Zugl.: Bonn, Univ., Diss.

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Despite being a key notion in the examination of the process of human objectification, reification has not received sufficient attention in recent years, especially in the study of religion. Building on Axel Honneth’s analysis, I examine the concept of reification within a Sufi context, more precisely, within the esoteric paradigm of Ibn ‘Arabī’s oneness of being (waḥdat al-wujūd). I contend that the root of reification, not only lies in the forgetfulness of the origin of cognition in recognition, as Honneth argued, but also in the forgetfulness of the origin of recognition in pure consciousness, i.e. the oneness of being. I argue that since the problem of reification consists of the loss of the primacy of our non-discursive dimension over the discursive one, the solution must lie in the rectification of that order. This can only be brought about through mystical experience, in which a momentary suspension of thought occurs, and our identity as part and parcel of the continuum of consciousness is disclosed. Hence, I argue for the necessity of the preparation for mystical experience through ritual practice, as it moves us from discursive to non-discursive states of being. Through physical activity, our sense of embodiment is increased, shifting us from a ‘thinking’ to a ‘sensory’ mode, which paradoxically detaches us from our identification with the physical body. Using phenomenological methods and knowledge by presence theories, I examine Ibn ‘Arabī’s esoteric approach to the ritual practice of purification, prayer and fasting. I maintain that the essence of ritual is the disclosure of one’s ontological poverty, which within the paradigm of the oneness of being (waḥdat al-wujūd), must also amount to the phenomenal self-differentiation of the divine. Thus, I conclude that the root of the problem of reification essentially lies in accounts of selfhood.

There are many negative preconceptions about Islam and especially how Islam affects men and women. Women are often described to be subjugated by Islam. Sufism is Islamic mysticism and has been described as one way to give women the same opportunities as men. This thesis examines and compares how men and women are portrayed in texts written by two prominent Sufi mystics, Muhuiddin Ibn ’Arabi and Abu-Hamid Muhammad al-Ghazali. To achieve this, I have analyzed one text of each author with a qualitative content analysis. Then I have compared the results to see if there are any differences or similarities in their way of describing men and women. The theory that has been used is Yvonne Hirdman’s gender theory. The aim of the thesis is to come to a greater understanding of whether Ibn ‘Arabi and al-Ghazali increase or decrease differences between men and women in their writings. Hirdmans gender theory says that by increasing differences between men and women it negatively affects gender equality. The aim is also to examine if they support the subjugation of women. The analysis shows that al-Ghazalis writings contribute to increase differences between men and women and he also supports the subjugation of women in his text. The majority of Ibn ‘Arabis writings does not describe men and women in a way that increases differences between men and women or subjugates women.

Explorations of how "the feminine" functions in the systematic mystical theology of Ibn al-ʿArabī (1165-1240) begin, in English, with Reynold Nicholson's early 20th century analysis of Tarjumān al-Ashwāq and extend through the work of dozens of scholars since then, most notably Henry Corbin, Toshihiko Izutsu, William Chittick, Sachiko Murata and Sa'diyya Shaikh. (Of course, one could argue that such studies in Arabic reach back as far as his foremost disciple al-Qunawi, and his foremost critic, Ibn Tamiyya. St. Francis of Assisi (1181-1226) shares with the Shaykh a general historical context as well as a famously passionate devotion to mystical practice as a strategy for achieving proximity to God. He, too, has engendered scholarly interest in his attitude toward women and the feminine as intrinsic to making that ascent, and not just among his earliest hagiographers, but through hundreds of interpreters since, most recently André Vauchez and Jacques Dalarun. Yet, despite generations of scholarship on that point, a comparative study of these two mystics has yet to be published. "Transcending the Feminine: Negotiations of Gender in the Mysticism of Ibn al-ʿArabī and Francis of Assisi" endeavors to fill that gap, and in so doing to unpack the distinctive aspects of the saint's and the Shaykh's mystical approaches, demonstrating intersections as well as departure points. Instrumental to that task are the conclusions of feminist scholars focusing on either man, but also--because the question of the feminine is so intimately associated in mystical texts with physical and spiritual desire--such an endeavor is relevant to the psychoanalytical approach to medieval religious texts, one made possible by Sigmund Freud and particularly Jacques Lacan, and then expanded upon by Luce Irigaray and Amy Hollywood. The pathway linking Francis and Ibn al-ʿArabī traverses their mysticisms, their use of metaphorical language, their specific constructions of gender, theologically and poetically, and their surprisingly complementary strategies for underscoring how the physical body emerges as crucial to the mystical ascent. Accordingly, this dissertation navigates the intriguing space in between the two--that is, in Ibn al-ʿArabī's phrasing, the barzakh where the ultimate priorities of one virtually touch those of the other, yet in a way that preserves their contradictions. / Religion

Thesis (Ph.D.) - University of Glasgow, 1998. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 698-731). Print version also available. Mode of access : World Wide Web. System requirements : Adobe Acrobat reader required to view PDF document.

Huwiyya is a term that essentially denotes the non-manifest aspect of God, His essence. But in the works of Ibn 'Arabī and al-Qāshānī, this term has many different applications corresponding to the many different facets of God and the many different modalities of His interaction with the Cosmos. God is fundamentally non-manifest, unfathomable to a creation that is ontologically and epistemologically incapable of comprehending Him - upon this primary signification both Sufis agree. However, al-Qāshānī discreetly breaks ranks with his master when he emphasises God's connection to His creation more than His dissociation from it in the context of this term, and though this aspect is also present in Ibn 'Arabī's usage of the term, in al-Qāshānī it is far more prominent. Moreoever, his scientific style and analytic approach stand in stark contrast to that of his predecessor. Both are the result of a pedagogical concern that supercedes commentative fidelity. However, though it is undeniable that al-Qāshānī's style is far more didactic, it more than just that, it is the forging of a new worldview - one that is completely congruent with, but still subtly different from, that of Ibn 'Arabī. But in order to elucidate this, it is necessary to analyse relevant aspects of Ibn 'Arabī's thought. In attempting to excavate these and other nuances of difference, I have been influenced by the method of Toshihiko Izutsu in using a term, huwiyya, as a window in to the thought and cosmology of Ibn 'Arabī and al-Qāshānī. I have also been influenced by Ronald Nettler's approach in Sufi Metaphysics and Qur'ānic Prophets, where Ibn 'Arabi's thought is rigorously pursued to expose underlying assumptions and arguments. I have used these approaches in my own way, and towards my own interpretative analysis which compares the works of Ibn 'Arabī and al-Qāshāni. Furthermore, I have supplemented this type of analysis, which is primary source based (and appears as such in the works of both Izutsu and Nettler) with secondary material to provide a broader context of the rationale behind the differences in style and content between the master and his disciple.

Dissertação (mestrado) - Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná, Curitiba, 2008 / Bibliografia: f. 116-120 / A obra de Ibn 'Arabi (1165DC), conhecido por al-Sheikh al-Akbar, o Mestre Maior, bem como sua pessoa, constituem um marco no pensamento místico muçulmano. Sua intensa experiência metafísica aliada a uma extrema plástica no cuidado das palavras e um profun / The works of Ibn 'Arabi (1165AD) known as, Al-Sheikh Al-Akbar, the Greatest of the Masters, as well as his own person, are a reference in the mystical Muslim thought. His intense metaphysical experience added to his extremely pliable use of Arabic words a

Le sujet de cette thèse est la conception du divin et de l’être humain parfait (insân kâmil) et du voyage spirituel dans la doctrine d’Ibn ‘Arabi à travers une présentation et une analyse de ses œuvres et études en anglais et en français. Cela implique une analyse profonde des sujets qui sont fondamentaux tout en étant dispersés dans l’œuvre du maître. Cette étude interprétative se concentre sur l’analyse et la discussion de ce que les traductions et les études offrent au chercheur occidental. La première partie présente la conception du divin chez Ibn ‘Arabi, ce qui inclut la présentation de la doctrine des différentes dimensions de la réalité divine. Le mouvement de l’unicité à travers les noms divins à la création du cosmos et de l’être humain est présenté et analysé. La deuxième partie analyse la totalité de la réalité de l’autre angle, celui de la perspective de l’être humain dans la doctrine d’Ibn ‘Arabi. Les caractéristiques de l’amour et de la lumière, que les humains et Dieu partagent, sont éclaircies. Le développement spirituel du serviteur qui cherche la proximité de Dieu et les différences entre les saints et les prophètes sont décrites dans la deuxième partie. La troisième partie précise le lien entre les deux parties précédentes. La question de l’identité du voyageur, sa motivation et sa destination sont examinées dans la perspective de l’ascension et de la redescente. Le chapitre conclusif rassemble les conceptions clés du sujet et introduit la conception de la transcendance inclusive dans l’œuvre d’Ibn ‘Arabi. / This thesis explores the concepts of the divine, the perfect human being (insan kamil) and the spiritual journey in the doctrine of Ibn ' Arabi through a presentation and analysis of his works and studies in English and French. This involves a thorough analysis of the topics that are fundamental and yet dispersed in the work of the sheikh. This interpretative study focuses on the analysis and discussion of what the translations and studies provide the Western researcher. The first part presents the concept of the divine in Ibn 'Arabi, which includes the presentation of the doctrine of the different dimensions of the divine reality. The movement of unity through the divine names in the creation of the cosmos and of human beings is presented and analysed.The second part analyses the totality of reality from another angle, that of the perspective of the human being in the doctrine of Ibn 'Arabi. The characteristics of love and light that God and humans share are elucidated. The spiritual development of the servant who seeks proximity to God and the differences between the saints and the prophets are also described. The third part of the thesis establishes the connection between the previous two parts. The question of the identity of the traveller, their motivation and final destination are discussed from the perspective of the ascent and subsequent descent. The concluding chapter brings together the key concepts of the study and introduces the concept of ‘inclusive transcendence’ in the work of Ibn 'Arabi.

Dans son premier chapitre, cette étude présente la poétique chez les penseurs, poètes et critiques confondus, dans le patrimoine arabe traditionnel jusqu'au XIVe siècle en en faisant la synthèse. Son deuxième chapitre expose le soufisme dans ses grandes lignes et dans ce qui le distingue en tant qu'approche existentielle de l'ensemble de la vision islamique. Ces mêmes caractéristiques se reflètent dans le troisième chapitre à travers la production poétique de trois de ses plus célèbres représentants à savoir Râbia Al- Adawiyya (m. 725), Umar Ibn Al-Fâridh (m.1235) et Mohyî Al-Dîn Ibn Arabî (m.1240). L'analyse de leurs œuvres respectives démontre que Râbia dans sa quête de purification, Ibn Al-Fâridh dans sa recherche à propager sa foi soufie à travers sa Tâiyya Al-Kubrâ (La Grande Tâiyya), et Ibn Arabî avec son dessein de réfuter tout écrit stable et rigide dans son recueil Turjumân Al-Achwâq (l'Interprète des désirs), ont eu trois approches différentes de la création poétique. Râbia l'utilise comme catharsis. Ibn Al-Fâridh, en s'adressant essentiellement à son lecteur, essaye de l'imprégner de sa propre foi soufie, alors qu'Ibn Arabî cherche à instaurer " un Texte " idéal. Aussi conclut‑on que ces poètes soufis ont eu trois approches différentes de la création poétique. L'analyse de leurs œuvres respectives démontre qu'" émetteur ", " récepteur " et " message " sont les trois pôles d'intérêts de ces poètes. Dans le quatrième chapitre de cette étude, trois œuvres poétiques de trois poètes contemporains sont analysées afin de déceler les filigranes soufis de leurs poèmes. Il s'agit de " Al-Tûfân Al-Aswad " (Le déluge noir) de Muhammad Miftâh Al-Faytûrî (1936-...), d'Al-Kibrît wa Al-Asâbi (l'Allumette et les doigts) de Nizâr Qabbânî (1923-1998), et de Qaṣîdat Al-Takwîn (le poème de la genèse) d'Adonis (1930-...). Ainsi cette analyse prouve-t-elle l'influence du soufisme dans la pratique de la création poétique arabe. Quant au cinquième chapitre, il démontre cet héritage soufi dans les théories poétiques arabes contemporaines et son influence dans l'instauration de trois approches poétiques différentes constituant ce que l'on appellerait " l'école purificatrice ", " l'école imprégnatrice " et " l'école de la réfutation" ; ces théories ne tenant nullement compte du corpus littéraire exposé dans le premier chapitre. Outre la traduction de Claudine Chonez de " la Grande Tâiyya ", les poèmes analysés sont cités en annexe à la fin de cette étude avec une traduction personnelle, qui bien qu'elle ne prétende nullement refléter la profondeur et la beauté des poèmes arabes, ne désespère pas pour autant de la laisser entrevoir.