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Ibn al-Arabi
- Thread starter wayfaring
- Start date
Ibn al-Arabi is 1 of my favorite mystic writers. I'll share 2 quotes I like among many which give a good flavor of his thought:
"Neither my heaven nor my Earth contains me, but the heart of my faithful believer contains me. This because the heart is a mirror in which the manifested form of God is at each moment reflected in the microcosm." & my favorite:
"A garden among the flames...my heart has become capable of all forms. It is a meadow for gazelles and a monestary for Christian monks, a temple for idols and the pilgrim's Ka'aba, the Tables of the Law and the book of the Koran. I profess the religion of love and whatever direction its steed may take, Love is my religion and my faith."
take care, earl
"Neither my heaven nor my Earth contains me, but the heart of my faithful believer contains me. This because the heart is a mirror in which the manifested form of God is at each moment reflected in the microcosm." & my favorite:
"A garden among the flames...my heart has become capable of all forms. It is a meadow for gazelles and a monestary for Christian monks, a temple for idols and the pilgrim's Ka'aba, the Tables of the Law and the book of the Koran. I profess the religion of love and whatever direction its steed may take, Love is my religion and my faith."
take care, earl
zenzero
Its only a Label
Sufi poetry
All Pervading Consciousness
And as His Essence all the world pervades
Naught in Creation is, save this alone.
Upon the waters has He fixed His Throne,
This earth suspended in the starry space,
Yet what are seas and what is air? For all
Is God, and but a talisman are heaven and earth
To veil Divinity. For heaven and earth,
Did He not permeate them, were but names;
Know then, that both this visible world and that
Which unseen is, alike are God Himself,
Naught is, save God: and all that is, is God.
And yet, alas! by how few is He seen,
Blind are men's eyes, though all resplendent shines
The world by Deity's own light illumined,
0 Thou whom man perceiveth not, although
To him Thou deignest to make known Thyself;
Thou all Creation art, all we behold, but Thou,
The soul within the body lies concealed,
And Thou dost hide Thyself within the soul,
0 soul in soul! Myst'ry in myst'ry hid!
Before all wert Thou, and are more than all!
- Farid al-Din Attar
All Pervading Consciousness
And as His Essence all the world pervades
Naught in Creation is, save this alone.
Upon the waters has He fixed His Throne,
This earth suspended in the starry space,
Yet what are seas and what is air? For all
Is God, and but a talisman are heaven and earth
To veil Divinity. For heaven and earth,
Did He not permeate them, were but names;
Know then, that both this visible world and that
Which unseen is, alike are God Himself,
Naught is, save God: and all that is, is God.
And yet, alas! by how few is He seen,
Blind are men's eyes, though all resplendent shines
The world by Deity's own light illumined,
0 Thou whom man perceiveth not, although
To him Thou deignest to make known Thyself;
Thou all Creation art, all we behold, but Thou,
The soul within the body lies concealed,
And Thou dost hide Thyself within the soul,
0 soul in soul! Myst'ry in myst'ry hid!
Before all wert Thou, and are more than all!
- Farid al-Din Attar
RS1346
Member
Dear Zen,
No problem! It is an amazing work. Here is a link to where you can pick it up: The conference of the birds - Google Books
Also, if you are interested in exploring this theme of seven levels and the mystical journey, there is a Baha'i work by Baha'u'llah that He wrote in a language familiar to the Sufis in response to questions posed by a certain Shaykh regarding the spiritual journey. This is considered by Baha'is to be a Divine analysis of the seven stage model presented in 'Attar's work, very interesting as well! Here is the link if you are interested: Bahá'í Reference Library - The Seven Valleys And the Four Valleys
There is also a writing called the Four Valleys, which is also most profound.
Both the seven stage and the four stage model are ways of describing the spiritual journey (although there are limitless ways to do so) and have been used throughout history. However, the seven stage model - largely due to 'Attar's famous work - was very popular during the medieval period, but lost popularity until it was revived by Baha'u'llah's Seven Valleys (at least revived within the Baha'i community) and is now steadily gaining popularity in academic circles and in the general public both within Iran and without Iran - as can be seen by both the English version of the Seven Valleys and the fairly high number of sales of 'Attar's Conference of the Birds in the West
!
Sorry for the lengthy reply - I may get too enthusiastic about these works, but both are highly recommended!
Best wishes,
Greg
No problem! It is an amazing work. Here is a link to where you can pick it up: The conference of the birds - Google Books
Also, if you are interested in exploring this theme of seven levels and the mystical journey, there is a Baha'i work by Baha'u'llah that He wrote in a language familiar to the Sufis in response to questions posed by a certain Shaykh regarding the spiritual journey. This is considered by Baha'is to be a Divine analysis of the seven stage model presented in 'Attar's work, very interesting as well! Here is the link if you are interested: Bahá'í Reference Library - The Seven Valleys And the Four Valleys
There is also a writing called the Four Valleys, which is also most profound.
Both the seven stage and the four stage model are ways of describing the spiritual journey (although there are limitless ways to do so) and have been used throughout history. However, the seven stage model - largely due to 'Attar's famous work - was very popular during the medieval period, but lost popularity until it was revived by Baha'u'llah's Seven Valleys (at least revived within the Baha'i community) and is now steadily gaining popularity in academic circles and in the general public both within Iran and without Iran - as can be seen by both the English version of the Seven Valleys and the fairly high number of sales of 'Attar's Conference of the Birds in the West
!Sorry for the lengthy reply
- I may get too enthusiastic about these works, but both are highly recommended!Best wishes,
Greg
zenzero
Its only a Label
Friend Greg,
Thanks for all the inputs.
Though do have the conference of the birds on my hard disk am yet to read it.
Reading is something that never could do much as due to some inertia on which am working on.
One reason surely being that which ever path one takes it leads one to the same Garden and living long in the comfort of the garden venturing out of the garden with awareness intact is the practice that am into and so reading takes a back seat in general.
Thank you for your links.
Love & rgds
Thanks for all the inputs.
Though do have the conference of the birds on my hard disk am yet to read it.
Reading is something that never could do much as due to some inertia on which am working on.
One reason surely being that which ever path one takes it leads one to the same Garden and living long in the comfort of the garden venturing out of the garden with awareness intact is the practice that am into and so reading takes a back seat in general.
Thank you for your links.
Love & rgds
LoveDistribution
New Member
Seems a good philosopher, I admire al maari too
marizfaith
Ten Boom
I have read Ibn Arabi's work too. IMO he is one of the best.