An analytic philosophical approach to Ibn Arabi's conception of ultimate reality

228 Pages·2017·1.84 MB·English

AN ANALYTIC PHILOSOPHICAL APPROACH TO IBN ARABI’S
CONCEPTION OF ULTIMATE REALITY

BY
NADER AHMED M ALSAMAANI

A thesis submitted to the University of Birmingham for the degree of
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY

Department of Philosophy
School of Philosophy, Theology and Religion
College of Arts and Law
University of Birmingham
June 2017
University of Birmingham Research Archive

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II
Abstract
In my thesis, I aim to develop a systematic and philosophically coherent thesis of
ultimate reality for Ibn Arabi. In this pursuit, I adopt the style of analytic philosophy,
seeking to employ and utilise some of its methods and theories. The philosophical
aspects of Ibn Arabi’s doctrine are in dire need of conceptual clarification and
systematic analysis with a closer focus on argumentation. The analytic tradition will
prove most helpful in this regard.
In my thesis, I begin by tracing Ibn Arabi’s related views and concepts as they
are dispersed throughout his writings. I then clarify, sharpen and, in many cases,
develop these views and concepts into fully constructed forms. Finally, I weave the
developed concepts and views into a systematic thesis or set of sub-theses. Where
necessary, I provide my own (or borrowed) arguments and concepts to help
substantiate and strengthen the structure of Ibn Arabi’s thesis.
I propose that Ibn Arabi’s various, and sometimes apparently inconsistent,
views are best presented in terms of three main concepts: the concept of ultimate
reality as existence (wujud), which has long been known as Ibn Arabi’s thesis of the
oneness of existence (wahdat al-wujud); the concept of ultimate reality as the Divine
Self (dhat); and the concept of ultimate reality as God (ilah). The three concepts
neither represent different ultimate realities nor different perspectives of the same
ultimate reality. Instead, they represent the same ultimate reality but each one has its
own unique scope and encompassment. The three concepts are aimed at
encompassing Ibn Arabi’s various views and concepts of ultimate reality in a
consistent and systematic manner.
III

To my parents, Ahmed and Munirah
IV
Acknowledgement

Firstly, I would like to thank God for all the blessings He has brought into my life.
Then, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my supervisor, mentor and, if I
may, friend, Professor Yujin Nagasawa. I am indebted to his continual support of my
PhD research, for his patience, motivation and immense knowledge. Since the
beginning, I have been fascinated and impressed by his supervision style, availability
and enthusiasm; a sentiment that, I realised later, is shared by all his supervisees. His
guidance and constructive advice have helped me immensely throughout the research
and writing of this thesis. I could not have imagined having a better supervisor and
mentor for my PhD study. Also, I would like to thank the University of Birmingham
for offering me whatever assistance I have needed. I would, furthermore, like to thank
my employer, Qassim University, for giving me a scholarship and granting me a study
leave during my work on this PhD thesis. My thanks also go to David Chichester and
Simon Mussell for proofreading my thesis. Last but not least, my sincerest
gratefulness goes to my parents Ahmed and Munirah; my brothers, particularly
Thamer, Mohammed and Muath; my uncle Ibrahim and his family; and my wife
Tahani. I could not have completed this work without their everlasting support, care
and love. They are the treasure, the blessing and the light of my life.
V
Table of Contents
Acknowledgement ...................................................................................................... IV

1. Chapter 1: Introduction .............................................................................................. 1
1.1 Ibn Arabi: A Brief Biography .............................................................................. 1
1.2 Ibn Arabi and Sufism ........................................................................................... 5
1.3 Ibn Arabi and Traditional Sciences...................................................................... 9
1.4 Ibn Arabi and Philosophy .................................................................................. 11
1.5 Approaches to Ibn Arabi Doctrine ..................................................................... 15
1.6 The Aim of the Thesis and a Chapter Outline ................................................... 18

2. Chapter 2: The Problem of Ibn Arabi’s Presentation of His Conception of the
Conception of Ultimate Reality: Speaking on Different Levels .................................. 26
2.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................ 26
2.2 Four Levels of Discourse ................................................................................... 27
2.2.1. The First Level: The Level of Common Muslims ................................. 29
2.2.2. The Second Level: The Level of Theologians ....................................... 30
2.2.3. The Third Level: The Level of the Elite People of Allah ...................... 31
2.2.4. The Fourth Level: The Level of the Highest Elite ................................. 32
2.3 A Problematic Style ........................................................................................... 33
2.4 Ibn Arabi’s Justification for Speaking on Different Levels ............................... 35
2.5 Ibn Arabi’s own Doctrine: A Practical Guide.................................................... 38
Conclusion ............................................................................................................... 42

3. Chapter 3: A Critical Evaluation of Izutsu and Chittick’s Overall Approaches to Ibn
Arabi’s Doctrine .......................................................................................................... 44
3.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................ 44
3.2 Against Izutsu’s interpretation of Ibn Arabi’s Doctrine .................................... 46
3.2.1. Izutsu’s Interpretive Approach ............................................................. 46
3.2.2. Problems with Izutsu’s interpretation ................................................... 47
3.3 Against Chittick’s interpretation of Ibn Arabi’s Doctrine ................................. 53
3.3.1. Chittick’s Interpretive Approach .......................................................... 53
3.3.2. Chittick’s Interpretive Approach is Unwarranted ................................. 58
Conclusion ............................................................................................................... 61

4. Chapter 4: Ibn Arabi’s Apparently Inconsistent Views and Concepts on Ultimate
Reality ......................................................................................................................... 63
4.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................ 63
4.2 Ibn Arabi’s Apparently Inconsistent Views on the Concept of God ................. 64
4.3 Ibn Arabi’s Apparently Inconsistent Views on the Reality of the World .......... 67
4.4 Ibn Arabi’s Apparently Inconsistent Views on the Relationship between God
and the World ........................................................................................................... 68
Conclusion ............................................................................................................... 73

5. Chapter 5: Ibn Arabi’s Concept of Ultimate Reality as Existence (wujud) (the
Thesis of wahdat al-wujud) I: Two Interpretations ..................................................... 75
5.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................ 75
VI
5.2 Two Interpretations of Ibn Arabi’s Thesis of the Oneness of Existence (wahdat
al-wujud) .................................................................................................................. 77
5.2.1. Ibn Taymiyyah’s Pantheistic Interpretation .......................................... 77
5.2.2. Affifi and Chittick’s Acosmistic Interpretation .................................... 81
Conclusion ............................................................................................................... 84

6. Chapter 6: Ibn Arabi’s Concept of Ultimate Reality as Existence (wujud) (The
Thesis of wahdat al-wujud) II: My Interpretation ...................................................... 85
6.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................ 85
6.2 The Metaphysical Nature of Ultimate Reality as Existence (wujud) ................. 88
6.2.1. The Impossibility of Nothingness and the Necessity of Existence ....... 88
6.2.2. Existence is not a Property ..................................................................... 93
6.2.3. Ibn Arabi’s Views on Existence and the Metaphysical Nature of
Ultimate Reality as Existence (wujud) ............................................................. 99
6.3 The Metaphysical Nature of the World ........................................................... 100
6.3.1. Al-Mumkinat, Al-A’yan Al-thabitah and the World (al-a’lam) ........... 100
6.3.2. A Theory of Relative Actuality and Mere Possibility ......................... 105
6.3.3. The Metaphysical Nature of Possible Entities ..................................... 113

6.4 The Relationship between Ultimate Reality as Existence (wujud) and the World
................................................................................................................................ 115
6.4.1. Possible Entities and God’s Knowledge of the World......................... 115
6.4.2. Identifying God’s Knowledge with the Totality of Possible Entities and
the Problem of God’s Foreknowledge ........................................................... 120
6.5 Maintaining Ibn Arabi’s Statements ................................................................ 125
Conclusion ............................................................................................................. 131

7. Chapter 7: Ibn Arabi’s Concept of Ultimate Reality as Existence (wujud) (The
Thesis of wahdat al-wujud) III: Potential Objections ............................................... 134
7.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................... 134
7.2 The First Objection: The Objection from the Relationship between God and the
World ..................................................................................................................... 136
7.3 The Second Objection: The Objection from the One and the Many ............... 140
7.4 The Third Objection: The Objection from Evil ............................................... 144
7.5 The Fourth Objection: The Objection from Unfaithfulness to Islam .............. 146
Conclusion ............................................................................................................. 149

8. Chapter 8: Ibn Arabi’s Concept of Ultimate Reality as the Divine Self (dhat) ..... 152
8.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................... 152
8.2 The Scope and the Meaning of the Concept of Ultimate Reality as the Divine
Self (dhat) .............................................................................................................. 153
8.3 Knowing Ultimate Reality as the Divine Self (dhat) ....................................... 160
Conclusion ............................................................................................................. 163

9. Chapter 9: The Concept of Ultimate Reality as God (ilah) ................................... 165
9.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................... 165
9.2 The Scope and the Meaning of the Concept of Ultimate Reality as God (ilah)
................................................................................................................................ 167
VII
9.3 Knowing Ultimate Reality as God (ilah) ......................................................... 169
9.4 The Concept of Ultimate Reality as God (ilah) and religion ........................... 180
9.4.1. Religious Concept(s) of God .............................................................. 180
9.4.2. Ibn Arabi’s Inclusivism ....................................................................... 185
9.5 Ultimate Reality and Religion: Another Thesis ............................................... 191
Conclusion ............................................................................................................. 196

Conclusion ................................................................................................................. 199
Bibliography .............................................................................................................. 210
1
Chapter 1: Introduction
1.1 Ibn Arabi: A Brief Biography

The Islamic mystic Muhyddin Abu Bakr Mohammed bin Ali Ibn Arabi al-Ta’i al-
Hatami (known as Ibn Arabi or Ibn al-Arabi) is among the key influential figures in
Islamic history. He was born in 1165 AD (569 AH) in Murcia in al-Andalus, a
medieval Islamic territory incorporating at its peak most of modern-day Spain and
Portugal.
Ibn Arabi descends from a great Arabic tribe, the Tay’a, in which he seems to
take great pride, particularly in being a great grandson of the tribe’s most renowned
figure Hatam al-Ta’i, who died a few years before the advent of Islam in the seventh
century AD. Hatam is well-known in Arabic culture and literature for his legendary
hospitality and generosity, two of the most cherished and valued virtues among Arabs
historically. Such virtues were vital to the people of the Arabian Peninsula during a
time when many of them were forced to travel frequently through the predominantly
dry and treeless desert. Thus, Arabs have always taken great honour in hosting guests
and travellers passing by, especially those unknown to them. However, Ibn Arabi’s
grandfather exceeds most in this matter. He has always been considered the ideal of
Arabic generosity and hospitality; hence, the well-established phrase ‘he is as
generous as Hatem’ is often employed to praise someone who demonstrates the
absolute best of hospitality.
Ibn Arabi grew up in a well-regarded upper-middle class family. His father,
Ali, first worked for the ruler of Mercia city, Mohammed bin Sa’id bin Mardanish,1

1 Mohammed bin Sa’id bin Mardanish came to power in the time between the al-
Murabit and Almohad caliphates.
2
later moving on to work for the Almohad caliphate.2 His father’s position allowed Ibn
Arabi to receive a proper education and to form relationships with some of the key
figures of his time, including the famous Islamic philosopher Ibn Rushd (Averroes)
(1126–1198). As a child, his mother would take him to learn from some of the mystic
women with whom she was acquainted. None of the members of his small family was
a mystic; however, two of his maternal uncles were spiritual and religious, and Ibn
Arabi seemed to admire them. One of the uncles was Yahya bin Yughan, who,
according to Ibn Arabi, renounced his kingdom of Tlemcen to dedicate himself to
worship and religion.
In the very early stages of his life, Ibn Arabi claimed to have mystical
illuminations, which were the reason behind his meeting with Ibn Rushd (Averroes)
when he was young.3 However, in his adolescence and young manhood, for a short
while he seemed to engage in a lifestyle more typical of non-devoted young men.
During this period, he was – perhaps like many other middle class young men of his
time – not particularly concerned with anything beyond the basic religious practices
(which are expected of all Muslims). It is also likely that, at this stage, he was not
subject to the mystical illuminations that he claimed to have had in his childhood.
Afterwards, however, he made the abrupt decision to become a devoted Muslim and
to absorb himself fully in mysticism. According to Stephen Hirtenstein, Ibn Arabi
made this decision around June 1184, at the age of eighteen (1999, p. 60). He
passionately pursued this path until the end of his life.
Ibn Arabi repeatedly asserts that he represents an unusual case with regard to
mystical illuminations and religious experience. Mysticism, as Ibn Arabi says, usually

2 The Almohad caliphate is a Berber Muslim tribe and movement that ruled some of
the North African countries and parts of al-Andalus between 1121 AD and 1269 AD.
3 I will discuss this meeting and its significance in Chapter Nine.