The Universal Tree and the Four Birds

by Ibn ʿArabi, Angela Jaffray (Translator)

Through the story of the universal tree, representing the complete human being, and the four birds, representing the four essential aspects of existence, Ibn 'Arabi explains his teaching on the nature and meaning of union with God. Providing an excellent initiation into the often complex works of Ibn 'Arabi, this brief, delightful tale is the first English translation of an important, early work, complete with Arabic text, commentary, and notes.

Genres: Islam, Poetry, Philosophy, Religion, Spirituality, Theology, Mysticism

135 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2006

About the author

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.

Reviews

[Edita · Rating 5 out of 5]

Discourse of the Universal Tree

I am the “spreading shade”, the clustered plantains,the intended meaning, the word of existence, the most noble of originated
beings, the most transcendent of limited beings. My power is unsurpassable, my place most holy, my lamp most elevated. I am the source from which issue the lights, the synthesis of the divine words, the mine of secrets and wisdoms.

Mine are the vast earth and the heavens.
In my centre are equivalence and straightness.
Mine are the firmly-rooted84 majesty, the splendour,
The secret of the worlds, and the exaltation.85
When thoughts betake themselves to my essence
The distance and the blinding Cloud bewilder them.
No one in the universe knows my existence
Save one undelimited by praise.
He disposes over and governs us.
The choice is his– he does what he wills.

[Isa · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Universal Tree and the Four Birds (al-Ittihad al-kawni), written in his early career, is a mystical treatise that blends poetry and rhymed prose to explore the journey toward divine union. Central to the text is the symbolic interplay between the Universal Tree, representing the Reality of the Perfect Man (al-insan al-kamil), and four birds—an Eagle, a Ringdove, a mythical ‘Anqa (often likened to a Gryphon or Phoenix), and a Jet-black Crow. These birds embody distinct aspects of existence and stages of spiritual realization, guiding the seeker toward understanding the unity of creation and the Divine.

The narrative begins with introspective poems reflecting the human heart’s existential oscillations, followed by the narrator’s encounter with his Essential Self in a timeless, spaceless realm. This leads to a visionary garden where the Universal Tree stands as the axis of cosmic truth. Each bird perched on the Tree delivers a discourse, offering profound insights into the nature of reality. The Eagle symbolizes sovereignty and spiritual authority, reflecting the Divine’s transcendent majesty. The Ringdove embodies longing and love, resonating with the soul’s yearning for union. The ‘Anqa, a mythical bird with “a Name but no manifest Being,” represents the paradox of divine immanence and transcendence, alluding to the ungraspable nature of ultimate reality. The Jet-black Crow signifies the integration of opposites, merging light and darkness, existence and non-existence, to reveal the underlying unity of all things.

Their dialogues culminate in the revelation that these symbols are facets of the Perfect Man, who mirrors Divine Reality while embodying creation’s multiplicity. This treatise aligns with Ibn ʿArabi’s doctrine of Unity of Being (waḥdat al-wujūd), where all existence is a manifestation of the Divine. The Tree’s roots and branches illustrate the interconnectedness of creation, while the birds’ discourses echo Quranic motifs—such as the Pen (First Intellect) and Tablet (Universal Soul)—reinterpreted through Ibn ʿArabi’s metaphysical framework. The work emphasizes that spiritual ascent requires transcending duality: the seeker must dissolve the illusion of separateness to recognize the Divine as both immanent in creation and utterly transcendent.

Ibn ʿArabi employs a dense, allusive style, weaving Quranic references with mystical terminology. For example, the Crow’s declaration—“I am the lamp and the winds. I am the chain against the rock and the wing”—captures his tendency to fuse concrete imagery with abstract paradoxes, challenging readers to perceive beyond literal meaning. The text’s structure mirrors the Sufi path: initial struggle (“crashing waves” of existential doubt) gives way to clarity through dialogic revelation, culminating in the “fruition” of unified understanding.

In essence, The Universal Tree and the Four Birds distills Ibn ʿArabi’s vision of the human soul’s journey from fragmentation to wholeness, where all creation—symbolized by the Tree and its birds—becomes a mirror reflecting the singular Divine Reality.

[Sarah El Massaoudi]

Since Ibn Arabi is considered one of the greatest Sufi masters, if not the greatest, I felt it was incumbent on me that I'd read something by him, but I obviously overestimated my intellect because even with this book being called an 'initiation' and the explanation provided to understand the symbolism, I still feel like l only grasped 1% of the story.

Nonetheless, I know more about Ibn Arabi, his life, his ideas, and what kind of works he wrote than before reading this book, so it was still worth the read.

Will come back to this book in a couple of years, In shaa Allah. Hopefully, my knowledge and wisdom will increase sufficiently to understand it a bit more.

[Soha Ashraf · Rating 4 out of 5]

The tale of the tree beautifully embodies the divine essence and the profound interconnectedness of all existence. Meanwhile, the birds serve as powerful symbols of the soul's journey, weaving together a captivating narrative that resonates deeply with the understanding of life.

[Milo Krawiec]

For I am in love with none other than myself, and my very separation is my union.

Do not blame me for my passion. I am inconsolable over the one who has fled me.

too much is lost in the translation from Arabic, I feel, to leave a rating. but the poems, very cool.

[Amjad Hussain]

An other Great Book by Ibn Arabi

[Lulu]

30p tale, includes arabic text