An Ocean Without Shore: Ibn Arabi, the Book, and the LawAn Ocean Without Shore is a study of Ibn Arabi, known in Islam as al-Shaykh al-Akbar, the Greatest Spiritual Master. In the introduction, Chodkiewicz provides a good deal of documentation for the often heard claim that Ibn Arabi has been the most influential thinker in Islam over the past seven hundred years. He shows that this has been true, not only among the intellectual elite, but also among the common believers. He explains why a few Muslims have considered Ibn al-Arabi the greatest heretic of Islam, while for many others he is Islam's greatest spiritual teacher. In the main body of the book, Chodkiewicz demonstrates that Ibn Arabi's writings are firmly grounded in the Koran. In doing this he also shows that Ibn Arabi's Koranic roots run far deeper than has heretofore been imagined. He explains that principles of Ibn Arabi's Koranic hermeneutics with unprecedented clarity, and in bringing out the primary importance of the Shaykh's magnum opus, The Futuhat Makkiyya, he solves a good number of riddles about the text that have puzzled modern readers. Chodkiewicz's work shows how, for Ibn Arabi, the iniatory voyage is a voyage in the divine word itself. |
Contents
If all the trees on earth were pens | 19 |
In The Book we have left out nothing | 35 |
It is to him that you will be led back | 59 |
On the horizons and in their souls | 77 |
Those who are perpetually in prayer | 101 |
Notes | 131 |
About the Author | 169 |
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An Ocean Without Shore: Ibn Arabi, the Book, and the Law Michel Chodkiewicz No preview available - 1993 |
Common terms and phrases
abode Abû affirmation afrâd Ahmad akbariyya Al-baqara al-dîn Al-kahf al-nujûm al-qur'ân Allâh allusion appears Arabic awliyâ basmala bâtin Beirut belong Cairo chap chapter Chodkiewicz cited commentary contemplation corresponds creatures descends divine names Dîwân edition example explains fasl al-manâzil fatâ Fâtiha Fusûs al-hikam Futûhât Futûhât Makkiyya hadith heart Hyderabad ibâdât Ibn Arabî Ibn Arabî's doctrine Ibn Hazm interpretation Ishârât Islam Ka'ba Kitâb al-'Abâdila Kitâb al-isrâ Kitâb al-shâhid Kitâb al-tarâjim laylat al-qadr letter Lord malâmiyya manuscript manzil Mawâqi meaning mentioned Michel Chodkiewicz Muhammad Muhammadan Muslim nubuwwa Paris passage perfect poem prayer present Prophet prostration qibla question Qur'ân Qur'ânic Râzî reader recitation refers Revelation ritual sainthood salât says Sceau des saints secret servant Sha'rânî Shaykh al-Akbar speaking spiritual sufi sufism suras symbolic tafsîr tajalli Tanazzulât tashahhud theme theophany tion traditional translated ubûda ubûdiyya verse walâya word writings Yahia Zâhirî