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The Universal Tree and the Four Birds
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.
135 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2006
About the author
Ibn ʿArabi
372 books1,989 followersNote 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
May 9, 2023
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.
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.
February 25, 2026
Sometimes you’ve just gotta stay up late and read an English translation of medieval Arabic Sufi poetry to make your brain feel alive and to ward off the dementia you’re genetically predisposed to. I maybe understood 20% of this treatise? But that 20% was a good time. Basically, the universal tree represents the fully-formed (“ideal”) human. The four birds in the tree’s branches represent the universal soul, the intellect, prime matter, and the universal body. Lots of Quran’s references. Lots of plays on words and using the Arabic root system in snazzy ways. I picked up the themes of divine ascent and creation mirroring the divine but I didn’t exactly pick up *what* Ibn Arabi was saying about those things because, again, 20%. Interested to read more Ibn arabi but now also intimidated because apparently this book is an “easy entry” into his writings. Why did medieval poets have to be so intense.
March 11, 2025
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.
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.
June 28, 2026
This this is my first exposure to Ibn Arabi as a primary source, albeit through translation. I enjoyed it, but I do think some of the presentation of the other contributors was detrimental.
I have two main complaints:
There was a pervading sense of pompousness throughout much of the text that was not translating Ibn Arabi. I know many would call him pompous as well, especially with his claim to be the Seal of Muhammadan Sainthood, but I think he earns that through his prolific and insightful writings. The other contributors simply don’t have the clout in my mind to justify the way they present themselves.
Second, the notes. I can see how they would be helpful from a highly academic, scholarly perspective on the text, but as someone who was reading it more for personal enjoyment and maybe a little insight I think the majority were too much information, and detracted from the rhythm and flow Ibn Arabi was trying to establish. I stopped reading most of them by the time I got to the Universal Tree introducing itself.
On a more positive note, just as I hoped, Ibn Arabi has provided another deep look into humanity’s and the entire created universe’s relationship to divinity that I found incredibly interesting.
If I had to rank the monologues of the four birds, I’d put them: Ringdove>Crow>Anqa>Eagle. The Ringdove’s perspective on being both created and creator was lovely, and I am a big fan of the Crow’s sass.
I think many would get more out of a simple translation of the source text, without all of the notes and commentary and such, but if you want to dig deeper into Ibn Arabi I don’t think this is a bad place to start. Just don’t force yourself to read every note to the despair of Ibn Arabi’s magnificent original structure.
I have two main complaints:
There was a pervading sense of pompousness throughout much of the text that was not translating Ibn Arabi. I know many would call him pompous as well, especially with his claim to be the Seal of Muhammadan Sainthood, but I think he earns that through his prolific and insightful writings. The other contributors simply don’t have the clout in my mind to justify the way they present themselves.
Second, the notes. I can see how they would be helpful from a highly academic, scholarly perspective on the text, but as someone who was reading it more for personal enjoyment and maybe a little insight I think the majority were too much information, and detracted from the rhythm and flow Ibn Arabi was trying to establish. I stopped reading most of them by the time I got to the Universal Tree introducing itself.
On a more positive note, just as I hoped, Ibn Arabi has provided another deep look into humanity’s and the entire created universe’s relationship to divinity that I found incredibly interesting.
If I had to rank the monologues of the four birds, I’d put them: Ringdove>Crow>Anqa>Eagle. The Ringdove’s perspective on being both created and creator was lovely, and I am a big fan of the Crow’s sass.
I think many would get more out of a simple translation of the source text, without all of the notes and commentary and such, but if you want to dig deeper into Ibn Arabi I don’t think this is a bad place to start. Just don’t force yourself to read every note to the despair of Ibn Arabi’s magnificent original structure.
October 4, 2026
Reading Ibn ‘Arabi’s book is like diving to the depth whose measurement can’t be gauged except with the readier’s decision on how long she wants to ponder on every page of the book.
Reading his book is always a long journey. I never complete his book in one seat as in one seat it’s always about “Is this word truly the one I’ll use to translate his book if I know the original language of the book?” Reading his book is about choosing whether I’m to only race to complete the reading or continuing the pondering about what’s on each page over and over again.
This book looks like a 140-ish one but actually it is a lot shorter because most of the content is acknowledgement, introduction and commentary that are perepeftively to help readers (especially those not knowing much about Ibn ‘Arabi’s concept & perspective on the Quran and Tauhid) understand the flow and interaction of each word in the book with the thought (meaning) intended to reach the readers.
Reading his book is about learning about how to think about relation of at least 2 extremes, 2 realities, 2 worlds, 2 points, 2 etc to understand how they unite as 1.
Allahu a’lam.
Reading his book is always a long journey. I never complete his book in one seat as in one seat it’s always about “Is this word truly the one I’ll use to translate his book if I know the original language of the book?” Reading his book is about choosing whether I’m to only race to complete the reading or continuing the pondering about what’s on each page over and over again.
This book looks like a 140-ish one but actually it is a lot shorter because most of the content is acknowledgement, introduction and commentary that are perepeftively to help readers (especially those not knowing much about Ibn ‘Arabi’s concept & perspective on the Quran and Tauhid) understand the flow and interaction of each word in the book with the thought (meaning) intended to reach the readers.
Reading his book is about learning about how to think about relation of at least 2 extremes, 2 realities, 2 worlds, 2 points, 2 etc to understand how they unite as 1.
Allahu a’lam.
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October 7, 2023Since 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.
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.
April 27, 2026
A solid translation of this obscure poem that is part of Ibn Arabi's earlier works. This is not one of his greater works but still shows his insight and intuition as a Sufi student from a young age. An enlightening read that covers the quality of love and the state of the garden through the symbolism of the four birds. I share my commentary of The Universal Tree and the Four Birds on my spiritual podcast here: https://youtu.be/YZ1VXOpMJtI
April 12, 2025
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.
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July 18, 2022An other Great Book by Ibn Arabi
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August 16, 2026i didn't understand this
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August 28, 202130p tale, includes arabic text
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews