Divine Necessity Of The Comprehensive Being: Unlocking Ibn al-'Arabi's Fusus al-Hikam through the Adamic Fass

About this episode

The episode discusses the Adamic fass as a key to understanding Ibn al-'Arabi's metaphysical framework in Fusus al-Hikam.

This paper explores the pivotal role of the Adamic fass in unlocking the profound metaphysical framework of Ibn al-'Arabi's Fusus al-Hikam. Centering on the concept of the comprehensive Being (al-kawn al-jami'), a term mentioned in the opening paragraph of the Fusus, the Adamic fass emerges as the key to understanding the divine necessity of human existence as a mirror of God's names and attributes. By elucidating the unique ontological position of Adam as the khalifa (vicegerent) and the synthesis of all divine manifestations, this study demonstrates how the Adamic 'fass' provides the interpretive lens through which the overarching unity and wisdom of each fass of the Fusus al-Hikam can be accessed. Ultimately, the paper argues that Adam represents not only the archetype of perfected humanity but also the means through which the divine self-disclosure (tajalli) achieves its fullest realization, making the Adamic fass the cornerstone for comprehending Ibn al-Arabi's vision of existence. Mukhtar Ali is Professor of Islamic Studies, specializing in Sufsm, Islamic philosophy and ethics. His areas of interest include Arabic and Persian literature, Qur'anic studies, theology…

People in this episode

Guest: Mukhtar Ali

Topics covered

• Ibn al-'Arabi
• metaphysics
• Sufism
• human existence
• divine necessity
• Adamic fass
• comprehensive Being

Keywords

• Ibn al-'Arabi
• Fusus al-Hikam
• Adamic fass
• metaphysical framework
• divine necessity
• Sufism
• human existence
• khalifa
• tajalli

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Fusus al-Hikam, Philosophical Sufism: An Introduction to the School of Ibn al-'Arabi, The Horizons of Being: The Metaphysics of Ibn al-'Arabi in the Muqaddimat al-Qaysari, Inscriptions of Wisdom

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