Ibn al-Arabi (رَحِمَهُ ٱللَّٰهُ) and the Sufis

✍🏼 Author: Binyamin Abrahamov

📄 Pages: 201

🏷️ Genre: Religion, Non Fiction

🗓️ Published: 2014

🤔 My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4 Stars)

This book aims to evaluate & explore the originality of The Great Mystical Sufi saint, Ibn-al-‘Arabi’s philosophy, novel thoughts, parables & poems he proposed. It does that by examining Ibn al-‘Arabi’s attitude toward the Sufis and assesses the extent of their influence on him.

The book traces Ibn al-‘Arabi’s relation with his predecessor Sufi’s such as Haris Al-Muhasibi, Dhu al-Nun al-Misri Abu Yazid al-Bistami, Sahl al-Tustari, Al-Junayd, Al-Hakim al-Tirmidhi, Al-Husayn ibn Mansur al-Hallaj, Abu Talib al-Makki among others.

It also discusses the influence of later Sufis on The Sheikh Ibn al-‘Arabi namely Imam Al-Ghazali, Ibn Barrajan, Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani, Abu Madyan etc. May Allah be pleased with all of them.

The Grand Sheikh doesn’t hesitate to criticise & reject some of their views while also holding them in great honor. He also accept their thoughts sometimes partially & sometimes interpreting them in different ways. Wherever needed he corrects them in the spiritual state & make them aware about their corrections for what cocerns him is the Truth, which, in his view is attained through revelation.

The author, Binyamin Abrahamov, admits that it is not an easy task, not only due to the huge quantity of his writings but also with regards to the complexity of his theories. The basis of the evaluation is mainly al-Futuhat al-Makkiyya & Fusus al-hikam the works of Greatest Master Sheikh Ibn al-‘Arabi رَحِمَهُ ٱللَّٰهُ .

It was a good read overall. I got exposed to some of the fine ideas proposed by Sheikh Ibn al-Arabi. The events discussed in the book also depict the profound position of Ibn al-Arabi (rahimahullah) among the Sufis. No wonder The Sheikh is considered as the Supreme Seal of the Sainthood.

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