Potentials of Ibn Arabi’s Mystical Doctrines for Elaborating Existential Thinking

Document Type : Scientific-research

Authors

1 PhD in Islamic Philosophy, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran

2 Assistant Professor, Department of Wisdom, Philosophy and Logic, Faculty of Humanities, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

This paper explores the potentials of Ibn Arabi's teachings for developing a form of existential, non-metaphysical thinking. Metaphysical-conceptual thinking focuses on understanding “existents qua existents” through concepts. In contrast, existential thinking delves into the “reality of existence” itself, questioning its nature. This research proposes that the Islamic intellectual-mystical tradition, particularly Ibn Arabi's work, offers fertile ground for such an approach. The core question of this study is: Can Ibn Arabi's teachings be used to develop a framework for existential thinking that is distinct from metaphysical thought? This framework would offer a new lens for understanding the world and humanity, grounded in Ibn Arabi's rich mystical tradition. We utilize both analytic and axiomatic methods to explore how Ibn Arabi's concepts lead to an existential understanding. According to him, “existential thinking” begins by focusing on the “reality of existence” and opening to it, then, by paying attention to the poverty of existence and focusing on it, man realizes the dignity of his existence and his direct relationship to Being. This shift from the external to the internal allows for the experience of the absolute within the ordinary. Ultimately, this mode of thinking promises a transformed understanding of both self and world.

Keywords

References

ʿAbdolkarimi, Bijan, & Kamyar Pouraali. (2021). “Art an Opening Window towards Spiritual Matter in Heidegger's Thoughts”. Mutaliʿat-i Nazari-i Hunar, 2 (3): 135-151. (In Persian)
ʿAbdolkarimi, Bijan. (2022). Heidegger in Iran: A look at the Works and Thoughts of Seyyed Ahmad Fardid. Tehran: Naqd-i Farhang. (In Persian)
ʿAmid, Hassan. (1996). ʿFarhang-i Amid. Tehran: Amir Kabir. (In Persian)
Amuli, Seyyed Hiydar. (1973). Al-Muqaddamat min Kitab Nass al-Nusus. Tehran: Iran-shinasi. (In Persian)
Asiri Lahiji, Shaikh. (1933). Mafatih al-Iʿjaz fi Sharh-i Gulshan-i Raz. Bombay. (In Persian)
Asiri Lahiji, Shaikh. (2008). Mafatih al-Iʿjaz fi Sharh-i Gulshan-i Raz. Edited by Barzigar Khaliqi. Tehran: Zavar. (In Persian)
Corbin, Henry. (2005). Creative Imagination in the Mysticism of Ibn Arabi. Translated by Inshallah Rahmati. Tehran: Jami. (In Persian)
Davari Ardakani, Reza. (1995). What is Philosophy. Tehran: ʿIlmi va Farhangi. (In Persian)
Davari Ardakani, Reza. (2014). Heidegger and Opening the Way for Future Thinking. Tehran: Naqsh-I Jahan. (In Persian)
Fadaʾi Mehrabani, Mehdi. (2013). Standing on the Other Side of the Death: Corbin's Responses to Heidegger from the Perspective of Shiite Philosophy. Tehran: Ney. (In Persian)
Heidegger, Martin. (1966). Discourse on Thinking. Translated by John M. Anderson and E. Hans Freund. New York: Harper and Row.
Heidegger, Martin. (1983). Fundamental Problems of Phenomenology. Translated by J-F. Courtine. Gallimard.
Heidegger, Martin. (1999). The Way to Return to the Land of Metaphysics, in Philosophy and Western Crisis, edited and translated by R. Davari Ardakani, M. R. jowzi, and P. Ziaʾ Shahabi. Tehran: Hermes. (In Persian)
Heidegger, Martin. (2014). Releasement: Speech in Spiritual Thinking, in Philosophy and Western Crisis, edited and translated by R. Davari Ardakani, M. R. jowzi, and P. Ziaʾ Shahabi. Tehran: Hermes. (In Persian)
Heidegger, Martin. (2016). Introduction to Metaphysics. Translated by Inshallah Rahmati. Tehran: Sofia. (In Persian)
Heidegger, Martin. (2016). What is Metaphysics. Translated by Siyavash Jamadi. Tehran: Markaz. (In Persian)
Heidegger, Martin. (2018). What Is This Thing Called Thinking. Translated by Siyavash Jamadi. Tehran: Quqnus. (In Persian)
Heidegger, Martin. (2019). Being and Time. Translated by Shahabuddin Amirkhani. Tehran: Parse. (In Persian)
 
Ibn Arabi. (1946). Fusus al-Hikam. Beirut: Dar al-Kitab al-Alamiyya.
Ibn Arabi. n.d. Al-Futuhat al-Makkiyya, 4 Volumes. Beirut: Dar al-Sadr.
Jami, ʿAbdul Rahman. (2013). Masnavi-i Haft Aurang. Tehran: Arsha Qalam. (In Persian)
Javadi Amuli, Abdullah. (2022). ʿAqlaniyyat-i Shuhud: Sharh-i Muqaddamih-yi Qaysari bar Fusus al-Hikam. Qom: Asra. (In Persian)
Kashani, Abd al-Razzaq. (1991). Sharh-i Fusus al-Hikam. Qom: Bidarfar. (In Persian)
Kashani, Abd al-Razzaq. (2001). Majmuʿih-yi Rasaʾil va Musannafat. Tehran: Miras-i Maktub. (In Persian)
Mosleh, Ali Asghar. (2005). Pursish az Haqiqat-i Insan: Mutaliʿih-yi Tatbiqi dar Ara-yi Ibn Arabi va Heidegger. Qom: Taha. (In Persian)
Mulla Sadra. (1981). Al-Hikmat al-Mutaʿaliyya fi-al-asfar al-arbaʿat al-ʿaqliyya. Beirut: Dar Ihya al-Turath al-ʿArabi. (In Arabic)
Qaysari, Dawud. (1996). Sharh-i Fusus al-Hikam. Tehran: ʿIlmi va Farhangi. (In Persian)
Qaysari, Dawud. (2013). Rasaʾil-e Qaysari. Tehran: Iranian Research Institute of Philosophy. (In Persian)
Qumshiʾi, Agha Mohammadreza. (1996). Hashih-yi Muqaddimih-yi Sharh-i Fusus al-Hikam Qaysari. Tehran: ʿIlmi va Farhangi. (In Persian)
Qunawi, Sadr al-Din. (2010). Miftah al-Ghayb. Beirut: Dar al-Kitab al-ʿAlamiyya. (In Arabic)
Safiyan, Mohammad Javad. (2016). Yad va Khatirih nazd-i Hafez va Heidegger. Tehran: Naqd-i Farhang. (In Persian)
Shabestari, Mahmoud. (2012). Gulshan-i Raz. Kerman: Khadamat-I Farhangi. (In Persian)

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics