontinent. McGregor’s Sanctity ,24 Chodkiewicz’s ‘Diffusion’, Hobrook’s ‘Ibn ʿArabi and Ottoman Derish Traditions’ and Agar’s ‘Reections’ specica inestigate Ibn ʿArabi’s inu-ence on Su paths/organiations (al-turuq al-suyya). last, miscellaneous other works such as Cornell’s ‘Islamic Hermeti-cism’, Weismann’s ‘God and Perfect Man’, Tamari’s ‘The ʿalim’ and Benaïssa’s ‘The Diffusion’ all explore the similar spread of Ibn ʿArabi’s thought in other regions and among arious think-ers in Isamdom.

24. This is a particularly novel contemporary study that explores Ibn ʿArabi’s inuence on the tariqa Shadhiliyya in general and the Wafa ʾiyya

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Western Traditions – Few works hae aso discussed the spread and inuence of Akbarism in the various Occidental intellec-tua traditions of Europe and America. Fraee’s ‘Ibn a-ʿArabi and Spanish Mysticism’, El-Moor’s ‘The Occult Tradition’ and Morris’ ‘Ibn ʿArabi and the Far West’ discuss these dierse appropriations and treatments of Ibn ʿArabi within the arious Occidenta traditions oer the past nine centuries.

CONTEMPORARy CONTExTUAlIzATIONS

Although this genre could be included in the initial section on expositions, it is a rich area of research that merits its own sec-tion. There hae been tremendous contributions b Western specialists over the past few decades that do not merely com-pare Ibn ʿArabi with contemporar thinkers, as discussed in the aboe section.25 Rather, these diverse works range from those that investigate modern movements and thinkers that have appropriated the greatest master’s thought to those that repre-sent an author’s attempt to view their own experiences through the prism of Ibn ʿArabi’s Weltanschauung .

This personalized experiential exploration is clearly visible in the works of arious noeists and poets. Meddeb’s Tombeau is a coorfu sef-reection b an author who seeks to make sense of his own Oriental and Occidental lineage and heritage by investigating his life experiences poetically through the prism of both Ibn ʿArabi’s oe poetr and Dante’s affection for Bea-trice.26 One nds a simiar approach in the writings of Gama a-Ghitani, a famed contemporar Egptian noeist. A-Ghita-ni’s ‘Originality’ and Knsh’s discussion in ‘Su Motifs’ of the former’s Tajalliyat (Manifestations) both reea a Su-eaning author who was mesmeried b Ibn ʿArabi and Isamic ms-ticism in general and therefore attempted to explore his own eperiences and hardships through the atter’s ife and works.

Another crucia work in this genre is Taji-Farouki’s Beshara and Ibn ʿArabi. This historica stud discusses the genesis of the

25. Cf. Comparative Endeavors section above. 26. Meddeb, Tombeau .

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MIAS and Beshara schoo going back to its epigone and founder, Buent Rauf. Howeer, this work is not mere a chronoogica adumbration of these two institutions’ intellectual and organi-ationa deeopment; rather, Taji-Farouki masterfu epores the arious 20th-centur European sociopoitica, cutura, spiritual and intellectual dynamics and how those shaped the motivations and commitments of Rauf and others who estab-lished this monumental paradigm for propagating, teaching and researching Ibn ʿArabi’s thought in the West. The etraor -dinary success and importance of Rauf’s efforts have seized the attention of other scholars, most notably Jeffery-Street, who authored another stud on the histor of the MIAS and Beshara school entitled Ibn ʿArabi and the Contemporary West .

Ibn ʿArabi’s thought has aso been the subject of arious sures and discussions on contemporar thought – phioso-ph, cosmoog, pschoog, etc. Perhaps the most prominent work in this regard is Coates’ Ibn ʿArabi and Modern Thought , which explores modern theory in a wide array of topics ranging from Weber’s socioogica paradigms to Freudian pschoog, all the while contemporaneously viewing these various themes through Ibn ʿArabi’s works. Simiar, Haj yousef’s Time attempts to view certain theories on cosmology and time in modern phsics, such as String Theor, through Ibn ʿArabi’s own iew of the cosmos as logos (kalam al-haqq).27 The theme of time and the cosmos in Ibn ʿArabi’s thought was aso inestigated b the likes of Dagli in ‘The Time’ and Carroll in ‘Timelessness’. More-over, these efforts in general are complemented by works like Morris’ ‘Contemporar Appeas’ and yiangou’s ‘Human Poten-tial’ , both of which gie a brief outine of Ibn ʿArabi’s oera contetua importance for the contemporar reader.

27. Intriguingly this seems to be only one of two works, the other being Burckhardt’s Clé Spirituelle de l’Astrologie Musulmane , that expounds upon Ibn ʿArabi’s cosmology.

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CONClUSION

This survey has discussed a sample of works authored by aca-demic speciaists on Ibn ʿArabi during the past thirt ears. These range from book-length monographs to short papers and essas, most pubished through the MIAS. B presenting a cassication of these works, this stud has rough sketched an outline of the major recent intellectual trends among Western speciaists in approaching Ibn ʿArabi’s thought and works.

It is worthwhile at this point to note some of the intellec-tual lacunae present in the academic understanding of Ibn ʿArabi’s thought that this sure might reea. In order to hae an organized perspective on these gaps and possible new ave-nues of research, a separate discussion on each of the genres mentioned aboe might be a more efcient and comprehen-sie approach to this probem. As preious mentioned, the ensuing recommendations are based upon the surveyor’s own research interests and understanding of the current research surrounding Ibn ʿArabi in the West:

Expositions – Ibn ʿArabi’s thought has certain receied eten-sive coverage by numerous specialists who adumbrated and epounded upon arious components of the former’s works. Nevertheless, there remain certain aspects of Akbari thought that are very much understudied and deserve further atten-tion. First, Ibn ʿArabi’s eoteric foundations, as discussed in Chodkiewicz’s Ocean and Winkel’s various works, need to be further epored and anaed. This is especia crucia con-sidering the extensive, lengthy section in the Futuhat which Ibn ʿArabi dedicates to the esoteric secrets of qh (jurisdic-tion). Second, it is worthwhie researching further the Shakh’s sophisticated etmoog and inguistic approach. Athough not mentioned in the aboe discussion, works ike lor’s ‘The Sm-bolism’ are indeed a step in this direction, which needs further attention and continuation.

Translations – A brief overview of this discussed sample reveals that the Shaykh’s works have received extensive attention from

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transators. Athough Ibn ʿArabi’s magnum opus, as discussed, has indeed been rendered into various Western languages by quite a few specialists, it remains, as a monumental literary work of Islamic mysticism, deserving of further attention and long-term ision for a comprehensie, contetuaied transcription. Polemics – The sample of three works discussed in this section reveal an intellectually rich area of research that is unfortu-nate not gien enough emphasis. Most of the discussions on the poemics surrounding Ibn ʿArabi are genera concerned with the centra detractors ike Ibn Tamia, Fasi, or Ibn aAhda, and ke apoogetics ike aJii, aFaruabadi or aNab -uusi. Howeer, there are numerous other ess known gures ike a-Ausi and a-ʿAdarus who on the one hand had great respect and high regard for Ibn ʿArabi, whie on the other hand were continuously struggling to keep novice students of reli-gious knowedge (tullab al-ʿilm) and the a popuace (ʿawamm) away from reading the former’s works out of the fear of mis-guidance and disorder (tna). Traces of these contentious moti-vations are predominantly visible in many of these works, and the authors’ consequential attempts at conciliation often result in creative and intriguing literary techniques that merit further attention.

Sources of Inluence _{– It is unfortunate that there is such a}

scarcit of works in this genre. This woud be an especia intrigu -ing historical aspect to delve into consider-ing the extensive traes of the Shakh a oer Eastern and Western Isamdom. Moreoer, certain ke aspects of Ibn ʿArabi’s thought, such as his usage of science of letters (ʿilm al-huruf ) and discussion in the beginning of the Futuhat , aude to signicant occutic inuences on the Shakh possib b preceding Musim eso-tericists, such as Ibn Qasi and Ibn Masarra or een gures from other, non-Isamic traditions. Thus, it is worthwhile to explore these sources of inuence not as two, Occidenta and Orien -tal, distinct strands, rather as an ongoing, possibly contentious, inteectua diaogue that Ibn ʿArabi engaged in throughout his traes and interactions.