The Oneness of Being in Ibn ʿArabī and Plotinus

Abstract

This book presents a comparative philosophical study of the concept of the Oneness of Being (waḥdat al-wujūd) in thernworks of the influential Sufi thinker Ibn ʿArabī and the Neoplatonic philosopher Plotinus. Through a detailed textualrnand conceptual analysis, it explores how both thinkers articulate the relationship between the One (Absolute Reality) and the multiplicity of existence. The study examines Ibn ʿArabī’s metaphysical framework, rooted in Islamic mysticism,rnemphasizing the unity of all beings as manifestations of the Divine. It then juxtaposes this with Plotinus’ doctrine of emanation, in which all reality flows from the One through hierarchical stages. By analyzing primary texts – such as Ibn ʿArabī’s Fuṣūṣ al-Ḥikam and al-Futūḥāt al- Makkiyya, alongside Plotinus’ Enneads- the work highlights both parallels and divergences in their approaches to metaphysics, cosmology, and spiritual realization. Key themes include the nature of divine attributes, the role of the human soul, and the path to ultimate union with the One. The book also addresses how historical, cultural, and theological contexts shaped each thinker’s philosophy, and it considers the implications of their ideas for interfaith dialogue and comparative mysticism. Ultimately, it argues that while Ibn ʿArabī and Plotinus employ distinct ontological frameworks, both converge on the vision of reality as a unified whole grounded in the transcendent source of being.rnKeywords: Oneness of Being (Waḥdat al-Wujūd); Ibn ʿArabī; Plotinus; Comparative Mysticism; Neoplatonism and Sufism