Inspiring insight into the spiritual depth of Islam is presented in this English translation of Muhyiddin Ibn Arabi's Mishkat al-Anwar, one of the most influential early collections of hadith qudsi, the sayings of God as transmitted by Muhammad. The meaning of hadith, hadith qudsi, and the importance of the terms in the text are explained in a comprehensive 90-page introduction. A bibliography, indexes on the individual hadith, the names of the important transmitters, and two appendices on the manuscript sources and chains of transmission provide unfamiliar readers with resources to fully appreciate the work. An Arabic version of the Mishkat al-Anwar, culled from the oldest surviving manuscripts and presented in a handsome calligraphic style, is also included.
Note to arabic readers : For the original arabic version of the books, check "other editions" in the book that interests you)
Universally known by the title of "Muhyi al-Din" (The Reviver of the Religion) and "al-Shaykh al-Akbar" (The Greatest Shaykh) Ibn 'Arabī (Arabic: ابن عربي) (July 28, 1165 - November 10, 1240) was an Arab Sufi Muslim mystic and philosopher. His full name was Abū 'Abdullāh Muḥammad ibn 'Alī ibn Muḥammad ibn al-`Arabī al-Hāṭimī al-Ṭā'ī (أبو عبد الله محمد بن علي بن محمد بن العربي الحاتمي الطائي).
Muhammad ibn al-Arabi and his family moved to Seville when he was eight years old. In 1200 CE, at the age of thirty-five, he left Iberia for good, intending to make the hajj to Mecca. He lived in Mecca for some three years, where he began writing his Al-Futūḥāt al-Makkiyya (The Meccan Illuminations). In 1204, he left Mecca for Anatolia with Majd al-Dīn Isḥāq, whose son Ṣadr al-Dīn al-Qunawī (1210-1274) would be his most influential disciple.
In 1223, he settled in Damascus, where he lived the last seventeen years of his life. He died at the age of 76 on 22 Rabi' II 638 AH/November 10, 1240CE, and his tomb in Damascus is still an important place of pilgrimage.
A vastly prolific writer, Ibn 'Arabī is generally known as the prime exponent of the idea later known as Waḥdat al-Wujūd (literally Unity of Being), though he did not use this term in his writings. His emphasis was on the true potential of the human being and the path to realising that potential and becoming the perfect or complete man (al-insān al-kāmil).
Some 800 works are attributed to Ibn 'Arabā, although only some have been authenticated. Recent research suggests that over 100 of his works have survived in manuscript form, although most printed versions have not yet been critically edited and include many errors.
Ibn arabi is growing to be one of my favorite Islamic scholars. This very short read is a compilation of 101 sayings that resonate with him. It's very representative of the genius that was Ibn arabi, a scholar whose followers amount to 15 million today.
"God, ever mighty and majestic is He, says: “O child of Adam, each one wants you for himself, and I want you for yourself, yet you flee from Me. O child of Adam, how you wrong Me!”
A quick read- finished within the day but every Hadith is well-chosen and makes one reflect and the "Khabar" -additional narrations are my favourite part to the point that I read them twice and think of them often. Definitely worth the time (does not require a lot of it in the first place)!