CLAUDE ADDAS Quest for the Red Sulphur The Life of Ibn Arabi(©The tan Yet Say to tng rani the sn Tex Scety 193 "ait tom he eh by Po ay repay ht a i rary Catan in Puts Ota ‘Ste ott bel vn em Ares Nf i eet may eee sini pa ir ‘Sha te ee esa eae Paty he Ain Pr nd"ell me, end, which place you want me to take you to ~ 1 wnt fo go tthe city ofthe Messenge. ia sec ofthe Station of Radiance an the Red Saiph "bn Arabi. The Bok ofthe our by Night TRANSLATOR'S NOTE ‘hiss not sta translation ofthe bok which appeared in French in 1989 lnder the ie Iba La que du Sour Rouge. but ect second fit, The euthor hes modied» number of pesge: somes new frieral hasbeen ade: and what was orignal just an index of select. “Arbi tems as ben expanded into afl loesary forthe convenience of Tenders wih no knowlegefthe language. Asarle the author's prctce af fmting the a- rein proper names fs been adhered Towea speci debt of gratitude notonly to Claude Adda but lsoto Michel (odiewie for their constant lp,Contents Syste of tostraton or Arai characters 38 Lis abbreviations x Forsworo si Iernonverion 1 1, Howe Laxo 1 “Andalvsia belongs to Go 1 ‘The descendants of Hat al-T3'L 17 inthe ume af my sinful yout” 37 2 Voearion 33 ‘When Got called met Hn 33 Intering the Wey 4 Western Sos in thn Ares time 52 ‘The maser of Sevile 61 2. ugcriow 74 CCordob the Grest Vision 74 Sil: retreats and revelations 81 4S. a Anant ano Tie Savants oF Aspauesta 93 1h rab’ trsning in the taditonal lps dates. according to hs ita 97 ‘raning im Beratuce acorn othe Kiab mahideatababr 100 ‘Theological and philosophical waining. 102 5. Gov’s Vast Bann x1x ‘am the Quran and the Seven Substtates! 111 Heir to Abraham 1301. Fer 132 Make me ito ight" 132 ‘Atace without 8 nape’ 142 ‘ascension 253 Panrweurs 169 ‘Tue Guear Preciack 18 The last under the Ayyabids 18 Voge tothe centre of the earth 193 Inthe shadow ofthe Kaba 211 ‘Covnset My Senvants’ 218 Damascts. ‘Revucr ov re PRoPwers’ 235 Io Arabi and the Syrian fu" 245 The meeting of the two Seals 259 Coxcuuston 290 Aprenorces 295 1. Coronlogel table of fbn Arab’ Ie 296 2. tha Arab ad bis ks with he arous Sul current in the ‘stim West 311 4 Mh teachers in retinal religous dsplins frequented by Tb Arab inthe Main West 312 44 The men of ltrs freqaeted by Ibn Arabi the slim, West rg 5: The ours of the Khir atbrigyo 315, Breutocnaeny 322 4. Maruserpt sources 322 2 Published sources 122 Inpex oF NaMes 330 CAL TERMS 342 . a> as ve ae es to vd ne te ot it ae oa) ec ts he wt re wo as t vs ahs mt ‘The atl; al atd - (even i ont of su eters) Short ang vowels oo Dihthons ae sha aww . a ae 1 es edwil awit 0 miaa gy, by o, ‘ayaa a- mug abr mah by Ton Ide Bide Buy we aga, by Ton Kath BEO: Buln des tats eis, ‘Dut: i arama ll mal ii: alia ama y on Fash Durr arr esata, by tn Arab EL Enola of sla ft elton, second ein). 1: Fes radon Pass: Fuss oko by tb ‘Arai ots eu a-matigys, by Ton Ara Gt: Geschichte der araischen Lert by; Brockmann, Histo lasication: street clasifenton de Fue ‘Ara by 0. Yahi, LEA; Instat francais €echeolgie orn LEED: Instat rants de Duras ‘ia sa mal Maar by th Arabi ‘Mist: Ashtt a aro, by “A, Muhidara: taba aba, by Tb Arab Sa ab tar ages by Ab Waid ab Maras afl Nah ab. by Moga. al Nayl td by Abad Ab, Pasion: The Psion ofall, by Massgnon RE: Rese des eae res Ge Repertoire général des ervtes dT Arabi nO, Vabia's Hise elsif, ude Rub abut by lon Arab Sc ofthe Sans: Seal of he Sits, by M. Chodhiewix ‘Sadar: Shahar al-ada tna Tuk: Toko, by Ta Abba TW Tal way agin, by To ab Sug Trim: Fri Magar a sd n HF, by Abd Shama Tush al Tasha aril atest, by Abad Ta, “Ura “Una alia, by ube, Wal a-Si. Wahid: Wah suka oth, by ‘Ab Ghai e-Qs Foreword ‘rte several years go deed to seen the tack fin Arabi. was wate that the journey would belong snd adventurous, nd {wold not Ihave set ot at all unless had been cera tthe time that woud nd help and comer inthe company of eer pilgrims. Of tose waving coms ‘ions of whom thee hve been so many thet it would not be pose to ‘mention them all—there ae five tn patcalar to whom Towe a spc debt: Profesor Pere Tilt, who agreed to supervise my thes oy father Michel CChkewicr. through whom I discovered the universe ofthe Shih a Akbar whi till acid through whom came to love him while a teenager fd understand tin as an adult my husband, wo during dese yeas of ‘search shared daly in ny venture and aceptedall thesscce tinal ty daughter Waly who joined up wth 9 mi jouraey to Bring it ‘resins and peace Domingue de Ménl, who through her generous support and fienly enthusiasm made my work so much eaier st pacticl level would have them all know ow gratefl to them Tam, Folly my ster Agnts devoted wecks tothe dificult und trexome task of typing Up & ‘manuscript whieh was often veal legible. Sb hows how dears to Ime but T wish also to express asst’ gate, “Above and beyond these direct sources of assistance Iam inbred to the Ineage sil very mach lve—ol Ton Arabi dail fr helping me being {his work to completion. Whether famous or unknown they have ensured the wansmision and preservation ofthe lena fn Arabi oer a period of feat centres. rt Iam not unworthy to insibe myname intr ‘etl, Pars Octobe 1987Introduction ‘oven the pst fe years the space sven by publishers o works on Sfism in general and on Tn Arab n pardcular has grown conseraly. This bas trem the casein Arab counties os well asin the West, and has ellen Involve the publication of works outside of the more sity spins sexes. The numberof ental edilons. tansatons and monographs has ‘mulpied""A numberof diereat aspects ofthe teaching of fon Arabs filed the ‘Shaikh al Atbar, ‘Greatest of the Master~have certainly tenet fom his attention: however, any search in recent Bbllographles for a work on bis ie which meets the basic requirements of histone research will bein vain. The only work of any extent which tall ‘secessible today remains the tay by Asin Palacios ahs sa cristionzao: tthe beglnningo this book. plished in Madi in 1931 he etterpted in lest than hundred pages to reconstruct the penal stages tn the teresa jourey and sprit path ofthe suthor othe Fatt mai. But although Asin was ving end wating wer oth Nicholson and Nyberg he was much more of plonee in ba Arab tae then ether of them and unforeunately tthe time whem he prodnce is Vid de Abra, esearch ‘on the subject ofthe Shah aLAkbar was virtually nomenistent Ths ‘cans that he didnot have accesso al the information tow avaiable: tier especialy to O. Yahi’ History and Clasifntin of the Work of on “Arai. which is the tesa of along and patent ventory of the ‘manuserps. Ase, many ef the monographs that have bee devoted othe ‘mystical path (tana daring the sinh and seventh centres of the Feira fr evample the works of Frits Meer and Henry Cobia not et been writen, and inevitably this made it nore diel than i owadeys to sltute fbn ‘Arab his enveonment, ‘Asaresut even though the bographil sketch which weowetothe gest Spanish slamogist has down to the present te remained the rinasource usd by most writers when refering to Ibn Arabs ie, largely ‘utdated should beaded that. nado these shoxtcomingstor which Istory alone responsible. there are ls serious daicences his work ‘which ae due toi unfamiliarity with aconsderable umber of bn Arab's ‘own wrttngs and also withthe hstorograhic and hagographicHeratare ‘composed inthe Shah a-Alber's tine or shortly aerwards. in act Asn ‘only se the information preserved in just a ew of Tb Arabs works — Ialnly the Futdhie and the Rul alguls—and in two complations of Considerably later date: the ah at by Magar 1041/1694) and the ‘Shara dha by Ibo amid (6. 8089/2678). other words on the ‘ne hand he fale to utile a large number of internal sources especie the st oc tending ceria included in he “Arbts works which, #9 ‘wewill eter. make ossbleto rece and date with eetson his eaves tn the Eas. This not evento mention the any unpulhed treatises by In “Arabi which sometimes contain invaluble information about it encounters his Journeys and hs spital experiences On the other hand he fied to explo external source which, nt wll ax beng of ndamental importance. are alo ready svailabe for example the Takia of Tn al ABR d 658/1259), published in Madi as fr back a5 1888, the ‘Unvun tia by Ghubent (2. 705/130) published in Algers in 1910. oF the Tashan rl altar Va tn Vay al Tail 27/1230). ‘These and othe similar documents suply various pecs of formation thout thn Arabi a well a about the men and women who—decly or Indirect played a ole im his development Sim es cear that Asin never consulted the Wal by Said. 754/1363)the Day alt taba ravnayn by Aba Shama (665/268) oe tbe Dhayl mur tain by ‘Yoni 726/126) And yet these documents. long with a considerable numberof eters which T wil tlt here. provide dtd information shout the reception Iba ‘Arabi was given Ia the Bast and about his companions Sra For these reasons is nt supesing that even the mst supercalexam- nation ofthe Vie de Abeara reveals inaccuracies instances of contusion tnd numerous errs For example, Stn Palacios states that Aral ws Im Mosul in 6020, and in Clr in 60 In fact we cen now be much more ‘sin at, yh Tot ra shed fab 9h acio Intrtction recs ita be established hat in Gori Arabi als went to esa {hatin 602 he wen fo Kony" and then back to Jerse” before gotng on to Hebron sn 60" and nly t Cag n 603. Esewhere Palacios makes & tstakepertentl peste by Inter writers wh a a eule merely copy fisconclasios--regarding the date of bn “Arabs meeting in Konya with the Sel sult Key tbn ‘Arab he weites,artved in Kony capital ‘that part ofthe Byzantine Empire which had submited o lm: was there that the king Kay sad ascended tothe thtoncin 607/110. Word fbn Arai’ fae had reached the court shead of bn and te King went ‘out to meet hin peso and weleme him with every posible honour. ‘This prod of relative calm allowed Tb ‘Arabt to resume his writing anit twas there during that year that he produce woo his works he Rist a rand the Kitab ar’ ®Corn fo spat ely refers tthe tmetig Bette the king an the Su inthe lowing terms "Te ears Tate, in 6071240, thn Arabi wasn the heart of Anatoli, tn Konya where the Slug sovereign Kapha ¥acordd him a magnient reception! in fects however, the Rs al-awaraas ten in Konya 603.000 607: this is stated explicit thn ‘Arby himself tthe end the text." AS forthe ‘Kitab aso a aa was compos in Seven 5 otis stated by the author, nthe very ft liner of the work” Fal. the ™magniient ‘eccpion by Kaya cannot pil have taken place tn 6071 forthe Simple reason thatthe king onl ascended to the one 608/121 1. Its Ivor noting that nether Palin so Corbin gives the spe releence Jwhich woul lp to substantiate the clin that his particular meting took lace at hat partcalar date. ‘ne othe facto Beam in mind isthat arte Asin simply repestethe Indoreation contained tn the short biography which the Egyptian editor ‘pended to te text of the Fut, and wehich be esata resume of Mager’ Naf slik! Hence for example his account ofthe famous Inckeatin Bougiin 597/¢200, when bn ‘Araisuwhinsef uated withthe Stars and eth the ketrs ofthe aipbet. fact. however, this even Fepored in dtl ot ony by Guba soon wo separate cceasions 5.660. Yaa sae oti epee mea #8 9. ina he ak on he 7 Id. 88297 sta fina Syste ss 4, fn nit. {ot Ct Cc ance Si Wo tenant 6bon Arai himself isthe same in the cas of he meting betwen fon ‘Arab and Suheawardi at Baghdad: according Asin" [bra eve In 608 at Baghdad. his al destination: fs la was fo moot in peson 8 teeta reat Sef who fd opened © school for hometes und mystical ‘exereise nthe cy. This man was the Iams Shia al-Din Sawa, author of the Awa lr... The bngophers relat al the deals of this inal meeting Between the two master: “The looked at each oie silence fo a long while. then they parted without saying word! Uinortunatly Ast i ote ws who these tographer wer, For his own fart O. Yahi cites Ibn acim a authority for loceting the pede tn aphéad in 608." However the relevant passage in the Shahar” gives nether a place nor # date forthe event. which rates the question a fo whether tok place at al. ‘On the other hand Asin Palacos makes no mention whatever ofthe marrage Setween thm Arabi ond the mtr of Sade a Din unas even though tis referred on several Aric and Persian sources Asa mate of lac this event i the petvate eof the Shah al- Akbar was to have tery lmportnt consequences for the etsion of his thought nthe samc word On the other hand. Asin concocedwithout any supporting idence Uwhatever—a meeting between Ibn Araby and Abu Madyat Bogie in 590." Infact fbn “Araby states exphitly tn the Rule that he never {encounter “physically” che man whom he consdersd ht mister cece inal ts important to emphasise he extent to which he reiityof ‘he Vid de Abarat ke compromised ty the fat that It profoundly ‘marke sometimes even dtiguralby its authors religous preface This isaready evident i the very theo the work am ersten, There 's no point in dweling on the ofensive expessons mental imbalc ‘pathological ese) which often accompany fbn Arab’ nie." However Intatingtey ar. he ca at east be pore. To acertin exten thiskingo Prejudices understandable nthe ese of church hing atthe neo ‘Aun Palacios but when I leads him taser without any tition ‘whatever—that Ms “Arabi was motivated by plc ted against the Chins’ which mode him return to Anata in 643 "x0 a to et the 2, Ma mec go, $4 3: Kg wean Wy RACE Ai, Si of 4 Inaructon nt-Christion pole’ of Kapha his bis something mach more serous, Interpreting ier states ofthe soul's one thing rewriting history i another. IAs had gone o even the slghtstouble to cequant himself with Neat Eastern chronicies fr the period of Ibn ‘Arai ietime. he would have tincovered thatthe policy of Kays Was soar om beng ant-Cheistan thot Mosk weters accused hi of calling withthe Frans 1 Asin can to Some extent be excused forthe shortcomings of his work. the sme connote sid for thane more ecent waiters who have tackled the alet of ba“Arab' I, The fact that hey tr fae to eons the treks mentioned above even though they had become easly aces Foe Instance. Arab’ Rand were ated in yderabdin 1948, asta tion of T's Tasha was produced in 1953, the majority of the Toast have appeared in print satng from 1950, Instead of taking the ttouble to check Palacio assertions, these late wetter have Sly tependuced the erorscontnned in nm ristiansady oven worse added totem InthisrespetRuspostnroduction to chapet 167 ofthe Futaba ietypea fa the four unfortunate pages which he devotes othe ite of bn ‘Ara he menage to invent for hi a marelage with Nizam. dhe spre of the Turin assign to ave ie return wo the West ale Dis etn departre forthe Eastin 598." ‘There te no denying that O.Yahia has made serous lr o achieve precision in te shronoloical table of hn “Arb ie which he presents at {he star of his General index. However ere to one notes a considerable ‘mer of emisons and inaccuracies, Fr example forthe year 386/190 1eliitshimslfto reporting the rimade bb "Arai tone ofthe women wo were his sprtual masters in Marcbena: but strangely he alto point ‘ut hat twas during the same year that In ‘Arai went Lo Cordoba, Where 2. Onis mbes em dn he Ml, ew ik 1977 tn ea 1 lr pecs te rc Rp ee 6 ot a Alaina Pate ye antec emer eect Cle "Annet fe a am he et nn aden 98) esteem nae ana he Be EArt sain ate amen ‘Aton cnn or eon Nose, eee and Ta 5a deiive event In hls spetual destiny occured Tact this piece of Information sgivenn famous passage ofthe Fuss am,” Sar he Sis to mention that a 396/1198 the Shakh al Akbar etuned to Corot, where tended the feral of Avertocsehich he desribesin the ‘Fao haton the rath fJumade 594/202) went o Taf whereas heels us at the start ofthe Hijet abl” he mediated at Abbas trate, Andone leans with astonishment tatin 598 hn Arab stopped fin {Cesolanco-even though the city whic bears ths name wes unl bat the eighteenth century. ‘This all goes to show that atthe presen ime no dependable and dated stady on Arabs Mes avaiable in Wester language. Those who are Forrnate enough tebe able to cope withthe sublets of Arabic are with theopton ofeleng othe Arabsoures, cer ancient or modern they te then faced with choice Between two erent kind of docament of more precisely teteen two diferent types of information. On te one hand there fave the deals provide by the enres—oen bre lays lesa the abt, hose vist iorephiclctlonares in thc the author comfy ‘Sums up a whale Meae ma ew ines Boring and dull these curl te teal ery much thesame and ate repeated rom writer io wie, cents to entry: names rt names surnames, master, tates writings To spare ‘onesetfthe labour one could simpy rele, tke Asstt Naa a work tn which is author meticulously noted down and assembled most ofthe ‘eniestereing bn Arai whichenisedin istime. "Bat Maggi wasne Aiferen rom many other Arabi compilers in his dstegud for histone truth: what more he was a ervent supporter of ha Arab Asa rl he _eprodced a numberof fry iereible anecdotal stores which awe wll, Se when we come to examin them very probably derive ows Fayrazsbad id 817/rat4 “The seco typeof document const of haglgraphial wetings. For vamp thereare afew rather ne pagesat the tert of a-Qar a Baha’ Manigih ibn Ara= which present asa oon ‘Aras en the sare Kind of anecdotal style which Farid l bin “Air wed his Tair stay But the author does nt stp thee. Keen 10 ell his reader to 39. i wn pa "EArt ty er andre us 6 Intotuction the crv ofthe Shath sbAkbac—fr whom he exesies a pound soe ct che pws topeniengtisto demonstrate thee were and wean ery be fepuatone ana Meyorae any ‘SMSom ast the onhodery, who cknowcdgd in Arabs santo Teachtee hisesmpy psn the noudsstatenets which they never Pegs fr neon, Oahu sob ser that Ton Ar wae ice thse mo teach the Oneness Beng Wansaed in the ‘Rona nt the tal, te st the nam. the a the ocean af Meth Kado gllen pend was thon perpetuate iter ‘Cotrcsby Shan an to ese deze Mago Whatstruofsaneol bn Ararssspprtesbatrveo italy ais is They ton were not hatte wih eupesahieh ere ‘Shang af mae Det gona post eet eral tath freer ace Frame haa dost hin te bout rept that Torah bd arian who kt best hin lk an We" Oe Tota prone to sar igh nto. arte that Be had perverse ‘Shaina ren acest bar aly holt aryone sper tos of hey nthe eyes othe Dts he La. During the xt cde Shah Malad Ghar Daman hs gon C0 comets ne omake fn Ars eter naw othe Avab wore {ts used eno so dient works which nemble artus text af. ‘Arb accoring tothe: agin! Word te Pert Man. and One hese monogrphs publ a Dunas in, eed The ‘acer tot coi Tra Fal othe metho e asad down forms the mor simpy eis one ter another Yaris teas enaced el fom pont works fia AroE he makes no ea tance in which te sh sab spa nthe Wt peso. This nlogy aul been sl but forest Mamod Crab inn ve te eerence orth patchwork qutatns nthe eae ofa rary cup ses as hy Arbrs adding upto thousand fps ‘hss esy thee, consent $3, pf Thee te eh Del ot ee te se Ronan att arhiehe Cart ates pa Petra Sabatini tate mpcAllin al, any contemporary reader ofTbn ‘Aral who would keto const bhograpy of him even fe happens to know Arabic—foced with ony two options. Ether theres the study by Asin Places. which apart tm ts nar defences is also extremely prejudice, or there are the eequentiy fantastic stories tld by the Arab biographers which, depending on the author's is. provide vast wealth of ether fabricated anccotes oF pious ‘efaration, Tis tosay the very est. highly prado station when ‘oneconsderson the one hand the immensesiieanceacknowledgedeven by his detractors) of bn Arabi ands school nthe history of Sufi, and ‘when om the other hand one nots hove the mumber of studies and translatonsin these areaskeeps increasing om ea year was no doubt esumptuous tty toset matters ght but that sthetask haveset mel ths book Tost the Greats of the Masters avi he wa jas bint ‘etaphysican, without any roots. without a story a his own, without a Fomeland. sto sk fling eo unteree correctly the nuances of & wa’ of "king which stseparbl rom hs perianal experience, Crile wat esine ofall am eminent Funct inthe suheoqoent history of Sulla, both asa maor pont of reerence ln matters of doctrine and, es vet source os spinal ines which eve today is not exh. Bot thi function whieh slustrated and encapsulated in hse Self Muara dan Stnthod is not something which can be undestod ia seme nebulous ‘oid unpeopied by men and women snd devo fan pont of relerence in space or time. fon Arab’ companions are not jst walk-on pars is contemporaries were not just onlookers. the counties whic he bed in were ‘more tha theatieal backdrop, and te events he experienced wer fo bm {armors than the simple revere n dramatic pot. In this respect al he ‘ogrepbles of tbo ‘Arai which were menone eater share one fmsjor shortcoming, Not once do they ey to delineate the cultural, sci and poltial landscape in which his destiny unfolded. and never do they attmpe focvoke the epoch, so rich and sumptuous but alo so rave. Ino which he ‘was born andinwhichbe ithe eel the Resongutsain the West. the era ofthe Crasades and soon afterwards athe Mong invasion in the East Ie (quite tue that works writen about this period ee extremely inadequate, ven tla there ssl no study which deals specially withthe Andasta ofa ‘Aras time—thot ls with Andalusia under the Almohads. This ‘means that anyooe interested in discovering information which could help to shed light on Andalusian sotety during that period i obliged to consult the histonogrophicl works writen st the time. However, lstory a wat omeivd then something vers diferent fro the discipline which bers the name today. Any atempetofind detalls about the living conditions ofthe emer! population i, oy hn al-ABB' Tomi orf Tahar Bayi a Inratucton mrt vai. Ter concern was no wh writing sory the ‘man nero today alone wih say. The iy es Ty aos eo fran earang he key ares andthe se anary eves whieh mone way of ante character pe ast une the Abia beter documented The stay taken E Sram and 8 Hunphres carly dcanet the Ayybid Sac of goverment as itractons wil the Chan wor The inns deeded yt. Post in 1981 embed ‘eetrming eto elnDamaar ring the seven herent. ine vecetyD. Gas dfn and tansaion of sventh-enry Me sone tet proves invaluable nema sh the Su ees iktronsed in fay x tne Bt rest dell remaisto be done. TT venture tex the hope that ths book wi conta wards © Tar undenandng ofa prod wish weed such major upevas 2 etme word Mysims essently biographical In thefstnstance cons ofretracing Tho ‘Arbre spntual and intelectual Joumey wile, whereer pose. Stunting tis urney flyin the relpous and historical contest of the te. With this framework there cool be no question of undertaking 3 ‘tae analysis of’ Arbsocteine and teaching. My intentionasbeeo fmuch more modest. to contributes ite to clriing the origin of his teachings and also o erp ov closely they are elated to the tates (hw) ed stations” frugal) which e experience. as well sto an lated lengthy tradition wbich he inhested end ip torn transmit Besides, the principal these his thought havealrendy been the sabe of ‘meticulous examination fora numberof decades. There no need to go back ter as Nyberg or Asa one Rasen think ofthe work doneby Corbin and [aus and more recent by anothe Japanese scholar, Masataka Takeshi or ofthe penetrating commentaries by Michal Valsan which acompny his ‘eenlations, to gin an ea ofthe numberof publications whic have been ‘devoted to deciphering the corpus of Ton ‘Arabs witngs—although of ‘ourethiss not ts that the deciphering seven nearly complete. And yet Torabwious reasons has proved impossble to confine mseltosimply ting these stds frequently | fund Wt eset o rele sn posing wo the main leas which run through tb Arabs work, although Ima no claim have done so exhasels: 1 etn Str edema ch 9“only speak of what {tate statesthe author ofthe Fut. In sense huis etze work nothing bur the record of his inner expelence isons logue withthe dead ascension, mstestusencountersin the Tmaginal World alam thay miraculous Journeys ithe celestial phere. Whether they are a pstchopath's antaie, a8 Asi Pacis beloved oF senuinesintual perceptions a Corbin claimed the facts that foro Arab they were not onl as eal but much more eal than the Andalusian earth on which he walked a. child. veryone he devotes himself to tadving the ‘Shaikh al-Akbar—whether as biographer or asa hlstorian of eas mus take thistnto account Te tesa sant to understand a sant’ wrote Julien Green sbout Francis of Asis tndeed I make no cli to have undertoad—let alone made Linderstandable that elie pure whose exten 1 wl be desing Many enigmas remain. In saying dis T have in mind not so much those Historical ides for which some document, lo today. may tomorrow ‘rovdethe er. as thon ikminations for which ee can ech date fd plac bt without bing able to share in the igh havein mind dose ‘ontadictons which no doubt resolve themselves sub pei ater but ‘shih rom the terest pint of view remain unsoived hose certains that are Inscessle to the reaon of mortals. and the privege of the ‘mubogigno elser ofthe truth, Tothe est my ability have lowed Th Arb dow those ange tri that are not las contained within the fcr points of the compass. Daring the cours of this journey oe can sometimes alone has lst one's way: someies one can ela prisoner Iabyeoth frm which there no way out tthe Shaikh alka asserts ‘hat ‘all paths are circulars" which emong ater things means Ut the oorney Which thereaders about to cern willed him back to inset 1. Home Land Sau woh eh AAs, wi is waters shale, seers res isd you oe rhe Garden Bis nowhere le than n your country and ft was ose for ‘coche een ther welt your cout T woul coos. n't af of cing to Hal tomorrows woe as own Paras il mer ete Ghent." sis pst ae sng the cams fh nda ci Crna eters ses we ie tan a ets thar ts oth 5399) er eae itetcchanentfondtPrader-steomive seats hth ensues Amilo bce SETS oe dim on estore omaing he gee anne te eri aa the {ans to ep by oly ring wn Ser my Ste enn wi eed fe ete ame Ana ever iets cet tondness eevee Meenurgy Oran: el pendrin at 2 Sethe ews s,s ofan maa sr au se Pars 1937. spe 1 i i an ai bb ects inal nant ca ‘ange sie nn dew a sen ee tee Fro Ce fn ron rie Pat 984 5957able to sce how mmach of i any community woul! possess saw that “Aula wold fs al conges. asked Cabrck “Gabe: what tht peninsula” He replied: "Mulbamimad that the peninsula of Andalusia ‘hich your community will eongue fer your death Whoever ves dhore ‘nivel astate of blessciness whoeer des there wl ea martyr" * Pat together fom Is and pecs. these ‘hadith’ testy just as mach to the strength of sheer passon which the Ara eonguer lor Aan 0 the complet and utter sbwnce of that soenticscrupuousnes which the ‘omplrs were sometimes quite cape ot. Tet wt a love lok at his land which became the inpiration ir so ‘many culos. It iscommon knows that by APAndaas” Arab wrters ‘meant not only dhe region equivalent 10 what Spin today but als Islamic ‘Shei respective oy aeograpial extension which diminished bt by it {the Choistonreconguest proce uring the Almohad Emir. which ithe pera that concerns us, A Als desgnatel the rovincet—or more accuracy the Kies, according to the peopraphical terminology used by the Arabs—of Valencia. Tudmie (grovinal centre Marea) undlvein the Levaneshrga-adala ofa, ‘ira near Granada Almera Malaga in the Ean of Cordoba, Svile, 'o, Crmona and Nila tothe Westin the Sout, Moron Sona, Casena ‘and Tacoranna (provincial centee Ronda). and i the Algarve (har a tndaus}presentday Prtapal—Orcenobo (with Ses asi centre) and Bea ‘Apert ram some disigreetent a to whether Spain shoul be situated in ‘he four ith imate” the fact that Arab geographers flowed each ‘ther closely intel descrpons of Andalusia and that theres not muh “ierence between one acount and another, The flowing exarple i aba typical of the et “Andalusia & fre peninsula, remarkable forthe immense sve a ts Jad ands, forthe great variety fs us ad forts natural sources I slavoured witha conserable population andenoemous advantage. Thee fare many wild animals. tds and fish fr game, sol s wood ts water Grnkable.". Uniahablted reglons are rie: foreeses and casts are ‘terythere taliohasa ch quantity ol mines, oftockerytal-ore sub fend and tn.” Add one further comment by the same authoe—The ‘bitans of Andalusia are more courageous and more cal to govern than any ater people even te wrest Cues himself. and he pictures complete Vint axatin 8 Babe ape leaps als eons co Gd sterol hs le decide oe ee cota & santlfanres oft There sno enn tt th ron Crab a porch Ar the range oh seine he LES Sean lo the ope the Lave and Agee ate ben Tey tae wn mc ren event thant eo the era ce Anan ware ts Conan seme che omic the Con tl tin. and ety atthe Uy era onwards thevlin the acter {Sree alts Ton eatery runneth apes pear apts “Kon pomapranaes and opel Hg wre pfs Te ole ca Poets and prey athe Ale sete th Hitler nese coldest reas acene ites Seether Autre seatwars genre liar dls Sho mere retin saree Me ula tsence fsa ats, the Ar groans ck tcc ih danqrapc tes feds pote ay sts Se cat ie pout of tame Spa he veh end TeetEin coms’ On te her han we ae wel nd othe ln iat net toate pt xtemcy mh poplaton “hace were Aran theese he wondcae rhe mos at sean yc and he Vere aa then Tey reported eee todallunt minty anaes in coe aces et ans tv) wo one the bat nd and wn ey sed Impnat sina pt rom te cnet cnr awa the Alors an hen the ‘Alm tame to pont the mer Deroy Anal reas leery. These mamas hm Mh este ected mi 9 ‘mowenutte ded ya and Ads, thy ere eed ‘Sascanfuncoth he Alma hash changin a Sta evil condo hele atc age amber them now itterne Pasta, pgs os Ltn lv carats a ae a oeSok pps he hes exelldin the osc We it aos that serra fb tra opal mass emer sel a Scala tert Bere ‘hens none cimentsinshe popltont Anda, meson shoaldabote mac afte exstece ofa all oumbe flecks rn Son, Srophtto Aalst the sve tre they were teres arco The aboriginal popula consted fee rou Stats the most sicanton waste mann or Spanarscomeve am Forme ‘Fallen and ade they ao ade op mos othe working Population, Then there were the Csr and ews, Bath were minor ow "here ha een ear empatn of Chris the north a Sp er Toledo wascaptredy Alphonso in 4781085 However sales this nar crn sty on iv Anda Une the Amores Snevenoresounder the sha thy were nce a ate and tami The reson race which al chaasuret the cape ef Cords was no mre tan stant meey” ade nes ba ‘hanged th stn res in Spit ws sean er yt day the ‘scons continuo gala mre ground. When Ada Mn cet owe: he decal hat he would no longer tate snyone at son Iter: churches nd Smaps ee steal dese The station as tense the Jee feo oho sn to coo ne eb an ‘she fit fallin the Mage an thn type ae dl son 1204, Those who stayed on ved gether spl eres the est cites special in Granade bt hon Serie ane ord the omen imersnt and prosperous commu ul 57/1965 tat ear the tlsrmatecopredy the Aha tthe were eer ied ‘raat “emanation by Ain writen thee ofthe teh centr. provides reachable ht it the ae oF itlerance which was sweeping trough Anais ha ine A tnagrate a Sve, he used every Possible opty ta expres hs ‘round contempt rts dn mt Wasa isfrben heen ‘4 mM. ACK yh moss sm ae: es Some Anal longs to Ga “to sell coat which es belonged to a leper. a Jw ofa Christan without Aclsing the fat tothe potenti bayer. Bhewere he adie that no taxcolectrs. policemen ews or Christians suk be allowed to wear the tres ofamember ofthe arsocracy oe awyer or ofan afmeans onthe fray. they shouldbe abominated and shunned." AndUhat snot all ‘According to Tha “Abin. pests are foricators andthe churches are froth! Members ofthe clergy are debauchees.onicators and sds. ‘Women Franks are ta be lrbidden to enter the church on any day except when there are services anid on oly das. cre fs he custom go There to banquet, drink and fornicate with the clergy." Finally Jews land Chis must beatolutel forbidden teducateUnemacles and above sllto act ae tors to Mshms ‘One ater very special characterise of Andalusia was the munber of ts towns. many of whi dated om Roman ines, and ts foresee and smay wel have been a paradise. twas also highly coveted ‘Whatever the vewsof cal eulogiss eto the county scherms, the fact ‘that fom the deveath century and even moreso fom the wel century ‘With the capture of Toledo in 478/1085 by Alphonso VI of Caste. ond then of Saragosa in 512/118 by Alphonso the Warr of Aragon. the Reconguista which had made lite progress up unl then-—inexceably Lightness rip round the amie ream Spain Cetin the Amora Berbers trom North Afearaled tothe ey Sor help fom the reyes de Tass and sil ange to hold the Chistian in check beyond the ate, Bat ‘very soon they were to be crushed in turn by other Berbers~theAlmobds. In 39/1145, withthe conquest of Moroceo and ih scarey completed the Almoiad Woops land in the brian peninsula under “Abd a Muni ‘who had suceeded to the Mab Tn Tamar in 27/111 Tio pets ater they took Jere. Nl les, Boa, Mertla-—and ally Seve. where the Almoheds se up thelr administrative cup ‘By the me of Abal Ml mins death in 533/162 almost all of Andale Jaa been conquered and subdued. Te reeons which Mare up ere and therein reaction to the abuses perpetrated by the rank and le ofthe ‘Aloe army were opi put down The fine ad penary which had ravaged Selle were vere, ‘On hisfathr= death Abi YagUb Yasufsean power, though only ater liminating afew val candidates who were something of «nuisance. He Imherted& vast empire which was prosperous and strong economicalpulitaly and also from a mltary’ point af view. ut even 90, shadow tlskened the scene Te shadow had name: fbn Sardonish, ‘Demented and cue tha the image which the medieval Arab chron: cles liked to present the Levantine sovereign, Muara by Sad Ton Mardanish. "The chronicles in question were men such as fon Sahib a Salt 5941198 and dhe (e700) }00}—tats men whose tmpartit to sy the lest open to question» The ved ofthe erent ‘rentals ous gute dierent He doesnot conceal his ada far ‘the great opponent ofthe Alimodads, and observes that He Het des in ‘the sme wats hs neighbours the Christians andcars the same eeapone fsthey dd eked to tot hi horses inthe same way ad he tok pleasure fh speaking th language Most of his solders were rm Case, Navarra fn Catalonia! homes bul for them-—and large numberof avers {swell which caused @ major scandal among suit Muss... In etery (Cristian prince he sat an aly end, eather. He was a man of seat sirewness:hekew when to pardon with nobility and when topacish Severely acconding tothe circumstances. He had prodigious energy and was sn eect horseman: his bravery was «mate for any ordeal In Bate he ‘wae a0 ready to sacrifice himself and endanger his he thst he had 9 be reminded that a geaeral-n-command has ether dates than these of an edinary soldier With he assistance of Christan mercenaries bn Mardanish ded, ara sand menaced the Alohad Empire for nearly een years In 354/139 he attempted to take Condo, then descended on Sele encouraged and omimanded by thet tare uttan Aba Ya‘aab Vasu the inhabitant of Seville put up resistance andar thre days managed to repel theBeseg. "This didnot prevent Tn Mardanish and bistros tom regula envaging ‘thermos of evil dering he years that lowe hilly si ons i Pa Tet a Min 983.964. che ir tga rn Maer i 6 re desendaes of Hatin aT seca sus ohig Granade 5574463 oh ation Gialherame’" o/s Ib Madan hd thc: The Aiba Sine cntge tay Nr se op ot we ee he hms fo Mure. The copa To Se fans arte ont aaa massed ein in ent ines che goa rhe 2 ie ite cy ser Sona eatt eget the a en te erie Lng wich ws St es “am Arab a atin he brocher of magnon: In mili we possess lo anet ond ronson" Inthe vas conus of his wring it not unusual 10 come arossverses suc Us these in which the Shath al-Akbar Mubyt Deo Muhammad. AB b Mubanmad lsAra Ta Ht elcbrates spare Arab crign and thelegendary penrosty asoctated with hename this ancestors, the Ban Tayy Arab and of noble descent, Ibn ‘Aras fry belonged to the The or high society of Andalusia. Although it cannot be exabshed oncsvely theres every reason to Fea ha part ofthe Yemenite can ol the Bana ayy” emigrated to Spain daring the ial years ofthe Arab onus which tact several eat ain (itt) to the heron Peninsaa om Syria andthe Yemen” Atany rte we know that already i the time of Abd al-Rabian Vd 173/788) some member ofthe lan were 34 Dwi: alg a708 fe Mt. a ‘Ose i ences nthe noun Th ean pry cays Some opty and MIME ey ese of ein on est cure Str nssete in the city of Jaén: in his frat alunsib Ibo Haan noted their eesence in Hess and Tila, while Maggrt gave thr laity ae southern Marchi is presiely where the Shaikh wae born. Tewasin actin precy the eat 560/165. nie the rzes which wis under sige and threat fom the Almahads hat tb “Arabl came ino he ‘word. In ison wos. Twas born dng the rue of he caliph [Ae Mustanjd brahim the realm of Aba ‘Abd Alls Mohammad b. Sab Mardanh in Andalusia When he ret the histori ln Nall 6437 ‘a43}im Damascus he gave him isexat time obrth a using he night of Monday the 17th of Ramadan, 360.” Fr bis parens it as a major event “Matrumad was and woul remain her ony son. ‘What precisely was the postion held by Ton ‘Baltweanng eater unl) non in he ase opted unde inter ne such deat occurs the vrous psa where in ‘otargurs ba Wala Arsinconeson wheal hich ‘Nematode hin Ooh own ha a0. {ik snd subsequent R.A tave ra de conlstonftin in {eNieyetanrptmal unc Arab Ts hry ear Sinthe anette em ame ne ko tr tha thre as Stier ht ats vty neicenc n Acasa hs ne, whic a ‘ops cel the parent nd Geenant fhe anos a Ab {nk Muara hac Aror 84 3/18g8)- who warn celebrated expert, I it enw ne ne i aes Te ene hl Arter in arousal Sincere re that'Anoter of my mates was HAL bale ‘Ara fon him recede Si oman eg al Ara who treshiscosn he ay pans aa oe ros i ad eave en Tse luthersaon = Palys when Theva ery oth same “Tra nef i 765 ah ec 23 tea the bok © ml rel by Ain nS Aso. ‘x tau apt 1 Sit te sp - 1 Roh or io ai he i wn a Straw Gre rs it posh ‘age us os pe sone net tetson meme init ‘lye ion Nas ana) 150-039,‘ransmiter in the MIs aan he applies to hi hens‘ Mae which Belongs to the gi family bur nr his own, Sothetet eight years offi ‘Araly'sclshood were spent the high all f this small independent kingdom-the ina aston fant Aleabad esstnce. Situated on plano the banks the river Segura wishotiay Murcia and is surrounding region enjoyed a fede ahd ch so, wath tardens, orchaeds and farmed land everywhere which enable the opel fon to provide fr its own needs But this prosper was to be af chow tration, War was sppcouching. Bngingin ts wake famine ate sry. 56/1168 Aba Yarqnb Vasu. who hod prackimed hime Ani al, ‘nmin, sgned peace-reates withthe kings of Leon and Case hear later tn Hamushk.sonsindaw and right and man of Ibm Mardasahe eer is father-in-aw ad rad tothe cause of the Almas, Toms then onthe Muvminde sultan could engage all is frees the Boal ast ‘against the ruler ofthe Levan. He would ne out have launched team tight aways certaln events hed nt interveneto that splat that ear (565H) there was an carthauske in Anse: Condo, Seis nd Granta were severely it. Murcia seemed to have been iecalsly spared" But Abi Yaga sured» move personal etlack at he ory sam time the Aloha stan al senousy iim Marrakech, It woul take sos wo years for im to recover. Arson ashe was beter Be tear to Scull: there he gathered his rps and threw them aga tbn Matai, who, deste and wounded, took shltr ane more ine being the wal Marcia, There f we are to balleve the conics, hi madness uneashad sit He torture his compunions.assasinte hs sister and drowned fe ‘hide, immed histo vines alive nnd to the peat teeta tne lows 'o him—finaly breathed his lst in Rola soy Hs sons eft tminelately fr Seuile to pledge ther elegance to the Alma ruler, and took with them several othe city's notable War the fair of Art incuded in the delegation Very pbb he was Inns ase. 68H hn 'Arabs family lt Murcia once andor aland seed nthe ‘ital of Anda, where his father entered he service ofthe slats Aba Yaraub ‘The young Ibn ‘Arabi was cunonted with spectacle Which was at once 7, Sua cee Mersin ay (FY a8 dR zt stabi prt ced nr mcr as st {tc i et tt p57 at pa a yp 26 1m the time of my sifu yout tenn mt atin cp pas ry numa and foutsins Sei bre ite resemblance tothe ntoverted and relate ff Marcia. I was © gant cy. overppulatd, swarming with people poly gy Arabs mined with Berbers and Andalusians, Mss with ‘Christin and Jews: the mos distinguished urs kep company with pots land pllosopers the most depraved ferns rubbed shouldes with the retest of sits, fear cof gestalt reise temptation, rs Franco Atha thr af the Marna who id Tour tn pee erie than the shah Aar"veaed t te "tn i per ih pede dnt ner chihcexpreon inthe ne oy fl yo kis gece wht he er y im o neie sae inhi honk the tet ging erm whch in {Eel oti cana ana way cng sep el aren! of pile that precede ng aa eit Hictny adic henacunieo te ei tects Sea anc of whom 50 many Yoes hae sing eal ‘Coroba an Seve wer aay Although nets cnr ster tenn congo perce nas gn oor, hws aly xine! by Seve Wh the som of he Atmbed any and nil deh gf he son ng A Yr Srl ererens heros She ove herman poli Sater th fac tht she i wo mar ramp: the Gani Stowe nh bank sete Anson ca ane Arf whch Seas the wet ey he er Gunguie—wbih bas sue at Crab compared une ane aps by Ara was wih he i, the gi ee he Erste wept and shpat Sls nt pra sconomie ete of act and the ay» ch ty of common ‘cones ied of merchande—prin ol etn, were Sroght they bot sme tending hen apr owe set over bn sign nd pte" Hawes ce in sp oe Serelance maintained bythe ann who. along wh i de a ‘apes or ening eet the aad tne gad 7 Reg the oi cf | Rh Vi, Sel np a7behaviour, the Guadaguii was ale apace of debatchery, Wine, music and women were abla circulate more et than anya ese—mch to ‘he Indgnason af tin Abdan, who vote ‘Burgenen should not alow scrosawoman who oksiikea Woman bad iting Theremust bean solute ban on women organising pleasure outings and dak pare ong the river, especially when they deck themselves ot in all their ‘According tothe poets the Guadalqivr was the nsklae of he fancé’ snd the Ara he adem. was there thal the agricul podction ‘ofthe Seville repom was locate alo stretch of twenty oe thy les flv groves. ls cotton and grains, chan ad son= When emigrants such as fon "Arar fay diem tn Seve tx So they dscoverd a ty undergoing rapa expansion Inthe year before. fhe sultan Abu Yaa Vasu. enchanted by the Andsluian captl ad Innate series of large-scale bling projets which were to change the turtun landscape conserably. First ofall he decide to constr bridge connecting the two bunks ofthe Gxadalguvir—in other words linking Sell Triana the port forthe Ajrte—andso lactate both communica tion and commerce Getneen the city and the sarounding countrys Io the sme year he ardred his architects to bold group os ales on the outskirts of Seve: known aor they we surrounded by vas tudons. orchards and elds felt trees bought rom the Alara” Alsi the year 5671 he dew the plan ora reat mosque wo replace the mos af Ton Addabis which hadbeen damagedin the lst earthgvake and which was tn any ease to smal to accommodate the growing population of Sve According to fbn Sahih al-Sli the mosque whose famous minaret the “Gal til survves—was completed in 5714 strangely. however. wes only inaugurated in 57771182. Huta al the projets undertaken by the king, the mos ust for he inhabitants of Sev even fat eesti the ‘mos prestigious was the reoration ofthe ace rman cont syste. Asaresit the etre population ofthe ty wes supplied with dnking water. ‘he inauguration ofthe Sev water reservoe on the 1th of fund 5367/1172, provide the occasion for grand ceremony attended y the Sulla and allotthe city's tp agate. Seve witnessed prosperity nd splendour Se had never known efor Pe sam twas 1 ete of ry if out ower. what mus have en he moat stating spect the yor eee arte srnge mise fous a hres et) nd SAESiens whieh send to tmgreate Sevile. To eg hy the ses oerment way exetaly egos Te dil fhe ia mart hod dened termi os beng to etre pure and eos rio pure the dade meas ofthe Andante and 0 resaish ia two pre mesa, The Amohed Sae Was a theocratic fee ch religion gored alos dal actons Abd aN in Was ‘Ethos masters way otiking wl app the Joe ofthe a ‘ettou any enn. A very pos ma hm ad neta nine to ‘Webschoe wes severe in umihing any deviation from Qu Te ‘Sot war sty oad anyone whofe opto the reed Bet racoticed aenegde ews ani Chas etherhadtcanet tein or eave?" som andouccsor. A Ya'gdd Yt was well-tested cotldbot at bekpe te wo sei. oclectonsofproptee Trains Shere But he aan nqiing ed sophia min and was ealy tmerestd in medi, iloahy and ato. sounding il with fRnurndialssct ac Toe Tuan Re nd ina i he or ote stor othe Hh. He eft tha ane i he Itnguage of the Ab the tts the aheveeat an tha stn. Toth bees ate th ing of ha be devotes othe tao As we he wos the governor ol Sve There was. no one more Sfed thane nrg the Guan on who ws ner tn Sng, ermal pote, noone oe caper mole. As a Ain he tro fm, energetic, geneous al snagtimour Consequently Ms bay aol and is Tt expratsane pomp him to orn pho tonhy- Inshorsnether toe nor ar was ere ainamons he Maso cmpare wth Aba eas" Afr de albwance mage fr Ccaggraton, we eek withthe ptr fe man whe educated forest were notlnitdta he narrow sphere lth religious senso Following the example oftheir new ing the Almohais graduly o.Reagihe msn Stes Rie Ton Am sttitnt ea Caras, Peco, Reng Abdo. fs Mand i lm te sg ae sic abe a 8 pa »succumbed othe seductive reinementsof Adlusian society in genera tnd of Seville society tn particular Seville was melting pot Bry posible ace and religious denomination came together ea the moat diverse of tales: singer, poets and musictans mised with ‘sna’ and philosophers Debauchery and asec, depravity and stathood were the two dileent faces ofthe Wane Ibn Ara eeainly experienced the sscondwasthete« time when he was also on cone tens with heist ‘As the son of» noble and eh amy, Mubyi Din’ years of olescence were peoef and caret. He seems not to have etc the Our ane school where accoding to fbn ‘Alin the teuhrs were ignorant ad the teaching mediocre He no doubt had private ators in his own home ke any otherson born nt high society. Anyway. one hing we know for certain ‘shat he tule the Quran with‘ man ofthe Pah Ab Ant Al a. hasva.t9 whom he would always remain deeply atacte, A he sys tn the KG: "When I was chil T studied the Quran with fim (ie. ABD Abd ‘llth alShayyét] and had a great action for hi; fe was ur neigh fur... Of al the spntua ment have met since returning to the Path there not oe af hem Ihave wanted to be ke-excep fo hin sad his ‘other. Many years later daring hisourney’ tthe East thy Arab wold ‘meet ap again withthe Khoyyat brothers in Cato and spend aa ung ‘able month of Ramadan together with them ‘Ofehese Sufs whom bn Ara knew ach. mention must aloe made of Aba Ala Shakldx. He was closely ined in enhip with hs pternal ‘uncle. Abu Mubarmadal-Arei and wouldoubsequcnly bone ne ofhis Spiritual teachers” 1m the annals of Seve 574/178 was black yar The Gusdalutir—up tnt phen source of riches and prospriy—-now become the cane of esoltion and loss. The river burst ts Hanks. odd the countryside and evant the cops. The peace tretcs signed in 568-69 with the Linas of Leon Castle and Portugal had expe the king of Portugal. Alpbors 85 fil 9 ad 10.095: nds 9.9z2 kh D9 haps Se Andy. ih ap nay he te ‘5 Seam ps Bag ps 30 ‘In tet of my sal youth ces btson Sancho tack Sell. The two ames came ace o ferns the Aart the Almohads were outed ume or semsto hae true th cay and confortable exten ct htayt bn, ugg tom his sence about tee eens Osan he Steomparied his ater on hs ie and mae ey ito Anda Hdnsouty:hewos promt apostion asc tote poreror ofS" {ibdesiny seamed raced ut ins he would low tthe ote his fhe ‘Dac eager drawn ne difient eton. Head preeminent fees ner sual weds bail esate ake theta se Ts Ststhe pun hi ig the psa In which the one fab Temalned vided between hs doit enjoy the god thing fi ow ‘orfentis ee tr atthe por when eh vogue prc of Ube Tr but itt yt known es was no ate reny Ibn al Abbar gies ewo versions of what happened [Absorling to the it, the sultan was coviaced of hn al AA's excellence {tn pty and ordered him tobe rlesed nd escorted to Cuts, where the ‘hath ded asthe result oan nes. According to thesewond—to whoo fabbar says he is unviling to give much credence—Ton al An? was Prison on his reten jue. wth making these erosing ‘A year afer the death offi alAcfanothe Suh, ba Qs csied he wes ‘theMahdl andorganised an ant-Akmoraid eben nthe Algarve With tehep of his disciples he managed to soe a number of stongholis nthe region. When the Almohads land on the penis bn Qastintallled tether cause in sgt 145 bat cee esacned hse rm them and Ain also assassinated. at Ses 546/1151 ‘Ofthes thre representatives of Amora Sul twas unquestionably Timl-Avi who exerted the greatest infivence on the evolution olibn ‘Aras teaching. The merous eferencesinthe Fut to the Mahisn amas: ‘work in which Tn a dseibes te diferent stages of the Way-—and thevarnu allusions to the man bine testy bh ohn Arabs ntres ‘nhs work an his profoue respect forts author whom he rast is ‘esfct knowledge and describes as ‘one ofthe men of spr relsaton (rnin ayn Important ta emphasise in disconnection tat of the thre men mentioned above bn iA appears to have been the only ‘ne whom Jb Arab specclly fers os sha our master tains pae Shek Care 6375. , Mhm.§35.938 for Gitte x el Pc sp. th Tp Sere Lin neta anese H aveN oe 8Several fb Arabs Anshan ech lan cts were asst eyo nay ithe neran ado hs was ecco A oats deena er alfierent people have been. confused. tbn ‘Ar = erent hin oc Shh abla Mas So a rot ‘uh amin” nd ose aed 9 a aoe et {akenarate?"angShatn site ype noe eae stems adh ean wee eee ea ae $B811721 who ashame dsc se a ain’ a ant hs en Aa in a a ‘rab reauented between 589 and 594. These two men (we will have meee ‘to say later about them as well as about al-Fihri) were baat SIM hcp ttn aa ee A a a alte mento! at hahUnab.nsteathe athat be was ttl crate, was anilar wth lm aan sds ce seldom eth se ee Te long Pesan Raul Theat ea AE SLgE Ret pase aon pss: tah $4. n9 edn seen cee ee eae oe Sn a aaa ail Wester Sum ha Arabs ie cee 00 Rin the company of oes. Be amc: "et we ‘Sesiacs pol whl Hae any po io you, Abo Bat fee he el wwe wth ge hae says va ett y the Se Ae int twice ht smote es [otter engi sod whatever cull rie. We a PSnwn what ter wntengus! and wha ase coed ‘Shires so what dos hemetn yee wont Avan ony compas Sait pecan anger ered ome. fen oagh ncn 9 Sen tno esnver rete om apaingbcae bad sopethe Pe trcig mys see sn eno et vu 590/194 Tn, in Arak dd bo Baran’ Ka se nb ren cher Aba al Mart Pa be ad sinsy stile nie othe work tg anther ero i Abattog ain ss185) ho scrdng the i wast sip on Bavalin™ fn ny ce. on Ary opi os oer ‘race ofc Alco tpear ohare meer He ‘Sissy peed inowdge of sane ofthe spl sacce= tne eee coal ln ae) whee pr Skis cory at rset nA ph tt heh 9k see hi Ano ee comely "He ds however aoe he ‘te of be Burrs exten oft vine Resi oo of whch treng ees (esi hh = ich an He that Crs tn npr pce sw eclng” arr fbn Ges cre tthe general non shared by Wester spate Shh ls et hy in To ae ‘ede ht th ent rece ni winger sn the work, te hin Mar atria men he spe rene wch bestia ering on wl cn Fort suport sch an ner: nee i iteration pes Tevet fre en que Hower, rete cry eg of Ean cones ass snl chen te ‘hehe bt epee col ows tow ten 4 Mik Sif of Ane 9g Alok Tae i ene. il msn 7837 Te Gs (eo obs nhc: Tt lee Spee ova. pase 30 Rew tls mai an, 0m 8. 5sthls wactalys'fas. again. nTunisin 590/119, when heme the fon of fbn Js” ttf Arabs fst became eequalnted wit the Kha. Inlay, Br there canbe ite dou tha tthe ume he as ele through the work or rodeo pessages from i because ¢ was ony much ac ‘when he set down towing the commentary that hedssotre its eal Contents Tereareariousndicatons in he Sharh lab Ah a that Tho ‘Arab composed Ie during hls Damascus peed in other words between 620 and 638 and most pmblydurngthe very lest years ois ‘This helps 0 explain why elles so mt n tone ro te passages is carer works where he refers to li Quis In reading the cometary ne peroies that he farther bn Arabi proceed wth ending nd as (ihe Rha arly the more noticeably he mail his option ofthe Sluthor. Sats to begin with, then astound. he ended up hore an ‘lsappointsd. At the start of the tex, when commenting on the Hhuhe (doxolog) ofthe Kinane. hes almost enthuse: Tam vitally ‘certain tht this man [ibn as was man of petal experience’ aga ‘AU anni nan in ab atv) tle farther on Tb Ara is slready much moce crcl and asserts that ‘this man in his book ha not hereto what heath demands au mal waa GB al mb ‘nga mn.” Ply n he Sloeing pges he calls ma nitator (lan ignornusi and even an impostor He lsnohingbut a teanamiter (ag) and a imitate. devoid of spual experience and revelation... Through what he says heres atm endonce andor all to my mistaken judgement about hi fo ‘Arab then poes on to expan {hat Io Qe siply transcribed more ores fithlly what he was tl by a treat maser ofthe Way calle Kala Aah al-Andalus, Ths person cate fo sec fim [fn Qos and descebe o him what had entered is ear om the Holy Spit snd the divine ight... Iam able wo distinguish between ‘et ergintes from him Ibn Quast) and What he has transite [om Khalaf alah} Resides. 1aiow certaln things about hi ates from other people happen to have met his son, who Is an Intellgent and deeming toa. am sey pa Sued aan pin me th cy oe snc at re Sr at rg Shee 94 1.95 toy Race peat arian ies nea aap orl et ne pie ind ae Fee kt oe Western Sf in Arabs me pron ede 0 pu questond him bot ls aterstates, What he des jt ea abuts mp (TS aso se cn cetera “Abdo Mui A and wha eh Sc ans wich en at ue He masa man of HS tak atuon bt an ianoram pe cate i tating isn ate timer Corin. ae i sig Scie ncm nr ayaceson n e hare sl And et As Gale ee Safa Meany sare formation supa it seg popes icamoatenped ines bedrorstoe com Jabal 119/931) and his school'** to demonstrate that this Masa a mnt vant eae we ech cum) pepe tah be aera se bn ea sre mth neo poe oe a ease f pro np and in tay oe atone pee ft 8 a atts pant sb we At Pl rea any dvurents ch ht ve ene in 1 ce fr name enn ta ter of eno 7 a ete Ra ur nthe Rabe teat! er iceme mien hers wring As Profesor tr wa any es rt tn cc a aes ea ey the strani So Qt 402 ma erin te ch ssa rks he Fare ee enim Maar’ psi stent San tet un Plato ei fr pe asin ‘at th ot te echinacea et Tec Sta atthe aaa even rt ees Sout mst hp ee ee cn aon ane type ee ae ete rhc tear aden sind 9 Te yh een A pg a orm al me SRE tn tne nw on. 37ty mature consisted of two passeges fom the Paitin which tb Ary ‘ters fo him." Stern himself consequently came 10 the coiliston the, Shaikh Jabali was notsomuch a Neplatonic philosopher saimpatic nee wipes nt pacer caret nate ser ieee eee rear onetime teene seam a Peer eens sok cope isis a ap Sen a Pence ate cage asec eee ee = 60 ‘The masters of Seile Beh i sn merit a er ae tc Sie ef gs inet | fey prescribed for him they ‘helped him overcome the many ‘diferent Bev maerattinisineswasnen=rer ts ‘ut rve Ao Maya, the teacher whom Fn Arai pray menos 8 Arr ee Fors aba Abbie tinal Cea de ne sero any ts eae pessant oma athe ES ee fet upen hi. is abo siplicant tha among he orn Sta eof Arabi which is. Sawdakin sans s es i aera derive om Aba HAbbas ah Uraab $0, a tain peer ich Arab was to make Bow Ferre wt ove ba with the dese fr Tove (RAD 2H haat but a on especially evident hn “Aras tal sta aa nce cer of dur using the dvi Name “lah alone sey Rig, Forx star. “Urb was his mural ehewwsl 1 Set ary carr gp which aways of special smicance im Sam, se, alist probably the most dese actor of Uiyabl Tee of tiga or tral servitude. MY master APG Fra capabs wo was the Sat teacher whom {served and eee Hanae aera one foo planted Bly inthis domain—the domo f Ea syn Bon ‘Aras eyes the state of wba! surpasses ll‘others Is the tate cvey dip must aspire to and the goal of pitas, realsaton, baceuse i repeseats the return to the egal state: to the ‘hlolgial nothingness of the ereture or created being. Whoeter has realised “abiiyyr or servitude has stopped himself of big. Of the Taréship which really beings tGod alone but which odiary men ie arrogance clin for themselves. According tol Ara the tate of ach Personiscomparabletoa tone thal whereltisthrown: else ah “Aah, he slave of God. Ina sensei can be suid that Ton ‘Arabs ene teaching embod his ering itl am oases spi ctlen ve wl Se In due course why the tem ‘chide’ rather than ‘son’ hast be used) towards hat tate of Servtude to which ‘Vali had id hi. Ue a pe servant! (un don mt)... Thats wht Twas fivsod by my salkh and master Abd Abbas arya" Hl emerge Inter that the only people wh rea the sate fui By ae the mali, the People of Blame: nally ther sthe fact that Shag Cryabi wasn. sense response or theft nsting Between bn Arab and Khadr that ystertousinteroetr ff ose: the master of the"msterles he who i the spreme possessor af {he nad the Klee inert in Ge" This inal eating oak placein Soll when In Arab was tila yuh, nd iat tein Senes of interventions by Khadir i his spntual destiny which would ‘amine in hie double investitare with the Eira Bhar thetic ‘mant’transmiting the burakiof Khas siya Seven se2 andthe Mowulia or Before tling the sory ofthis ist encounter with Khai its worth prnng ou that Mubyt Din was oly around ewenty year ld when he tbat ‘Lirjai Te lowing episode occured atthe start of ths companion Ship ae hil ayy UJ gat ame His youthfulness exes oF a Teast explains~thelack oa or propriety which, on hisownaimission he sowed Hest hod a reat deal tlm about he rte of proper behaviour Uehich normaly govern the relationship Between disciple and master. ‘A Aiference of opinion arose hetween me and my master Abt AbDIS al ‘Uryabl regarding the ideny person whose coming the Prophet had nounced He [Shaikh ‘yal sald tome, "The reerence it so-and-so. fon of so-and-so and he mentioned someone whom knew by name: ad fever see the person bt had te is cousin, {expressed septic Feliedtoacoet what the shat sd about this indtdual, because Thad ERE RAGE E 1 9: Mam, om mi I at: Can. tie oa The mses of Seville sete tnt eee sean tole him knw what bad happened tome. When I opened are voor ‘to you every time you hesitate 10 admit what I ay. and 7 ya Roca iecey myelin ep aneetoe Teen ate adeno eg = ee erature sodditinel details. Khadir'sname isBaly&b. Maliki 5. He wasia 60 saan aa ani en Seater Sire rieecoumermee’ it oe arta charac won Be IS, ee cmos seen aca aaa es etc gba wnat th Inetet ou: they had bene i woul ave en den ‘stay silent"? a “oun hac hat net i othe meeting Kadi less he pardon nate he msde oy ee “Arabi’s case. Undeniably he neglected even the most elementary rules oy Drop with rend to Uryabsbycontaitng tn om pol of oa seondary ‘Importance, because the sharFa was not at stake. The Issey irhich the “Arabi disagreed sith his teacher clearly had to do with the Went the Mah whose coming hd nat en sou Propet an whom Uiya that heen a sncaloeonte se However tenes the aso arama a ae ong tae ew pt sar teh ot ete once This as why Khari thi hese ig ‘ae shuld sama tomar Invest ges saan ee tn practic ute eal. fcse sou he opened Thee Se wold ot ge roms poston ensign siitiy woul) Ase mui bn Arts hema tUblandonhinhistndence ag a eo wae lane erin aie spoke the th and nr pls ae ‘surpassed his master. Spar Cs worth cling on psi bere oe a rl has owt the amgsus nate fin Arbsatonaip techs ant sul cme isn cen fom them cary og arahcl sth seacherwch he vider ek sol Dare bin ht teeta ate ea first wasduetotm case ity heaton scandens ‘uth tc he was aoa fom sey europe aad whch ns hoger except dsc econ na vs te hte ‘a cal up wo exe nthe asec sation ‘Arabscsehesad~th waving rmsd poo ge Path une the deton of teachers not coment ay pe "eed sehicve pun reasatonbecase. a we have nleady sre ad ech tothe very sam When hem Tagless "eapearnc: Andy bower ret hp apy cn Leet oi Ga iy mst sb ods an niga ate ads ofa eacher—wheter ving or teh liars im inte A te train 13510361 wh tos wed ye sp ne eo osetia ot ait pale ates ana ae ‘The masters of Seve techigacsthat willenablehim tobecome the master ofhistaentsand know In other words, i the case afthe Shak al-Akba he fact that s [Gripe he owed obedience to his teachers didnot prevent hin rom bein ‘pert hem in gol, This seven moreso becnuse In conformity with Be parculr functon to which he would Tater lay claim, he was sity (pening teyond citegoresandas sich thon eeeated beg to whom be ‘Mesanswerable was-—and could only be—the propet Mubamma this ene i leptin to maintain that really Ibn “Art had mo teacher. At Ses potentally daring the prod that concerns us analy andllectely Inter on he affirmed that he possessed the highest degre of elation of sainthood (vel In this connection tis wort siting the instructions en to hn by the “anim ofthe Lett doing ther encounter ims for... This Imm showers created beings with benefits andbssings without theirbeing aware ste fact Hedlso my case by announcing tome seme good news about nya, which I was annworeofeven though twas my oe sae, and by {ofoming me about. Heals forbade me to alate sel ati with the teachers whom F wa frequenting. and sid to me: Ate yourself to ‘none bt God for mn th whom you met has ator er you as {aba min Iga aay ya. Not s God Himself who through Hs. (Goodness has taen you in is charge (Ath eval Menton i yu wish the vues of thore whom you meet, but alliate yourself t9 God. ot 10 them". The stata hs Imm was qatar omy ov ra hl dh i ‘thir sai), Hecause none of thse whom he had fequented ad ftutbnty over him. was old as much by wastwocthy peopl ashiga). and bhhimelinored me ofthisatthe time of our meeting in he “intermeary ea (masa aah To appreciate fly the plications of this verbal exchange between Ibn "Arabi andthe Ini ofthe Cet we nee to reer rely to what tb Arabi imslfhaso say about the hierarchy ofintation atthe tart ofthe tet Yolume of the Fuh. At the summit ofthe pyramid ae the four Plas (avti ware ofallthe Poet gu) followed the Imam ofthe Let’ then ‘he"imaim ofthe Right and nally the fourth Pla. The trac holder ofthese functions are the four props who are consid by Islami tradion tobe slay ving: dient jah and Khor drs the Pole, Jesus and Mah 'ee the two mime and Khair the fourth Pilla. Fach of these prophets ‘emanentlyhasa substitute) nthe world below: aman who flsthe inn question. The Pllrs—Both the aula ones onde subsites nto the category of aid or ‘solitary ones The equvaents amongSnore marge am nese nt rain ede heteen the sano he eines ee cco nasa ‘Ross on to advise him not to become identified with any teacher, bec " “Gd Himself who a tac you nH charge ee oct eau tet in met this ind ofthe ta except the sit Roe a Bosrphial ketch inthe Rah wich we wil eramine rece acne Sarge. Rerting curl canner a Neo oat en Iemust be sald salt wey that hn rab litt be sal ght ay that bn Arad nly nade he stay neo ssn ac Mn he apo ea hy ain tif POSE Hepa01 1 pot aot pay a ma abu Pa 2 A gin. tea tte ei "8, Ruhr So dase read: 66 ‘The asters of Sele ston re hn ath se et a seins on the heart of Mubammad—and this is my comer, God be Dat ces ay one sr Sy Sid uae Sipe mmec da tea gutter fe in nina ee pce Pre aed a en pe eee ee Fac Epes ieee Rh Seam mers etrms ett amma tet pizhin i eScints pceoie waa Sinner teat eae camiern somes Arne ies ued at Sania yas crhaeten igen ona Sree pried ca fete Tce os feos enclose toad Set cen tee er a SNE AES aerate Seat ei l a Tata TS hei pot at be esac ey Wa Sepang te tat SENG Riis cameras Se peel Sette cere cancer Saher ea “i oe ed merase bale the has meee ie aes a cae ian pany cy is mm as a ta =a ieinwnaentcin tpg Netemeio decaetetbeseletsa SSRsho imine that one only entiet eet the Hing rom one petion sone "A this porculr period in the Ilamle West was normal and even commonplace to follow the sital tacking of several Sf masters smal ‘uncoust.Subl,‘sprual companionship was stil an informal practice find had not yet segue the characteristics of steuetied and ma ores Fegulatedinstution that it bepan to assume at the close of the welt ‘contury—and even mote denvely nthe hiteenth century—n the Eas. ‘vhere an organised and therfore more rig system came nto bing eich ‘woul son be pen the name of aig. This means tat at that tine there ‘was certla dscepancy between Osental Susm and Andalusian Sul ‘Sut inthe East wasindced for various diferent reasons to implement hs gressive structuring endthisbecame especialy exidet inthe growth ofa ‘community strength of spatual le a attested by the peoieration virally verywhere of Hows. i Andals, om the oer had, the quest or Got remained to alargeexteta purely individual undertaking fe and exible ‘These diflerencesin emphsis could naturally lad to relprocal misunder sanding. and these were sometimes aggravate by certain contemptiost latude on the part of Orenals towards people in the Maghre® and ‘Andalusia. fbn ‘Arabi was to hae biter personal experince of his on his ‘ariel the fast when-an eCaeo Unga in 598H—u shah tom Id mae some highly oflmste eemarks to him about Andalsian Sati, who according tothisman knew nothing ebout the Path. "Ie appear tat Ihiseilesm was ono the reasons which encouraged in Arabi sometime later to writ the Mala te, in which be bight the ies, the ules nd the spit knowlege ofthe Sus he had nove in the amie Wes. Having a varety of spa eirectors cd. however, pose some problems ‘The dscipl could ad hinslfn a situation where he was contronted with Insracions that were apparel contradictory. As Tb Arab wets nthe Fut ‘One day T went ose my teacher Aba Abbas a-Uryab while | wasn thisstate of confuson}-1 was toubled atthe ight ef men saben (Gok He sid to me: "My companion, oeeupy yourself with Gd” ft him ‘nd went tShaikh Abs Imran al-Mital stl nthe sme state of mind Be Said "Occupy yourself with your soul” I ep "Master 1am nasa of ‘erly ShaikeAba I“ Abbas tells me to occupy msl with Gd bt You tellmeto occupy mel with my soul And yet both ouae guides towards (Go Aba nen started weeping, and said tome: "My end. ABA ABS has directed ou towards Gat. and the Return fst Hin. Each of us has dete you in acordance with his sprtual tate (1 hope tat God wil 15. ik wa ‘he masters of Seville spermach beatin fb AB Soe imate tor ee for me". 1 returned to Shaikh Abd l-Abbas andl co bin what I en ke con ic at ' rated out to you the path alfariq) whereas Ihave pointed out to. you 7 Pernpanion (al-rafy). You should therefore a in ae wth wha 7 c lance with what I have tokd you". Seer aalin ac _— an i og 07) een a es fern whe on Ohad seid wis, om erry st in Seen wr eta Bene ution Tepe! sane arco Ba rb ea wes cls ke wh Gn re pron hb, nap sao and ans ee a etindanmentnanntomed 4 erase co er et ea cite can at the Fuhr an the Dur” be ee 3a ce man sect Mh ha 3 tana taba yw i he imc A ae wos Heb yb Fae a i riBa Inougrated the reat mosgue But Suing the a (2a ecg tna br 6587259 ed umd sto a 1 e's teacing appa have focussed essentially on the mortification sae reheat FO) ah om ait su ee etc he ome 9 eon of ee” al en yer compass a, a cman fi ind abou at whe so ct im ear aa ot ave Se a Seah yaaa beer cae Aa ae nd lanes whe hae Bt i ees that aro othe me en ac tha rt anit ceed an nd ‘am Goss eae aes er mre Ts ct cd pe smite cated ig Wh Anns sek sts a pedo wee bans mt. TY 196, re tga77 7. Mad 7.998 135. si Stet nin TEE Ba hee bm mf 089 1, Rive ht i ost ae eka ns, ment mea‘steatest spiriteal men I have known: ah Sara Nath sen a al it $7485 bers are the Quran es — {Ray cs heh sine fom him nr ao et en author absent. Which however des SERRML, thick however doesnot eeserlyimpy haere The spitual meth of thn A teeta meth of ton Mahi was characte chic bythe ‘acho oie hot ea tei scrunch ad nde rth i ek Shs ea ni 0148 aU ne Ne | SSB "64, Amd. a ps The masters of Seve tlt themseves in her own homes so ast demand acount of jes. They would take up thei notebook, examine thet actions and hring the course ofthe das, and render to each of ther sions ‘mcver t deserved i mevted the reques for forgives, they requested Pogienes ft merited repentance, they repented Ldaleven more than {Bam because Faso recorded my thoughts (Uw that sn adtion to (By ects and words {noted down all he thoughts that exosed my nnd in Arabimentions that he was the companion oT Gass approx. {60511205 for alos seventeen years." Considering that ele Andahsia fbr goodn approximately 396/597. simples thatheelreay knew hia (found 580) 81—thar ata tne when he was aleothe disciple of Mil {BU Vega. He specs that. in addon tothe daly examination of Goscence, Ibo Qasu tansnited to him all the rules eating Yo ntual pony and paver Jus (Jah) asec and excellent grammartan: that Ew tls other diol of bn Multis prevented tous the author ofthe i” But ere again it would be & mistake to judge by appearances loge. According to bn ‘Arab this jurst—with apparently hing to sung hu fom he ther ‘lina tn eve apart fom the aust and eeprivtion which he imposed on isla, ust lke seach. one the maiz the People of Bare "The mali, 00 are sary ones afk but intel parca case thay are viewed no in relation to thei function or poston but solely with regi to tei siti state. The malin tx pre servant ll al is ‘ead only deste—Ifany deste stil emai in mito conoem sits tothedlvine wil Stpped othe, ees renounce all fee wl (tar ‘As Tin Arabi pts it) "The malimiyue are spitual men ala) who have ‘sumed the highest degree of sainthood (via. Theres noting higher than them except the station of prophecy [The stations the oe eee to ‘the Staton a Proximity fmugim alurba*... Nomaiaces iar alit) ‘we ascribed to them, They are not mired, because nthe eyes of men they tc not estingishe by behaviour which i ostensy rtaous «They ate the hidden ones the par ons the ones inthis woeld who ae sure end sound, concealed among men They ate the solitary one aaa). a asgeer St inns 9 ering Se Ta oC $58 : ‘ence ndings tcc eof eso char Tie Pct pb oc mami Sf eS cheewhere. Ion “Arabi also species thatthe ‘solitary ones fal ito two ‘ategotes: those wh use tel sprtual energy (uk aia) asthe ‘mount. and those who we thecal ama). Those tthe Ast Category have chosen 9 tonterene inthe airs hilo work and ot {exercise any function, On the ther hand those inthe second catery fd ‘hemseves compel by divine command, that to exercise authority and assume a fanction of government (ai: the most eminent examples the case ofthe Pole These ate the mudabbrin, the ‘Digectors. They are superior fo those inthe ist category because, flowing the example ofthe prophets they haverctumed fom Gado crested beings without. hows, leaving Goorin ever single thing at every instant they percelve the waa Tih the Face of Goo. But it mast be clerysndrstood tt the fe eatery aswell those nthe second have aly and totally else ‘aly he fervice of Gx, Th Arai tlle us that our ofthe prt masters whose company be kept asayoung man nSevile were among thee Dietors'Thiss the pctrehe “draws ofthem in chapter ofthe Futhat—a chapter devoted spetical to this category of sins "AC Sevile in Andalusia T encountered. several Individuals who belonged to this catepory. Oe of them was Ab aly al ‘Sanh the blind Helived in the Zabayd mosque. washis companion until Ded. He wasburied ona high mountain which s very windy towards the st Ereryone fund t dco clint the moustain because oe height land because ofthe wind that blew without ceasing. But God stile the wind ‘which topped blowing the moment wad himon the earth. We thea began Ihe Arabs adopts the same poston with regard to philosophy (alsa) as ‘sith regard to speculative Ueolgy. The selence ofthe pilosoper not texlly in vain’ ase writes (aeyoslyse alla “hh btn He lanes andexpunshis pnt of vewin chapter 226 ofthe Futihit wicks feoncerned with the question of wil Gri} rect rection Because I “engenders confason (lis) and absence of weedy a ad) tthe Person who makes us of Furthermore there not one singe ting that Cannot be knows dough revelation (asi) sprtual experience (Wal [ess to devote ones to [peruatv] rection vel ab). There are those who question tis but io man athe Way denies only the people of speculative relection and reasoning by induction (a a-azr Ww sti) tlaim to contrat And if there are a few among them [ke the Philosophers] who experience pital tates, sich as Pat the Sage, tt Tomething extremely rare, thee individuals are comparable to men of ‘eveation and contemplation “This means that a Ibn ‘Arabs eyes the only true palosopber the only tlosopher who deserves nae ol sag hak here becomes synonym fora posi) ee who endeavours to perf his knowledge by mes ‘of cntemplation and sptual experience. The modelo ths epe of pio ‘ophe isthe man named y Th Artin the passage fst ted the vine Plats (Alain lk) The rest—those who ely nly om thelr intlet 0s,{asi neveezrasp any more than x minuscule pat ofthe tah. The ‘Shaikh al Akbar atmo illustrate this point in lengthy cape the "ua in which he desries inthe orm oan slo the leo ssension ma) of wo inavidals on ofthe a belever who walle the footsteps of 9 prophet, the thera plosoper who eles on hi faulty of ‘reson to lead hi othe wath Wheres the man ofa ase rope uid im, the philosopher claims hecanaccpish the eletal pure og ‘is own, The est ofthe ony is easy to gues In each of he Seven heavens thatthe ative at the ever sete bythe prophet who readen nee twhoiniats im ntousecretsand transits to him tn sprit anova, Astor the ptilospher hes recived by therling angel ofthe esen ws ‘nly imparts to him portion ofthe cosmologcl knowledge corresponding to that perticlor phere. When he arene atthe seventh and al ewe the hetwen of Abraham, the philosopher nds himself prevented hea catnning on is journey: he Is told that he must retrae hi ps he onveted, anally perform allover agin the journey which wave og ‘the man offath~-yhocontinues on hs way until reachenthe tne ce the Dine Preeoce Ton ‘Arabi had himself had encounters with those whom he cally sieving pilosophers He had met ane of them-a man who dented smiracesin Andasiin 586/196 "Phis what happened toe dros imecing {attended in 586. certain phiowopher toa fast oes Present @ man who denied prophecy inthe sense that I died by Mass cejected the miracles peeormad by the prophets an maaned that reais are immutable a-ha ataba. Tis bape roe ‘he winter, when the weather was parculariy ella Fontan sarge brass (manga. This incredulous ar expsincd tha although the comnon her lems on the thority of the accnont inthe Quran that Abram ‘vas thrown into the fe which didnot burn hime tn tthe by scene nature neces burns combustible mater tetloe the Br tn qeccnon ‘mentioned by the Qur'an in the story shout Abratam was na more thom loz expression of Nimrods anger and rage—in tet words woe seal thereof wrath... Whenehadeumetotheendothisspeecs oneal ‘hose who were present and who hadatsined to this sation os the ston fabandontentofcharsmata...sad thin: "Is thatthe man pote the ear] not ke that burns” "Vex, the other man repel. “Well see ‘oursel", he cried, and threw some ofthe coals aight atthe other man's ‘het they remained clinging to his clothes unl the man rete thom fe 62 ae m7 ben amet Foch by 8, Ree dian op Pe ‘Theological onl phosopicel tani : ‘The most famous of all the Andalusian philosophers whom Ibn ‘Arabi met Ge teeter eens When reading ton “Aras works one cannot help perceiving that is owed ofioaphy sve super an, wht moe that ea fn dese whatever increase His eaeton to passage fn Thiel Cy son which by Fara 339/950) pes a good tea of the sense of reps ‘ulosopbical language produce inh. have son an iil hd ah al 4 fa aa emt ie sya eo ai enuf) declare in book call The Me iy (ad found this book, which Thhad not seen peesousy atthe home of an acquaintance of mine ix Marchonaof the Oltes had picked i up to se what twas aboot and came ‘rose the lowing pastag "In thi chapter Ish to examine how to prt [the existence of a dvinty inthe word”. He had not sid God [at was amazed and threw the hook atts owner's face. eH Arabi fustpretendinghedoss not know thename ofthe impo aathor of ie (iy. orhathe eal never ear ofFurabsname? Thetis alternatvesthe rmorelikely Asa reader of Ghaal's y he mat have glanced through if rot atu reat—the Magi also atthe very least he Ta tn tric he was bound to gain some indect acquaintance withthe gener] trends in Islamic philosophy. And yet one notes in his ow writings the apparent absence of any reference to Avicenna, Kido even hn Tus fn Andale ike Ib Ares inst an ely heer ha be 3 1 hehudsome dea of whet they soul or even through the is of works that ‘ried theme saw no vale in ether dcessng or ever mentioning them. Whats more. n spite ofthe tat that—thenks to the cumstances ready dseribal—he was personaly acquainted with Averroes, thee sno Sign tat he evr rea is work On th ther hand rele t east let I Si of Bader §21/1127) and his Pythagorean interpretation of Unity. This ot seven more remarkable when we consider that Ib Sd was now primary forhs works on grammar and pioogy. According Asin Palacios who seems notto ve been aware tat on‘ Arabtrfers to The Boot of Crfes—which was tbo Sets only truly pilsophical work-was matly studied tn dhe Jews intallactual cele of Andalusia In is Particular treats thn Sf expound Neopatonle syst of emanation into which he has incorporated clement of Pythagorean teaching fact which Sidnotescpe the Shaikh al Akbar ehosaysaim: Regarding he qvestion of ity Teh he taught the doctrine o the Pythagoeans. who establish Unity by means ofmumber which they use to prove the Ualy of Gol 1s ‘lear that be reer here tothe Hoof ils i ct lest etal 10 ‘chapter our fhe treatise whic summarises the Neopsthagorean doctrine of Number). even though nthe Shark Rha lta he cals the book the tablet o ook of Unity" Se Aap ean. p56, Cabal Cb Hedi 5 St fe abv 458-thcen en dsag athor uen thcmewch ate fn ri aba dr ep A ace ‘eta manshrnebcomsnr onto amy these Ka ota Mhcologiea ant philosophical raining ‘Yo tis lack of knowodge of Arab plilosophy we must add a Bltant innorance of eee piesopy- Apart am aeleence tothe Sir akirby fpeud Arle whlch was a work tha enjoyed an exteponaly large Eieulaion nthe Arab worl, ad another reerence to Hippocrates’ Book of {he elements hs aluson to Pao, Socrates or Arde at always very ‘gue and its uiteclea that hed not ead them. Asfor what he knew ‘tSeoplatnism, we ave sea een that he was basicly indebted ori 10 the works tbo Masarra and to the Fler of the Brethren of Pui Finely its worth passing tat theres no reference or quotation to suppest that Ton ‘Arabi ew any oer Inngutgs apert Kom Arabic snd ‘ery prolly exber— hich was commonly spoken medieval Andale tnd was the mother tongue of several of his teachers. Consequenty as Austin has roped. although without being able ro cite any see ure in support of his contention” he tad some knowledge af Jewish iloophy and csotrcints ond i parcoarof the Kabbal, which was ‘onsoming inthe Andalsia of is tebe probaly acquired what he Tew as result fencoumers ith Jews erat wh spoke Acab. Sor fvampl, he relates s dacusso he had one day wit a Rabbi about the ‘tote igicance ofthe eter i's" from this particular episode emer ‘hor he knew thet the Tora as well asthe Qu bes with this eter. However athowgh in his writings we certifi fe rare and very ‘general allusions tothe ora they would sce for example ot to cont, ny reference tater 10 Maimonides’ Gude of the Popiexal— work twrten In 190 an clad by Th Seba. The same comments aply to Bs howlede of Persian lteratre, Through his rain fens and pes ‘Sealy Guna ond Awhad ub Dn Kian 95/1238) cou not ‘Sen an A Paci eos known SS eet stones ty she deen washnown she Arsong the incre ane nb nr turn a C1 93098 {sow ange Tomy mde hc ny pang nthe eat wich een enw ot enapasty hae reed ith the wrk fhe Shah sh Sho wasascutl at Alepoin 587191 Rata search wu thecee Stabs win even epee tthe eae erate oars tinge tig sal In rr, and have een one afar oo ape th {atlstonotatreatseon en call he Amahnt Rhea the grounds thatthe tx ofthe work toRe nt eee impo of ie fh ec wings Rect fee !nanscp fthisknd ang om sheninceh etary andeeca ‘ate Moocan colton The srpion wes sto Mee adler 0 Yahi. gute cnr char lioneer enantio xy ce en pis este otc ef see tothe pent ay 0.61.0. ete. et die R$ 30, 5. God’s Vast Earth un Andalusia, Laine the Medterancan season ‘Arabi techs dsile Qanaws—t resolved nat o make the casing unt | Jha been allowed to see all the internal and extra stats that God had

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