“In Truth You are the Polytheist!”: Mythic Elements in Ibn al-ʿArabī’s Teachings on the Divine Names
Intellectual History of the Islamicate World May 30, 2018 DOI: 10.1163/2212943x-00603006 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Citations | 17 |
| Key points | Argues that Ibn al-ʿArabī's teachings on the Divine names are to a great extent mythic across four domains: the creation of the world, its management, mystical experiences and knowledge, and magic and theurgy. The author contends that this mythic character has implications for how Akbarian thought and Islamic mysticism more generally are understood. |
Abstract
Abstract The following article aims at highlighting the mythic elements inherent in Muḥyī l-Dīn Ibn al-ʿArabī’s teachings on the Divine names. The article begins with a very general introduction to the subject of Divine names in Islamic mysticism and then proceeds to clarify the meaning of the term “mythic” as it is used in this study. The core of the article is devoted to an examination of four main areas in which the Divine names, according to Ibn al-ʿArabī, play a central role: the creation of the world (cosmogony); its management; mystical experiences and knowledge; magic and theurgy. The main claim is that in all four areas, Ibn al-ʿArabī’s discourse is to a great extent mythic. The implications of this claim for the understanding of Akbarian thought and for the study of Islamic mysticism in general are discussed in the concluding paragraph of the essay.