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** [Let's Talk Religion] The Unity of Being (Ibn 'Arabi) [24min] + Transcript

The Unity of Being (Wahdat al-Wujud)

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215,475 views May 11, 2020 #Mysticism #Sufism #Spirituality

This video focuses on the Sufi doctrine called "Wahdat al-Wujud" (sometimes The Oneness of Being), strongly associated with Ibn 'Arabi (d. 1240) and his school of thought.

If you want to watch a more thorough introduction to Ibn 'Arabi and The Unity of Being, you can watch my longer video on the subject (from which large portions of this video is taken):

• Ibn 'Arabi & The ...

Souces:

Chittick, William (2005). "Ibn Arabi: Heir to the Prophets". OneWorld Publications.

Chittick, William (1998). "The Self-Disclosure of God: Principles of Ibn al-'Arabi's Cosmology". State University of New York Press.

Chittick, William (2005). "The Sufi Doctrine of Rumi". World Wisdom, inc.

Chodkiewicz, Michel (1982). "The Spiritual writings of Amir 'Abd al-Kader". State University of New York Press.

Chodkiewicz, Michel (1993). "Seal of the Saints: Prophethood and sainthood in the doctrine of Ibn 'Arabi". Translated by Liadain Sherrard. The Islamic Texts Society.

Ibn 'Arabi - "The Ringstones of Wisdom (Fusus al-hikam)". Translated by Caner Dagli. Kazi Publications.

Ibn Arabi - "The Interpreter of Desires (Tarjuman al-ashwaq)". Translated by Reynold A. Nicholson. London: Royal Asiatic Society.

Ibn Arabi - "The Universal Tree and the Four Birds (al-ittihad al-kawni). Translated by Angela Jaffray. Oxford: Anqa Publishing.

Mahmud Shabistari - "Garden of Mystery: The Gulshan-i raz of Mahmud Shabistari". Translated by Robert Abdul Hayy Darr. Archetype.

Fakhruddin 'Iraqi - "Divine Flashes (Lama'at)". Translated by William C. Chittick & Peter Lamborn Wilson. The Classics of Western Spirituality Series. Paulist Press.

#Sufism #Mysticism #Spirituality

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Key moments

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Transcript

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0:00

it's quite common to hear people talk about the Western religions like

Christianity and Islam as these quite dry and honestly boring philosophies

where God is this man in the sky he was watching over us in judging us

and by contrast those so-called Eastern religions like Hinduism or Taoism or

Buddhism is often portrayed as these very spiritual and beautiful philosophies they aren't often non-dual and very interesting by comparison

0:31

according to many opinions and with a relationship to God that is a lot more

imminent and often as I said non-dual but not only is this dichotomy very

misguided and narrow it also undermines the incredibly strong and rich spiritual and often mystical traditions within these so-called Western religions

Sufism is often referred to as Islamic mysticism and while this term is rather

problematic there are certainly aspects of Sufism that we could call mystical and one of the most influential widespread and important philosophies or doctrines

within Sufism is something known as what at elbow Jude [?] or the unity of being

[Music]

the unity of being is a philosophy that has been rather controversial in certain circles and in certain times some Muslim scholars in history have viewed it as dangerous or sometimes even heretical but this should not just this should not confuse us into believing that it is some fringe philosophy

the unity of being as a doctrine

has been incredibly important and influential in the wider world of Sufism and Islam in general and
has even sometimes dominated the intellectual environment of the certain regions in Muslim lands and

Sufism itself is of course very entirely diverse with many competing schools of thought and orders and ideas and philosophies

one of these being of course the unity of being or what attitude the unity of being in short terms can be described to use pre simplifying terms as a monastic or even non dual philosophy or school of thought within Sufism

it states that

there is only one reality which is God
and that all creation are or is his manifestation

this philosophy is often strongly connected to the medieval Sufi thinker

and mystic Mohideen Ivn Arabi whom I've made a very long video about that you can find on my channel but this isn't to say that if inaudible was the first to

express these ideas or similar ideas in Sufism

a very famous early example is the Baghdad Sufi man surah al-hajj who

is said to have entered a spiritual ecstasy and proclaimed an al haqq or I am the truth for I am the reality basically saying I am God.

similarly by acid bastami who also lived in the 9th century once proclaimed glory be to me both signify a kind of annihilation of the individual self into the absolute reality that is God.

but the school of a banana bee is the school that is most strongly associated with this idea and that is this school that I will be basing this presentation on.

As I've said I've made a much longer video where I talk about it but not abhi and his thought in a more comprehensive matter.

and I should also point out that much of this video we'll be using parts of that

same script so you want a more thorough introduction to these ideas and to even out of in particular and I suggest you go watch that video

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God is the only being in existence

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so what is what a tell would or the unity of being in short terms

the adoption of the unity of being is based on

taking monotheism to its most extreme and

it not only states that

God is the only divinity in existence
he is the only being in existence

one of God's so-called 99 names in the Quran is al Haq which means the truth or the real or the reality with this in mind

the Islamic Proclamation la ilaha ilallah isn't simply read as

there is no god but God or
there is no divinity but the divinity

but instead as

there is no reality but the real
or thus ultimately there is nothing but God to a banana bee and his followers
there is only one singular reality and that reality is God

a banana be identifies God in his utmost essence

as would or being or existence so God is being he isn't a being he is being itself

and since Islamic theology requires that God not only be the only divinity

but also that he is absolutely one that must necessarily mean

that being or existence itself is one absolutely one

this also means that if anyone says that anything exists except of God

one is actually committing shidduch or polytheism which is the greatest sin in Islam since you are saying that there is a being that isn't God

but being is God and that basically means you're saying that there is another God but if God is the only reality

what are we what is creation there appears to be multiplicity everywhere

what what's that a banana be anything other than God

which is creation basically is utterly non-existent

it's a kind of illusion he writes

quote the world is illusory and has no real existence

this is what is meant by imagination

hi al you have been made to imagine that the world is

something separate and independently real outside the absolute

but in reality this is not so

but it isn't an illusion in the ultimate sense

we do have a certain existence on the physical plane

it's not all a dream like an Advaita Vedanta

and Hinduism for example the illusion is the idea of separation that I exist as a

separate being when in reality only God exists

the only true self is God's self

and ours our only relative reflections of this self

one of the more celebrated scholars for Abu Dhabi schools

Muhammad shall be story or a masterpiece of Persian poetry called the Gulshan Yas in which he xpick AIT's the doctrine of the unity of being and he writes quote

when absolute existence is alluded to people

use the word I as a matter of expression

when reality has taken form through individuation

you refer to it in language with the word I

you and I are accidents of the essence of being like openings and the covering of the lamp of being a banana

be himself loves to use metaphors to describe this relationship between God in the world

one of them is where he describes it almost like a lights a pure white light which is God's being that travels through a prism

and creates a multitude of colors which would be the world

the colors themselves are never the same as the white light

just as the creatures or creation is never the same as God

but at the same time they consist of nothing but the white light

latina Rafi another famous writer in the a banana b-school writes the following in his book a llama at quote

come then into my eyes and look
and you will see a sun shining through a thousand bits of glass
beaming to plain sight through each array of color
why should any difference appear between this one and that

all light is one but colors a thousandfold

if you've read Hindu philosophy or Taoism or Christian mystics like Meister

Eckhart Allah

this will seem very familiar to you

in fact the doctrine of the unity of being sometimes bears a striking resemblance to philosophies like Advaita Vedanta or certain ideas within Taoism

first among many other things

there are differences of course but they share aspects explained thus far

with a single absolute non dual reality being identified with God

and denying the reality of anything beside him

but what creates the forms of the world themselves

what is the world when it is not pure being and

where does multiplicity come from

it will help a bit to try to look at things like the people back then would have viewed the world partly thanks to a benzina or Avicenna philosophically

one had at this time started to separate between existence or being assured on the one hand and essence or what 'no SMAW here on the other when talking about a thing or an object in the world like this table in front of me

we can ask two basic questions about it

we can ask is it and we can ask what is it

the first question is it is a question of existence or being and

the answer to that question would be yes or no

the second question what is it

gives a completely different answer and

this is the question of essence or what Ness

in this case a table

table is independent of whether or not it exists

it is an essence or what Ness that can either exist or not exist

it can either have existence or which would being

or it can have it can not have existence

or being so according to what a turtle was

you would in terms of the existence or the being the was you would of the objects of the world they are God

because remember God is being / he is being itself / is the only being /

and so God is thus our being

he is our being however in terms of our essences

are what nasai are absolutely not God

we are that which by definition God isn't

I as a human being feel if home cannot possibly be God because I am everything that God isn't

I am I am finite I am temporal I am mortal I have a certain form these are all things that God cannot possibly be

so this is the relationship that we have here

we are simultaneously God and not God

we are absolute existence and we are absolute

Nanak systems we are being and non-being all at the same time

but it doesn't end here

these essences or what misses also has a relationship with God even if they aren't God directly

here we will need to have some basic knowledge of Islamic theology again so according to mainstream islamic theology

God is absolutely transcendent beyond any creaturely qualities

so he doesn't have any attributes or qualities that any created things or creatures have

but according to the Koran and mainstream Islamic theology

he still has certain attributes and each of his names like al-haq or the ar-rahman rahim and so on

all these names that he's referred to by corresponds to a certain attribute that he has

so al haqq means the truth or the real he is the real he is the truth and

a man means the merciful he's merciful

Rob means the Lord for some

all these names that he has is also an attribute that he has not traditionally in the Koran

it is thought said that God has 99 names and thus also 99 attributes

but according to a banana

be the names are actually infinite he has an infinite amount of names and an infinite amount of attributes and qualities and these attributes and qualities have a very important role to play

in creation there's a hadith Qudsi a saying of the Prophet Muhammad where God is speaking through him

in which God says

I was a hidden treasure and I loved to be known

so I created the world so that I might be known

in gotta be loves this hadith as he used it frequently

it is the key to understanding creation and the purpose behind it

I was a hidden treasure refers to God's essence and the attributes that are hidden therein I loved to be known

he wants to he wants this hidden treasure to be experienced

and of course he knows his own attributes since he well he is he

but he still wants his essence and attributes to be experienced through someone who is not him

so I created the world so that I might be known

therefore the world is created as a way for God to experience

himself through someone other than himself

but since this hidden treasure is to be own through the world

that must mean that the world contain traces of these

attributes and qualities of God

right

this is absolutely true - banana be

the loci of God's self-disclosure

or God's self manifestation

so everything in the world

every essence in philosophical terms

every particle of this world reflect and reveal God's qualities and attributes

in an indirect sense like in a mirror

this is based partly on a Quranic verse that

a banana be loves to apply

which goes

whichever way you turn

there is the face of God

now remember the things of the world or creation itself is not God

he is absolutely transcendent of them

but in a real sense they reflect everything in the world

the entire cosmos reflects God's attributes

and thus they are God in a sense

- in any case since God is infinite

and so are the possibilities of his attributes

there is no end to the constant self manifestation of God in the world

at every moment at every instant the world is created anew

revealing a new self disclosure

the world in that sense becomes the continuous unfolding of God's manifestation in limited form

it's the unfolding of possibilities inherent in actuality

the essences of the world

the things are contained in God's knowledge

beyond time and space

as something he calls the Ayana Thabet ah

the immutable entities these are non-existent in themselves

but function almost as archetypes that determine what is created in the actual cosmos

and these I Anitha bita are themselves determined by God's attributes

as they in their totality reflect him

so God has these attributes of qualities

and then he has a knowledge of his own attributes or qualities

which are infinite so there's an infinite number of possibilities an infinite number of ways that his attributes can be manifested and

all these ways all these forms in which he can manifest himself are contained in

his own knowledge beyond time and after which when he wants to create something

he simply gives those archetypes those iana Thabet ah

he gives them being and at each instant is a new creation

at East instant is a new reflection of God

that's constantly unfolding before our eyes

I know this is a whole lot to take in

and you may have to watch this a few times if you this is all new to you but

believe it or not that is actually the basic very basic simple explanation of

the adoption of what a Telugu ruled

it is you could see a non dual philosophy

15:30

where reality is ultimately oneness and

nothing exists except for God

he is all of being and he is the one in whose being my being resides

but there are many other nuances to it that make it a lot more complicated as I hope I have shown you

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Not patheism

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some scholars Western scholars especially in the past have referred to

a banana B as a pantheist

and of course well this is understandable

it really isn't that accurate at least from the traditional prosperity

traditional understanding of the word pantheism now if not abhi does in a way affirm that the world is God

since there is nothing but God but at the same time he's very careful to point

out that the world is happened

at the same time absolutely not God and that God completely transcends the world

in fact the world is as I've said the very definition of what God isn't in terms of

itself the world is absolute nothingness

non being who has quote never smelled a whiff of existence

this point is finally expressed by the 19th century figure Amira birth Khadija xiety famous for his defense against French colonialism who was also a follower of banana be on his school he states quote

I am two things according to two different relations

with respect to you I am the eternal for ever and ever

I am the necessary being who epitomizes himself

with respect to me I am pure non being who has never breathed the perfume of existence

the adventitious being who remains non-existent in his adventitious Ness

so as I mentioned earlier

the entire cosmos is a manifestation a reflection of the entirety of God

names are the entirety of God's attributes

while a certain object in the world or a certain thing only reflects one or a certain combination of certain attributes

or names the entire cosmos reflects all of the names

so the creation as a whole is a direct reflection of God's entire nature

his whole all of his attributes

the cosmos is thus often referred to by Manabi as the macrocosm or the great man in san al Kabeer

but the human being also has a central role to play in this scheme and

he is often referred to as the microcosm or the small man in San

elsewhere the human being thus also reflects all the names and all the attributes

but in a contained form

so the human being is a microcosmic reflection of the macrocosm

that is the entire universe and so

everything that exists on the inside access exists on the outside as above

so below and and and so on man in his most perfect and primordial form is known as insanity camel or the perfect or universal man in sanik camel is a designation of god's perfect manifestation in human form

a human being who has reached a state of complete self annihilation

where he recognizes himself as nothing but God's reflection

and acts accordingly in the perfect man

God is finally able to witness and glorify himself like in a mirror

one of the more famous writers and poets from the school of a banana be as a man by the name of father Dean Iraqi who wrote a incredible piece of

was a combination of prose and poetry called LaMotte

which means divine flashes

and in this book he presents this relationship between God and the world through a triad of love lover and beloved which is a rather common theme within Sufi poetry now

love can be seen as the utmost essence of God being itself and lover and beloved are the relationship between the human being and God as he is experienced by the being man is the lover who longs for his beloved

which is God and they gaze upon each other like in in a mirror

in mirrors so in a sense

God sees his own reflection in the mirror of the human being and
the human being sees his own reflection in the mirror of God and
these two these lovers want desperately to be close to each other
they want to unite with each other and so
the human being cleans this mirror of his heart

so that it more and more can reflect more perfectly God's own reflection and

when this process is finally finished and reaches its culmination

the two are finally United

and they reflect each other perfectly

and in this meeting they realized that the difference between lover and beloved was only really an illusion

and the only thing that ever existed was the reality of love itself

which is identical with God's essence of that or being itself as such

then the eye of certainty opens and staring inwardly at himself

he finds himself lost vanished but he finds the friend and

when he looks still deeper realizes the friend is himself

he exclaims

beloved
I sought your hair and there
asked for news of you from all I met
then I saw you through myself and found we were identical
now I blush to think I ever searched for the signs of you

the goal of these while these Sufi practices or the goal of life in general

is to fight against your nafs your ego or your lower self

and finally reach a unity

or you to unite with God

21:04

but to a banana bee and many other Sufis

there is never any uniting with God

this would actually be an impossibility since that would mean that's there was an

imperfection in God if something can be added to him

non-existence can never unite with absolute being

this is just an impossibility

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self-knowledge

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instead if none of it puts a lot of emphasis on self-knowledge

since these the human being and the self is a direct reflection of God as

everything else is the key

to sort of say

enlightenment is actually

to know yourself
to gain knowledge of your own self

there's a hadith where the Prophet Muhammad is thought to have said

know yourself and you shall know your Lord

thus the goal is to realize that

one's own separate existence is a kind of illusion

as we are only the continuous self manifestations of God

thus to know ourselves and to know our soul in a proper way is

to know God so there's no uniting with God

the part of us that is creature

the part of us that is separate from him can never unite with him

the goal is to realize that there is nothing but God and

that our being is his being

put in another way

uniting with God is not a process
it's a realization of what has always been

we don't unite with God

we realized that we in a sense were God all along

that about summarizes it

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it should be point out that there have been

diverging opinions and understandings within Sufism

regarding details and certain aspects of this idea or this philosophy

but it has been incredibly influential and important in the history of Sufism

and has had effects or influence on many regions of the Muslim world

a banana bee school and the unity of being has had a particularly strong

spread in the Persian and Indian regions

and as you can imagine its meeting with certain Vedanta schools of Hinduism

garnered some incredibly interesting results which I can and probably will

dedicate several videos to in the future

but that's for another day

in any case

the unit of being has also been a very divisive philosophy while it was rather

popular in certain Sufi circles

others have rejected it completely

scholars like Ivn Tamiya or Ivn Haldol and many more have seen it as dangerous and even heretical and there always been a debate even though has been very popular in certain times and places

there has always been a debate about its orthodoxy so to speak

I will be doing more videos about these subjects and about individuals from a banana bee school

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this is one of my favourite subjects to talk about

so be sure that I will be doing more material like

and I hope this video has shown you that

it isn't only in the so-called Eastern religions that

we find deep spirituality or even non-dual understandings of God

but that the same kinds of philosophies or ideas can be found in our own Western

context as well

if you want to support the channel you can like the video or leave a comment and subscribe I'll see you next time

24:13

[Music]

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1,251 Comments

Wren Little

3 months ago

I love your seminars. As an old Christian woman with an open heart I enjoy learning about my brothers and sisters.

How lovely and deep are their thoughts. We are so close but hold ourselves apart.

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Kiru

2 years ago

Peace! I just felt like I should express some appreciation for your work on this channel. As a Muslim, it seems to me to be a great contribution and help in clearing up misconceptions around various people, their thoughts, and movements. I can also learn here about other religions, if they are as well respresented as I find Islam here to be. Keep up the good work!

111

Let's Talk Religion

2 replies

shadowkill546

2 years ago

Many many years ago when I began my spiritual path on my own, I kept meditating on la illah ha il Allah, doing deeper and deeper into it. It was like layers of veils were being peeled off of my mind, and every time that would happen, a deeper meaning of this Divine Statement would come to mind, and I would likewise dive into that. It kept occurring until the meaning came to me that there is no reality except God. And in that moment, I felt real.

395

45 replies

Aaron

2 years ago

You've become my favorite religious YouTuber and I just started watching your videos. Amazing.

174

Let's Talk Religion

5 replies

Cali Caluang

2 years ago

Beautifully explained, please continue making videos on Ibn Arabi(qs) and Muslim gnostics and mystics

136

Let's Talk Religion

9 replies

Heghin Barseghyan

2 years ago

I study Oriental studies and I am very interested in Islam and in religions generally. As a student I find your videos very interesting and informative. When I want to watch one of your videos, I need to grab a pen and a notebook, and I usually end up making many notes. Thank you for the great academic content. I am looking forward to watching all of your videos, and do further reading on the topics that interest me more. I hope one day I will know as much about religions as you do. :) Also thank you for always mentioning the main sources you use.

Much love and respect from Armenia!

Let's Talk Religion

4 replies

2 years ago

The line about God and creation viewing each other in mirrors was awesome

1 reply

Mohamed Barnewi

1 year ago

dude my youth has been centered around contemplating and consuming these things, but you manage to rock my world every time. thank you so much.

5 replies

Miral Abualjadail

2 years ago

One of the best explanations for an often misunderstood concept: "The Akbarian Wahdat al-Wujud (Oneness of Being) transcends duality without denying it: Haqq is Haqq and khalq is khalq. To use numerical symbolism... the number 1,000 gets all its reality from the number 1, without which it is nothing. Even so, one cannot write 1 = 1,000 or 1,000 = 1, which would be to deny the unity of the one or the multiplicity of the multiple. The notion of theophany comes clear in its crucial sense: the three zeroes of the number 1,000 (the word 'sifr,' which designates zero means, precisely, 'nothing,’ ‘emptiness’) in themselves are nonexistent. But preceded by the number 1, they express the series of epiphanies by means of which this principial 1 manifests to itself and by which each is unique: an instantaneous lightning flash of a Name which is not God, but which is not, either, other than God." - Michel Chodkiewicz

135

15 replies

Seekers of Unity

2 years ago

This exposition of Wahdat al-Wujud was so fine, a diamond of a video and gift to the world. Ibn Arabi would be proud to see youtube used to spread and explain ideas of unity like this. Keep em coming.

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Let's Talk Religion

29 replies

Lavida Escorta

1 year ago (edited)

This is my favourite part of Sufism. Especially, the infinite manifestations of god through "A'yan al-thabita" sounds a lot like the multiverse hypothesis in theoretical physics in which we have infinite worlds being created with different or similar laws of physics (either the many world interpretation of quantum mechanics or the multiverse of the eternal inflation theory). I always found the concept of "A'yan althabita" very similar to laws of physics. I absolutely loved the fact that you very correctly used images of the galaxies and the universe while you were talking about these very complex concepts.

One small comment about Macrocosm and Microcosm. As much as I have read in Arabic and Persian texts, they are not translations of "Insan al-kabir" (Great man) and "Insan al-saghir" (small man). They are translations of "the great cosmos/world" (Aalam al-kabir) and "the small cosmos/world" (Aalam al-saghir). And the idea behind it is that the human being is the small world which means that the human being includes all attributes of the world within itself. This idea which surely had existed way before Sufism and even Islam, can again be interpreted via a scientific perspective. It means that all the laws of physics that are valid out there in the world (for particles, planets and galaxies), they are all also valid inside us humans. We are not fundamentally different to the world.

1 reply

Faizulla Khan

2 years ago

Having watched your other videos I feel you enjoyed doing this segment on Ibn Al Arabi the most. The excitement in your voice is unmistakable. Keep up the good work.

Pragya the Polyglot

2 years ago

Bought tears to my eyes. Thank you so much. ‏لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا ٱللَّٰهُ

8 replies

Rasheda Thaha

2 years ago (edited)

Very impressed with your explanation, thank you for this video. It is indeed good to see someone talk of the real Islam, the Islam that the Prophet (Sal) and the great Saints taught. Today this type of teachings are covered by Wahhabism. Wahhabism does not accept spirituality, neither follow any tradition of the Prophet (Sal), instead divert people from the real teachings of Islam. The real teachings of Islam today can only be found in Sufism and through these teachings one can reach closeness to his/her Lord to the state of saying 'be' and it is, also internal eye can open to see what others cannot see, past present and future. There is no limit to what your Lord can give you when you get close to Him, hence we pray to be among the favoured ones, and favoured are those who become the Saints.

17 replies

Jack Taggart

2 years ago

Absolutely fantastic - I am so glad I found this channel. That was a lucid exposition

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8 replies

Rocco Sisto

2 years ago

Beautifully presented. Thank you for this video and I look forward to more. Your knowledge is vast and yet I can see your ease in and enthusiasm in sharing your passion. Thank you.

1 reply

1 year ago (edited)

A great explanation, even though I'm exploring these topic for years, I've found a lot of new ideas from this video. Another point idk why you didn't even remind about Rumi when talking about Wahdat-al Wujud and Love, when he known as one of the greatest teachers of this concept.

Erick Amador

1 year ago

High respects for your knowledge brother 🙏🏽 you are lighting spiritual flames 🔥💯🧘🏽‍♂️

1 reply

Oatmeal Man

2 years ago

I come back to this video over and over again. To me this is the best description of God that I have yet found.

3 replies

corey hingley

5 months ago

If you could provide links to the wonderful art that is often on the thumbnails that would be fantastic <3

Halal Curb

2 years ago (edited)

Superb presentation. Great work. I’m so glad for the notes, text, illustrations and graphics; especially for such complex and deeply nuanced topics. Furthermore these additions (to the ubiquitous talking head camera shot) are therefore fundamental while adding texture to the presentation thereby cultivating interest to the audience.

Ali T

2 years ago

Omg! Im seriously falling in love with your channel! Thank you for this fabulous content ❤️

3 replies

Trent Brown

2 years ago

Thank you for this beautiful and very clear introduction. What would you recommend for further reading? Would Chittick's book on al Arabi's cosmology (mentioned in your video description) be a good starting point? Are there any of al Arabi's own writings you would recommend to a newcomer?

david de la paz

1 year ago

Excellent video! inspiring and enlightening from beginning to end

Beatnik X

1 year ago

My favourite religious historian. Your work is so valuable, and necessary in contributing to the current movement of intergrating the best of Human knowledge, and endeavour, in the purpose of Human spiritual evolution. In my view anyway, JZK. :-)

2 replies

Everything and Anything

1 year ago

Thank you for taking the time and effort to make this video for us 'the viewers'. Brilliant video as always, well balanced critique and exploration of this difficult topic. mA. May Allah grant us all knowledge, wisdom and success in both worlds.

1 reply

Cesar Bujosa

4 months ago

Thank you so much. I have been wondering about Sufi/Muslim non-duality for some time. It's great to become better acquainted. Truly appreciate your work.

Mona Taher

1 year ago

That is profound wisdom, thank you 🙏🏼

Ribal Haj

1 year ago

This channel is such a gem!! Please keep it up!!

Mohammad Emamiyeh

1 year ago

Really great and simple explanation !about the unity of being !

Love the prism example and table example !!✨

1 reply

Wicked Haris - COC

2 years ago

your Arabic Pronounciation is so good😍

el hadji oumar gueye

7 months ago

Excellent video, I think it’s the first time I saw a profound explanation of this Sufism concept made by a non-Muslim. I discover your channel this week, since then, I watched a lot of your videos.

I don’t know, but if you can also talk about the concept of ‘Haqiqatul Muhamadiyya’ it will be great.

Again, thank you for your videos.

Ricia Rites

1 year ago

Goodness, the longer I listened the more I GOT in my own way. Relistening! But long wanted as 'Naf', grin how very much I appreciate the 'drink of art wk' on my big screen, that also draws me back to your work every time I 'make time' and am changed by doing so. No matter the topic. You are valued and appreciated. Naf melting?

Fire-Toolz

1 year ago

absolutely incredible.

AJ Bella

2 years ago

This is the Truth and it transcends ALL religions. I have came to these same Truths and am just hearing about all of this right now. Pretty amazing

Max Christian Esteffan

1 year ago

Really cool explanations.

You're good. It's because you grasp the concepts you can explain it so clearly.

AAC

1 year ago

I really admire you as your a real researcher. May Allah blessed you

Jenny Geller

4 months ago

Thenk you so much for sharing your knowledge and explaining everything so beautifully. Thank you for showing the connection of the Islamic world to the rest of the religions, as they basically talk about the same, only ecpressed differently, and the Islamic way of expression very clear and beautiful. I live in Israel and it's very important for me to understand this in order to be able to talk about this, you bringing these truths and teachings here makes it possible, so thanks again :) Hope we can bring peace within ourselves by listening to what your'e sharing and stop these unproductive and destructive ways of life.

Mahasti Kia

1 year ago

Beautifully and masterfully presented. Thank you! 🌹

Malcolm Dean

4 months ago

Good job. Also suggested for reading: "Creation and the Timeless Order of Things: Essays in Islamic Mystical Philosophy", by one of Chittick's teachers, Toshihiko Izutsu, 1994. Out of print, altho copies are still around. There are also PDF's available free online. A series of seven essays, including 'An analysis of wahdat- al-wujud'. From the publisher: "Brings together Toshihiko Izutsu's most important essays on Islamic mystical philosophy. Though primarily concerned with Iranian mystics and philosophers, this penetrating group of essays displays Izutsu's unique insights in comparative philosophy by comparing and contrasting Islamic Sufism and philosophy with Vedanta, Mahayana Buddhism, Zen Buddhism, Archetypal Psychology and modern Existentialism. Fluent in over 30 languages, Izutsu's comparative research is based on careful reading of original texts in Persian, Arabic, Chinese, Pali, Sanskrit, Greek, and Japanese. The studies in this volume explore the deep structures of mystical insight and experience."

1 reply

Rosie Begum

2 years ago

You have got a subscriber. You go into the most comprehensive knowledge of Islamic historical past and scholars. Ibn Arabi has become my fav. He’s full of knowledge and the nuanced tolerance that he has shown to practice is astronomical. Enjoy listening to you.

Swat is Quantum

1 year ago

Bro your videos are mind blowing. Omg these quotes are so beautiful 😍

Vladimír Korbel

1 year ago

This is amazing. And it happened to me :)

After He’s taken me through Heaven and Hell,

He manifested Himself as a ray of light of exact straightness;

I felt being one with that ray of light as if it was the only thing which truly existed;

He shined through my mind, paused, turned around, pointed at Himself and asked:

Who am I?

He laughed. I laughed too, bathing in love and tears.

3 replies

ishq noor

2 years ago

Thank you for such a lucid explanation with lots of valuable references. God bless your work - making "wine" for the soul accessible without diluting it.

M A Khan

1 year ago

Love described here is ishq of passionate love

Lover is ashiq passionate lover and beloved is mashooq. Be passionately loved.

Delights

1 year ago

Your videos are the best I've found describing these different religions. Love your content.

deepak arya

1 year ago

You are providing great content through this channel. .commendable work....Thank you

Shekeb ramzi

2 years ago

Watched for the second time and it amazed me. Thanks for the beautiful content.

wejie00

2 years ago

Thank you for an informative video.

I am on the side of such philosophy being "dangerous" since it needs extensive and deeper knowledge and understanding which not every Tom, Dick, and Harry can afford.

1 reply

Marcus Aurelius

1 year ago (edited)

Bro, your Arabic pronounciation is on the spot. I dont speak Arabic but have friends that do, sounds legit to me

Ray Stephens

2 years ago

Thank you. Well sublimed by your oratory presentation, to listen without also thinking. I, myself, natural and contemporary physik look forward to more.

Muhammad Bnu Ümar Al Fazazi محمد بن عمر الفزازي

2 years ago

I absolutely loved it!

mkhodr1

2 years ago

Great information! Absolutely the best religion based channel i've seen so far with unbiased information. Thank you for that

Andy The Dishwasher

2 years ago

I really appreciate that you are making this material digestible for the current generation of youth. The struggle between Aristotelian and Platonic metaphysical frameworks seems to be at the core of many western religious conflicts throughout history. From what I've read, it really came down to differing distribution patterns of the two philosophers' works across Europe and Asia Minor, but the result seems to have been that Platonic monism became far more popular among philosophers in the Islamic world whereas Aristotelian ideas became more deeply embedded into the Christian context. I think the reason that doctrines like Wahdat Al-Wujud were so controversial was the fact that monists, due to the width of their worldview, are rather difficult to control or govern. Dualistic doctrines tend to make social engineering a lot easier because they allow for us/them mentalities to be cultivated and exploited. I would be interested to see counterexamples to this, but I can't envision a monist philosophical framework that would compel one to participate in state-sponsored violence.

1 reply

john smith

1 year ago

Super skeptical of all this, but it’s super interesting.

Nicholas Mixon

2 years ago

This was beautiful

daniel2000

2 years ago

Man! Your channel is really great! Love it! ♥️♥️

1 reply

Ronald Palmer

3 months ago

A gem! Thank you for your greatly informative videos.

Mansoor Lashari

1 year ago

What a great video! I'm so glad I stumbled upon this channel! Keep it up man! Rooting for you and your future videos!

1 reply

azhar noshahi

2 years ago

Great to see a video on a difficult topic of wahdat-al-wajud. To understand this concept one needs to go through functional qulb (spiritual parallel of heart) concept that sufis generally practice and claim that the whole of the universe may not encompass God but He may reside in the instigated qulb of His slaves who selflessly worship Him regardless of any temptation of heaven or fear of hell and seek merely love of God only.

Let's Talk Religion

4 replies

balaji venkatesan

2 years ago

Just when I thought this shares the same concept of Advaita, you said it! Pretty interesting to see similarities!

1 reply

Ozum Asirim

1 year ago

Nice video, very informative and accurate.

Fouad

1 year ago

Fabulous content! Thank you!

Siti Nurlaila bt Jakaria Saimi

2 years ago

Thanks for making this video, absolutely there so many person out here was asking this topic

Waiting for more..

Martin Cooper

2 years ago

Thank you for sharing your great knowledge .

hhfeaky

1 year ago

Absolute a clear explanotion. May Allah bless you. 👌

Maleeha

2 years ago

Oh it touched my heart. Am in tears. Jaxakallah. Jazakallah. Jazakallah. May Allah bless you with the realisation of his eternal nearness. Remember in prayers. Keep it up🙌🏻

5 replies

Life Vibes

1 year ago

Loved this. Thank you 😊

Cartolaia

11 months ago

Love, thank you a million times for this precious work. What is the haunting music in the background?

Cody Wurtz

1 year ago

I've studied religion for years however never knew how diverse and complex Islam was . It would be cool to meet you one day a lot of questions.

1 reply

Tokyo Drift Guy

5 months ago

Anyone know the name of the soundtrack used in this video? I love how eery and mystical it sounds in the background

Telcantor

1 year ago

These talks are so well done, and for me Ill listen to a few times. Very dense. Also how can I get the background music? Thanks

chital_shikari

2 years ago

God is Greater, the Greatest.

I type this with tears in my eyes. Thank you for this video and for this channel. May God bless you and Guide you to Him. Ameen.

31 replies

NABEEL ABDELABGI HA MAD TALHA

2 months ago

Loved it ❤

Muhammad Khan

2 years ago

Amazing 🙏

Konstantine Muradov

1 year ago (edited)

Interesting how did you gain 200K subscribers, targeting such small auditory of interest ? Most likely because of quality of work you do.

Watched original video about Ibn Arabi - you have to do continuation you promised.

I really do enjoy comprehensiveness of information that comes from your videos.

hari priya

1 year ago

I want to be sure I don’t miss it when you publish the video on Unity of Being meets Advaita Vedanta. Is it coming soon?

Haleema Saadia

2 years ago

Beautifully explained

Noorul Soraya

2 years ago

Brilliant....well researched and very clearly presented. Keep up the good work. Stay blessed

Let's Talk Religion

2 replies

Happy Banana

1 year ago

Thank you for helping me make peace with my own birth religion, thank you for unveiling the beauty within it that has been cluttered by nonsense egos ❤️

2 replies

TECH2AUTO

4 months ago

thank you for doing so much research and study of sufism and presenting it in way which everyone can at least understand some of it . u always try make it simpal but occasionally it get in to mind . THANK YOU FOR WORK ON THIS TOPIC

Ali Ahmad

1 year ago

Listening to you moves the flame inside my chest

FRANK TODD

2 years ago

I want to thank you for the making of your many videos. They are quite enlightening. I found the subject in this video distinctly provocative, because it reminds me of the pre-Socratic philosopher Parmenides. I suspect you are familiar with this philosopher, who also advocated for a “unity of being”, and whose ideas also are quite challenging to fully grasp. I am curious to know if there is any connection between these two traditions, if perhaps Ibn ‘Arabi might have come across the dialogue by Plato.

Adam A Karu

2 months ago

Thank you for the presentation I can never have enough listening to you.

Majid Khakwani

2 years ago

Still experiencing the feeling is different from hearing the philosophy May Allah help you to experience it. Sometime you will experience it and it will not be permanent. So at the end you will live with the attribute Allah want you to live with.

2 replies

Janika Mahmud

2 years ago

Very thoughtful. love your channel.

Abu Sayed

2 years ago

Jazakallah khair!one of the best channel I have discovered recently!

Most people(including prominent Maulanas) misunderstand the real concept of wahdat ul wujud, perhaps because it's very very subtle,if you just step up the line, misunderstandings may prevail verily.

Anyway brother,plz make a video or plz explain main difference between wahdat ul wujud and Hindu Advaita principle(by which Hindus verily justify their Idol worshipping is valid which is worst sin in islam!!!)?

I have been in confusion....

1 reply

Mercy

1 year ago

thank you for your post and time you take with this You're a great teacher do note body language, facial expressions.Do we not communicate with our body and our languages are twice removed from the truth. do we not have our own personal dictionaries interpretations but our body languages speak one language.

smiles

Wayne Ramwell

4 months ago

Fantastic video that very neatly summarises this often misunderstood concept within Sufism.

Nima Ghaemi

1 year ago

I appreciate your explanations of unity of being. It was great. Thank you

3 replies

Tahir Abbasi

2 years ago

I am so impressed by this young scholar. He has been blessed by the Divine

[Let's Talk Religion] Ibn 'Arabi & The Unity of Being [72 min]

Ibn 'Arabi & The Unity of Being

===

[Let's Talk Religion]

542K subscribers

===

766,962 views Premiered Apr 28, 2020 #Mysticism #Sufism #IbnArabi

In this very long video, I give an introduction to one of the most significant, yet often misunderstood thinkers and mystics in history - Ibn 'Arabi.

The video will be released in parts soon as well, but I wanted to put this up first as an epic, full introduction to his life and ideas.

===

Souces:

Chittick, William (2005). "Ibn Arabi: Heir to the Prophets". OneWorld Publications.

Chittick, William (1998). "The Self-Disclosure of God: Principles of Ibn al-'Arabi's Cosmology". State University of New York Press.

Chittick, William (2005). "The Sufi Doctrine of Rumi". World Wisdom, inc.

Chodkiewicz, Michel (1982). "The Spiritual writings of Amir 'Abd al-Kader". State University of New York Press.

Chodkiewicz, Michel (1993). "Seal of the Saints: Prophethood and sainthood in the doctrine of Ibn 'Arabi". Translated by Liadain Sherrard. The Islamic Texts Society.

Addas, Claude (1993). "Quest for the Red Sulphur". The Islamic Texts Society.

Ibn 'Arabi - "The Ringstones of Wisdom (Fusus al-hikam)". Translated by Caner Dagli. Kazi Publications.

Ibn Arabi - "The Interpreter of Desires (Tarjuman al-ashwaq)". Translated by Reynold A. Nicholson. London: Royal Asiatic Society.

Ibn Arabi - "The Universal Tree and the Four Birds (al-ittihad al-kawni). Translated by Angela Jaffray. Oxford: Anqa Publishing.

Mahmud Shabistari - "Garden of Mystery: The Gulshan-i raz of Mahmud Shabistari". Translated by Robert Abdul Hayy Darr. Archetype.

Fakhruddin 'Iraqi - "Divine Flashes (Lama'at)". Translated by William C. Chittick & Peter Lamborn Wilson. The Classics of Western Spirituality Series. Paulist Press.

#IbnArabi #Sufism #Mysticism

Key moments

View all

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3,103 Comments

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Hasan

2 years ago

As a born Muslim I am ashamed by my lack of knowledge about these figures of Islamic Golden Age. Thank you for such a nice and non bias discussion.

1.3K

150 replies

Holden McRoin

11 months ago

I listened to this video twice and the time absolutely flew by, we are so blessed to be alive during a time when information is so readily available and we have people like yourself willing to dedicate their own time to making quality content

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3 replies

Richard Engelhardt

4 months ago

You are undooubtedly one of the best teachers I have ever had the privilege of learning from, in all my 50 years at Yale, Harvard, and Cambridge. Thank you!

12 replies

Denisa Nastase

1 year ago

One of the most profound pieces of information I have ever experienced. This felt to shook my core. I applaud you for being able to put this presentation forth. It felt like a masterpiece in terms of clarity and essence.

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1 reply

Quran Mine

2 months ago

I'm an Arab Muslim from Morocco.

I watched your video, and I was astonished to the extent of your analysis especially in the 2nd part. Congratulations from my heart!

Super Girl

1 year ago

I have goosebumps and my heart aches with love understanding (somewhat) this concept. It is so beautiful

102

2 replies

Peter Rosso

2 years ago

I would love to see a part 2 that goes more in depth into ibn Arabi's metaphysics/cosmology, regarding insan al kamil etc

412

10 replies

shahul hameed

1 year ago (edited)

Almighty has blessed you with incredible knowledge, beautiful voice and the beauty of articulation ...I am amazed and totally flattered after going through each of your videos - The depth of knowledge in each of video is unimaginable ......Ohh my how much i learnt from you is still a wonder for me. Thank you for this great service brother - May god bless you - Thanks again

user1

10 months ago

I've been bingewatching your videos and i'm impressed of your knowledge, love and respect for the subject matter. Keep up the great work

Ibrahim Khalil

1 year ago (edited)

As a Sufi Sheikh from the Tijanya Order and West African (Senegal), I've been reading Ibn Arabi's work and many other Sufis like Ghazali, Ruzbahani and Abu Yazid al- Bastami for 16 years now

And i don't really find Ibn Arabi doctrine hard to understand at all. Well at least not when you are initiated into fanā and Baqā. And He was wrong about being The Khatim-il Awliya something he later rectified himself

9 replies

Abdur Rashid Farooq

2 years ago

Ma Sha Allah, brilliant content. The breadth of coverage along with the consistency of research is truly praiseworthy.

May God Bless you my friend

Mahi Abrar Amer

1 year ago

Im honestly speechless. Absolutely outstanding. Thankyou, truly from the bottom of my heart, for the amount of time and effort you spend to study, understand and then make and edit long, comprehensive videos like this!

Harry Dee

2 years ago

I can’t believe I am learning about my own culture from this channel , Great Job 👍🏻

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18 replies

COOL STORY BRO

2 months ago

As a 7-year-old kid I once said: “God is everywhere and nowhere.” Glad to know I was on the right path ❤

5 replies

Sumaia Saif

1 year ago (edited)

Meister Ekchart, the Vedanta and Jalaluddine Rumi meeting in one place, your video! I can listen to you for eternity 🤍 Thank you for sharing your passion with the world. I always resonated with the prism and the white light analogy but never knew it is by Ibn Arabi. What I want to go deeper within is the centre and the circle analogy of Ibn Arabi. Sending you blessings 🙏

5 replies

will c

7 months ago

Love your videos. Coming from a place of very little knowledge of the faith however a lot of respect, I’ve gotten to know quite a few muslims and have always enjoyed our conversations and the things I’ve learned from them, I’ve always been treated well by the ones I’ve known and know. There is an immense amount of rich and beautiful history you’ve brought to life for me through these wonderfully curated and very well presented lectures. Thank you for expanding my knowledge and helping me to understand this rich culture,

1 reply

דניאלה אוראל

1 year ago

What a wonderful lecture, unbelevable, thank you so much.

1 reply

Sam Haider

1 year ago

Thank you for researching this, writing it out, and then recording it. Your work is much appreciated. Regards.

ashurbanipal44

2 years ago

This is such a great distillation of Ibn Arabi's ideas. I remember first reading Fusus Al-Hikam and feeling confounded by most of it, but amazed at what I could understand. You did a great job of presenting the most essential parts as neatly as one possibly can.

100

Akram Mohamed

2 years ago

I love how engaging and thorough you are, it's rare that I'm 20 mins into a video and not bored

Minahil

1 year ago (edited)

Thankyou so much for putting this together in such an organized, comprehensive and beautiful way! Would love a part 2 on this. Also a suggestion, could you please put time stamps for different concepts and parts in the description of this video? It would be such a help!

chitranjan kumar kushwaha

1 year ago

Self knowledge is foremost the ultimate goal for Nirvana or moksha or enlightenment in Hinduism according to Advaita vedant philosophy of Hinduism i surprised and glad and love to see exactly same thing said by ibn Arabi .this proverb is very true all wise men think alike .namaste from india .love from Bihar India

1 reply

Anime Furry

1 year ago

Wow that was amazing never have my personal beliefs been described so well to me! Thank you!

1 reply

Shanti Garin

1 year ago

Absolutely love your work and I'm glad I came across your channel! Ibn Arabi as other mystics have always fascinated me

ASMR Theory

2 years ago

This video was fantastic! I've been trying to find a channel like yours that has high quality videos with scholarly perspectives on religion and was delighted to come across this. You deserve many more subscribers!

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Let's Talk Religion

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Muna Nana

4 months ago

What a difficult topic you have picked for yourself. I am saving this video to listen to it again. It took me over a year to finish reading the (abridged) english version, the only one I could find, of the Fusus al Hikam, (the settings of the wisdom, I think it means). I kept having to go back and refer to a previous chapter, and kept putting the book down so I could take the time to absorb the amazing ideas he put forth. I have a total fascination with his works. Thank you so very much for this.

Zaka Khan

2 years ago

I can hardly say more than has already been said about the wonderful work you are doing... all I can offer is a sincere 'thank you', and I shall pray that you receive manifold the reward of your efforts.

1 reply

Mubi Karimjanovna Bob

1 year ago

MashaAllah May Allah bless you and raise you for opening up such saints life🙏🙏🙏really thank you

Ibn Arabi May Allah raise him higher and higher was ine of the mystical sufi masters and you enlived him in such a beautiful way🙏🙏🙏🙏

By seeing you i remember sheikh AbdulRahman also british origin teacher🙏

Please continue such a beautiful and meaningful work and May Allah open more and more doors and knowledge🙏

Rybot9000

1 year ago

These are some great videos. I used to study this stuff a lot and kept finding the same threads in different religions. I was also deep into science and atheism at the time. It's strange to think about how taken in by my own self I was. The part about self-worship is something I was just thinking about. It all comes together the best work of our neuroscientists and sociologists confirms a general theory like this. As of course we see in Advaita, Daoism, Buddhism, etc.. all roads lead to Damascus it seems. As one might expect with Truth. I eventually found my way into the Perennialist corner and then gave Christian mysticism a go. There are so many people that have great wisdom, I am sure much oral tradition was circulated before we know. Anyway great videos I will check to see if you've done one on the Theologia Germanica

N N

1 year ago

Many thanks for this balanced and informative intro to the Unity of Being ❤️

Luis Gasser

2 years ago

Thank you for this most excellent presentation. It is absolutely important to clearly distinguish between a philosopher and a mystic as their respective natures are fundamentally different from one another. Whilst a philosopher's source of knowledge is intellectual speculation, a mystics source of knowledge is the transcendence of individuality/selfhood, thus in a way becoming knowledge itself. Even though a mystic may use his intellect and reason to communicate his insight to others, this does under no circumstances make him a philosopher.

6 replies

Thole molapo

1 year ago (edited)

you possess a rare attribute called Ilm, like Rupert Spira, you explain Non Duality( Qur'anic Tawhid) with great ease and understanding.

Kaan Bulak

2 weeks ago

I cannot thank you enough for your work. This one was especially exceptional! After finishing (with many times of confused relistening and taking notes) I can breathe deeper now.

Leren Sekyo

1 year ago

This is very engaging. Thank you so much for your hard work 🔥

Adam Tyson

1 year ago

Love the work you're doing, thanks for sharing on such a fascinating and challenging topic!

Good call using Claude Addas who certainly has provided us with the go-to biography on Ibn al-'Arabi. It's an interesting fact that she is also the daughter of Michel Chodkiewicz -- not that I figured that out myself until years after I started studying Wujudi philosophy : /

Esoteric Pilgrim

1 year ago (edited)

Thank Allha , I can very well understand what you are telling, as l read Ibn Arabi books, your explanation is marvellous. You are a enlightened person I can tell it

Definitely in the words of Ibn Arabi himself “ ENLIGHTENED ARE NOT BOUND BY RELIGION “. May Allah bless all, with lots of love ❤️ from a sufi student from india.🙏🙏

Corsair Caruso

2 years ago

I’d love to know more about how Unity of Being and Vedanta interacted! Interfaith dialogue is so fascinating to me.

4 replies

Aabbish Duaa

1 year ago

This is so helpful. Truth be told, your channel is so helpful when it comes to learning about different religions in an unbiased manner. Thankyou!

ashley !

4 months ago

i’ve watched this video sooo many times and always find more takeaways. you should make more videos on this topic! so interesting

1 reply

love&grace

1 year ago

Beautiful episode! Please make another sequel about Ibn Arabi 💗

Samaia Traforti

1 year ago

Your work is so beautifully and clearly articulated. Thankyou for sharing insight into this transcendent topic in such a digestible form. Deep gratitude

Aasem Ahsan

10 months ago (edited)

9:10 Ibn Arabi's meeting with Ibn Rushd

21:45 Famous works

22:45 Wahadat Al Wujud

Abdullah Khodadad

2 years ago

I am amazed by your deep deep knowledge of our theology! With this comprehensive video, you reorganized my amateur knowledge of our Orfan and late Aarifs!

Thank you for your great work! Appreciated so much!

1 reply

onnoy saad

1 year ago

খুব সুন্দর।। অনেক সুন্দর। মাশা আল্লাহ।

IrishWithSomeSun

1 year ago

This video was incredible and really helpful spiritually. I’m going to spend a lot more time leading about this man and his teachings.

1 reply

Walker Goff

1 year ago

Your content is excellent. Every video is informative, nuanced, and looks past particularities to point toward possible eclectic interpretations fitting each particularity together. Bravo.

Ace of Bace

4 months ago (edited)

Brother, I am a Muslim both by birth and choice, as well as a student of Islamic Theology who has done a thesis at University on the Fusus al Hikam - I can proudly say: You did a great job.

Looking forward to more of Ibn Arabi from you.

Thank you for this and in advance for the upcoming.

Being Human

1 year ago

As soon as I saw the Ibn Arabi, clicked on video ❤️ Such lucky people to live in a era of Ibn Arabi ❤️

Jonathan Kelly

2 years ago

I had class with Professor Chittick, that was the best class I have ever taken.

1 reply

Joseph Petrone

1 year ago

I wonder if you have done or will do a video about Guru Nanak and the Sikh religion and philosophy as they too have both "Sufi" ideas and even include writings of Muslim and Hindu mystics in their holy book (the Guru Granth Sahib) =) keep up the good work my friend, your videos are very enlightening and educational.

Abdelhak Laaqira

1 year ago

Amazing stuff! Just bought the "ringstones to wisdom" just few days ago and I'm hungry to read it asap. Thanks

asadath99

1 year ago

Thank you for explaining such complex subject in understandable terms. You are so knowledgeable and yet so humble.

Gavin Shri Amneon

1 year ago

Thank you so much for this brilliantly composed and eloquently expressed exposition. Such a hard topic to convey but you did it so well

Phillip Anon

1 year ago

Amazingly brilliant presentation and narration! This video should be treasured. Thanks and keep up the good work!

princeAmori

2 years ago

Just wanted to say, love the work you are doing. Also, thank you for mentioning Ibn Barrajan, briefly in this video. Like Ibn Arabi he made predictions about the future, but unlike Ibn Arabi his method involved studying the art of letters. Many topics I intended to cover on my channel someday, you have already covered them on yours. Time saver. Thank you.

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Let's Talk Religion

19 replies

Earth is the grave of everything

3 months ago

thank you for your hard work absolutely astonishing and mind blowing and it's cryze how you spent much time to carefully deliver such knowledge on it's raw form and explaining them. i really wonder now what's going on your mind after discovering all these topics.

Noor S

1 year ago

Thank you so much for your in depth research and hard work in making this video. I’ve become interested in Ibn Arabi and needed this absolutely enlightening explanation about his life and work. Excellent documentary!

Mystic's Journey

1 year ago (edited)

Please make another video going deeper into these teachings. You are so great at explaining all of this. I love you videos!

Javad Siavashi

1 year ago

Amazing representation of the ideas. Big respect and thank you for your work

Eli

10 months ago

Very‌ ‌well‌ ‌put together, both in terms of content and delivery, nothing is left to interpretation

Tousif Rahman

2 years ago

You are doing something that truly special and meaningful. My respect

RF M69

1 year ago

Thanks so much for your videos. I have finally been able to understand something of Ibn Arabi's teachings and that almost qualifies as a miracle!

Nicoleta Rosu

1 year ago

thank you for sharing knowledge & wisdom....I loved learning about Ibn "Arabi, I am looking forward to part 2. Also, I am excited to check out your other videos. Love & blessing to you

TRAVEL WALKS 4K

1 year ago

Wow. This channel is a gem. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and thoughts :)

no thankyou

3 months ago

This channel is quite literally a Godsend. I deeply appreciate you sharing this information, and showing everyone that at the deepest and most profound core of the thinkers that affect and change known religions, lie extremely abstract and nearly incomprehensible doctrinal insight.

Chris Hobbs

1 year ago

Really appreciate how you introduce the concepts first, which helps us understand the scriptures presented.

xariqx 🥀

2 years ago

Awesome channel! I can see doing well.

Getting an academic perspective on religion from a neutral party is very important as it takes away most bias.

Let's Talk Religion

3 replies

M0U53B41T

2 years ago

Really enjoyed this video! thanks for taking time to deal with such an obviously difficult topic - I am curious as to how he dealt with the problem of evil?

1 year ago

So glad I found your channel. Love your way of explaining these topics.

Karl Tyson

1 year ago

Thank you for this monumental presentation!

Sarah -

2 years ago

Wowww is what I can say! Your research, your recitation, your passion... Bravo 👍

Hind Oubraim

4 months ago

Thank you for simplifying this part of our history and sharing it with us . Great information.

Tahsin Khan

2 years ago (edited)

Being someone who’s tried to experience every religion, read a verity of thought, walked on many nations and have a done of lot of psychedelics all of this made sense to me as someone who’s experienced through a Muslim lens. I’m great full for this video. It’s like a complex thought you had but couldn’t really find words for.

13 replies

jalal maache

1 year ago

Outstanding lecture. Am Arab and reading ibn Arabi was The most difficult . Kudos to you.

Attia Bano

11 months ago

thank you so much for making this facinating video on ibn arabi. It was very well made and inspiring to watch and u made a very intellectual topic easy to understand for simple humanbeings like me. God bless u

O.N

1 year ago

Assalamu’alaikoum.. Deep respect for the work you do. Thank you.

waddah Elyemen وضاح اليمن

1 year ago

You are one of with explaining such complex mind bending Ideas and thoughts. Perfect Arabic pronunciation is a plus. 👍👍👍

sam biani

1 year ago

Reading Golshane Raz (gerden of secrets) in farsi is such a joyful experience, the only poem that gives me that feeling apart from Hefez. The text sound modern and mysterious

Ziad El Mestekawy

2 years ago

Thank you so much for this incredible work. Beautiful in every way. Allah Akbar :)

LOV Movement

1 year ago

This video is beyond fantastic. Absolutely beautiful & insightful breakdown. Thank you for this

Husna Kassim

1 year ago

This is new to me. I would have to listen to this a few times to understand this unity of being.

kaja hussain

1 year ago

No words, The way you presented this wahdathul wujud was unbelievable and priceworthy. 🙏🙏🙏🙏

Khalid Alnaama

1 year ago

Huge information about Ibn Arabi who you described as a very difficult figure to understand. Thanks for this great information.

bambang98

4 months ago (edited)

one of the best contents about Ibn 'Arabi and his works. thanks for the video.

Mrad Belhasen

2 years ago

This is beyond pure mate,May he brings you more wisdom and understanding

Much love from Tunisia (a sufi as well)

Let's Talk Religion

61 replies

Mahasti Kia

1 year ago

This was beautiful! I learned so much. Thank you 🙏

(I could go on and on talking about it but my mind refuses. I need some stillness to absorb all this :)))

sarwatrahim

1 year ago

Thank u so much..I always want to know about "wahdat ul wajood"..and u made it very easy.Please carry on your work on this.Guide me about any of your book or paper published on it.

C.G. Maat

1 year ago

Thank you . Though so difficult , the one unity message is a great gem for our so divide America and world.

I also love the beautiful art designs ; like particle and wave woven into such lovey color and line with no need of perspective.

I have never seen this art work. And lastly thanks for enduring such a long explain. You are doing a great mission .

How did you get into this path. Maybe one day you do a presentation of your own inspiration.

As above so below, a lot of the Emerald Tablet Laws and Alchemy. You are a modern Manly hall.

blackswan1983

1 year ago

Thanks for a great video! I learned so much and have been enjoying your channel.

Story BUG

2 years ago

This was remarkable! Thanks for sharing this full of knowledge and wisdom presentation about a great Islamic scholar.

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Let's Talk Religion

6 replies

Neo Lamo

9 months ago

Thanks a lot for such clear and detailed introduction to ibnalArabi views ! 🙏🏻♥️🌺🦋🌷🌸💮🏵️🎉💯🎊🙏🏻

Amine Mz

1 year ago

Wonderful approach to ibn arabi perception of existence! I’d wish if you could quote more of ‘ Al hallaj ‘ as he precedented ibn arabi in trying to to define ‘ wahdat al woujoud ‘ - union -.

Well done man appreciate your channel content & hardwork! Keep it up

aahr100

1 year ago

Really love your work. On Ibn Arabi - I came across his work through your introduction and the more I learn about him and his thoughts the more I realise I am only scratching the surface of this Murcian / Andalusian thinker philosopher mystic

xTG4M!NG Piano

2 years ago (edited)

i am arabian i just really wanna tell ya this is so informative!! nice job mate keep doing this awesome work!

Faye Cassim

5 months ago

Greetings this is so so amazing to understand, brings great appreciation for History and Theology .much Appreciated ,blessing upon thre groth of your channel Ameen

Jiren Says

2 years ago

This was absolutely amazing! Please more of Arabi!!!

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Let's Talk Religion

43 replies

Frosty

1 year ago

I'm getting chills watching this. I have never read any of his works, but plan to now. As a psychedelic enthusiast, his teachings are very eerie. I had also came to very similar internal revelations when taking LSD and DMT. On DMT, you almost separate completely from your body and soul, and become the ethereal, raw, true spirit, and intuitively know that you and the person that lit the pipe for you are the same person, and that the normal "reality" that you return to is false. Very eerie.

V Fergi

1 year ago

So amazed how much he traveled to gain more wisdom and teach..and some people nowadays dont even get out of their own state

neeti.maewall

1 year ago

This is amazing , I don’t have the right words to praise the concept, it would be like an ant trying to comprehend and appreciate artificial intelligence. For now I will settle for thanking you for such a well researched topic and amazing compilation.

AllinOne

1 year ago

This is amazing, i've never heard of Ibn Arabi before.. Thank you dear sir.

cyrus dabiri

5 months ago

fascinating,very well researched and beautifully presented.Thank you for your great work.

vpcreationsunlimited P

2 years ago

I am Hindu 🕉 but I love Sufism and Rumi is my favorite poet 💕 . This is a very deep spiritual path in Islamic scriptures. I think these mystics are evolved souls, religion is many but God is one !!! Blessings from NYC

💐🌲☃️🌲☃️🌲☃️💐

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61 replies

kailomonkey

2 years ago

A lot of this is how I've thought myself. This is good and returns me to my best being :)

Kari Harris

8 months ago

I know I'm late to the show, but this is fascinating! Contrasting Ibn 'Arabi to Maimonides is like night and day! It took the Baal Shem Tov and Chassidus to incorporate a lot of similar ideas in their interpretation of the divine many years later. I've never studied the Islamic sages and Ibn 'Arabi was a man many centuries before his time!

Kaswara

1 year ago (edited)

I came here by accident, and it was a great accident, I thought I will quickly go through the video, but I found myself listening to every detail, I got hooked, I couldn't stop untill I finished the whole video, thank you very much for all the effort you put on researching the subject and presenting it in a beautiful way. I spent a great time. From Yemen, respect 🙂

Rahil

1 year ago

This is gold. Thank you. 🤍

Malik Kafoor

1 year ago

Assalamualaikum, could you please make a separate video on Ibn Arabi's (Fusus-al-Hikam).

Best content ever👍

Much love from Kashmir

Althaf Hussain

2 years ago

Incredibly beautiful.. In fact my experience throughout listening you was not about Ibn Arabi, but about the beautiful One alone.

Thank you so much for sharing such immense wisdom and knowledge..

First Take Ltd

1 year ago

You are a great scholar and a great teacher !

Hamera Tahir

1 year ago

This is such an interesting topic. What a wonderful insight into one the greatest minds in history! To find Allah swt is the goal of all of us but due to our limited knowledge, we cannot. We can only marvel in awe at the greatest minds of the Golden age of Islam. If I had a time machine, Al Andalus is where I would return to sit at the feet of these great men and drink in every word they said! Truly they brought light where there was darkness.

Ebrima O. Bah

1 year ago

A beautiful presentation! So great...

Abdulkader AlSalhi

1 year ago

Well done, a very good presentation for Ibn Arabi 's difficult to understand writings.. God bless you

Ibrahim Noori Ashrafi

1 year ago

This channel deserve 100 million subscriber. Great work you have done brother. Keep it up❣️

1 reply

A B

2 years ago

really really good content! thank you for this introduction, i have heard about him but didn't know much about his teachings, know i have a brief understanding!

Leaf Zuk

1 year ago

I am amazed by how similar this is to the Hassidic teaching/philosophy I received in Yeshiva. Different words and perspective but so familiar; in essence Hassidus 101. Very cool

1 reply

Rifat Sele

1 year ago

Thank you. Your skillful and informative work answered some of my soul searching questions. Very well presented. Thank you again.

Mullanaver M.B

2 months ago

What a great info about our Islamic Sufi of Al andulas Hzt Ibnul Arabi, i got enlightenment from vedios love from India bro

Ahmad Alwasim

1 year ago

What a rich and respectful video you created. You made me interested to read more about this period of islam.

come towards true islam.

2 months ago

Aslamualykum brother you have done tremendous job keep it up may ALLAH bless you and your lovely family.

It’s Me

2 years ago

This video is the best video I have watched on youtube!

Thank you for introducing Ibn Arabi to me. I have recently adopted the Quran into my life and this has connected some big dots for me. I've always had a feeling that this description of Allah was the way Arabi explains it but could never quite make sense of it in my head. I have heard it described by non-muslims but something was missing.

Alhamdulillah

OnyxIdol

1 year ago

Very informative and enlightening, good video!

Samhat J

1 year ago

Thank you for all the work you have been doing.

Will you make any video specifically about Sufi Master Mansoor Al Hallaj?

K Bone

1 year ago

Ibn 'Arabi has always been one of my favorite Sufi thinkers, and Saracen Spain was an amazing blossoming. In my opinion, he was not a mystic, but only spoke as if he was one. This was because of the linguistic tools and socio-cultural structure of the time, which also fed the general self-preservation instincts (I am sure he was aware of them). It is the ESSENCE of the philosophical, religious, and metaphysical which is being distilled (see the story the different blind people looking for "grapes"... as well as the metaphor of turning grapes into wine ). To become Truth Realized, as I think IA was, is to become something of a heretic. As such, I think that is why your professor said what he said about "understanding" him. IA spoke as a butterfly, and your professor was likely still a caterpillar.

Pankaj Priyadarshi

1 year ago

Well researched and well spoken. You have done reasonable justice to the wonderful writings of the great thinker.

Heard a good part of of it. Many are so wise, logical and deep.

It is however, not wise for any of us to impose our (current) understanding on the meanings. It is best to present the teachings/sayings as they are.

Priyaranjan dash

9 months ago

This might be weird to say but listening ibn Arabi philosophy or experience I feel like I am learning Advaita vedanta in a new and good way since I am follower of Advaita vedanta from start.

3 replies

Ender

2 years ago (edited)

Amazing video, very informative and objective! Thanks so much for all the effort you've put into this. Deserves so much more views!

Let's Talk Religion

1 reply

Leiferuphugus

2 years ago

I've checked out a few of your videos before and enjoyed them. But for some reason this one hits like a resonate harmonic! As a Thelemite and modern Gnostic theurge (in the sense of pursuing spiritual experiences) there are many elements of this guy's life and theology that really synch up with my own, except that on a scale of 1:10 my experiences are like a 4 compared with ibn Arabi's 11.

1 reply

Zeeshan Shahzad

2 months ago

Loved it. Great job summarizing a rather difficult subject such as Ibn Arabi.

Hussain Muhammad

1 year ago

Hej! Imponerande sätt att beskriva djupaste ämne !! Älskar och uppskattar dina videos. Ser fram emot om du skulle kunna göra en avsnitt om Imam Ali ibne Abi Talib!!

Stort respekt

Art of Metta

1 year ago

thank you ❤️ i like ur style, very nice presentation. i was captivated the hole way tru, its a pleasure to listen your voice , rythms and expression. im grateful to have found u here.

Rob Haarlem

1 month ago

Well that sounded familiar, nothing and everything as the cradle of creation, in every breath. Beautiful and very inspiring documentary, thank you

Swires Cold

2 years ago

This is great. Thank you so much for making this available to us. I wish there was some online discussion on how he compares and differs with other philosophical schools on metaphysics and cosmology.

Let's Talk Religion

1 reply

The Path of Eudaimonia

1 year ago (edited)

Splendid! Ibn-Arabi sounds like right up my alley.

Thanks for the work you are doing, brother.

13LackMajik

1 year ago

This was fascinating. Thank you.

Dharmapal Sharma

2 months ago

Truth never ceases to be; Untruth exists not…. नास्तो विद्यते भावो नाभावो विद्यते सत्🌺✡️☪️♋️☸️🕉️⛎✝️⚛️🛐🌺

Spin Bet

4 months ago

Subhan Allaha Be Hamdee, Subhan Allaha Al Azeem, Peace and blessings on our Prophet, greater than our lifes.

Julia Connell

5 months ago

THANK YOU - I have enjoyed this so much, given me so much pleasure & joy. I was brought up in the christian/catholic faith & though both my parents walked the walk (as opposed to people who worship for one hour per week & therefore consider themselves 'good' no matter their behaviour outside church/temple/whatever your place of worship). they were both active in their community, quietly helping others. however when I was 7, walking home from school suddenly realised I did not 'believe' in the teachings/religion. whether or not jesus was/is god - his teachings were sound/good/right - the problem is the people who have strayed from what he taught - and turned worship of GOD to worship of Jesus. here in the thoughts of my muslim brothers (& sisters?) I find truth and solace, wisdom and understanding. as much as I find connection here, as a woman, I simply cannot submit to the muslim religion, as much as I find connection - it would interfere with my path, my relationship with GOD. again, here I find such joy & wisdom. all rivers flow from the same source - my GOD is all, everything, love, truth beauty. ❤🧡💛💚💙💜🖤🤍🤎

KOVIDENIYA

2 years ago

That was an excellent introduction! You are a very talented popularizer, happy to have found your channel. I was listening to podcasts by Peter Adamson from Philosophy without any Gaps. Its a great resource too, but there is something missing when you can only hear the voice and not see the person talking or be able to read the quotes or leave comments. So, your style and delivery format here on YouTube work extremely well.

Bilal Nasir

4 months ago

A great price of teaching so beautifully explained in such a understandable way. Jazakallah

Husarious Maximus

1 year ago

This was very good. Thank you 🙏🏽

hassanmustafah

3 months ago

Great effort simplifying Ibn Arabi ideas. Very tough job. Loved the work ❤

Gavri'el

2 years ago

What a beautiful video! Thank you so much. This really reminds me of Nagarjuna's Madhyamaka philosophy. I wonder if there is any possibility that ibn Arabi had access to Buddhist texts in his lifetime.

2 replies

Camille Espinas

3 months ago

“Mystical unveiling..” love that !

andy forsythe

2 years ago

' My journey was to myself, and it was to myself I was guided'. 🙏

Let's Talk Religion

6 replies

Jonathan Jensen

1 year ago

Sheesh, this is like exactly what I received. I use the metaphor of the wind blowing on the water, but also used light and a prism. It's because a person can make nothing except based on what is in themself.

Amir Lodi

2 years ago

Thank you for this beautiful an brilliant explanation!

Longcoat Gamer

1 year ago

It seems I need to learn more of this man, because all of this is making too much sense for it to be as your teacher said.

Algerian Pledge

1 year ago

you explain things perfectly. may god help you in your path

Bilge Günlü

1 year ago

You have one of the best video essay about Ibn Arabi. Thank you

الأمين حمادي

2 years ago (edited)

Definitely one of the best that I heard talking about Ibn Arabi on YouTube. Definitely subscribing and watching all of your videos. Thank you again for your magnificent effort :) and may God guide and bless us all.

Let's Talk Religion

5 replies

tauseefmc

5 months ago

Amazing intro to Ibn Arabi! Thanks!

david mcgrath

1 year ago

I was raised in an American Roman Catholic family, and this is the first time I ever really payed attention to Ibn 'Arabi. Rumi has been part of my heart and life for years, but after hearing this, I intend to read much more about him. It struck me how much his path seemed like Jesus. At least he didn't have to deal with the Romans. Thank you for this wonderful introduction.

1 reply

From Ideology to Unity - Logos Legacy

1 year ago

What do you think of portrayal of Ibn Arabi in the tv show - Resurrection: Ertrugul and the mystical themes of the show?

Murat

1 year ago (edited)