Ibn Arabis Mystical Language, Foundutions and Targets

This thesis aims at studying the viewpoint of “Muhyiddin Ibn Arabi”, the prominent Sufi Mystic, about the nature & origin of language and also investigates his approach about Mystic language which is his own innovation. The thesis also deals with the backgrounds and reasons of mystic language development and with all wisdoms & purposes that crystallized his special mystic language and those resulted in the accomplishment of the common mystic language. However, most of these backgrounds and purposes are not the effective exclusively in Ibn Arabi’s mystic language and are generally effective in the mystic language used by all mystic Sufis. Ibn Arabi believes that both the origin and the nature of the language are ABSTRACT divine. His idea of letters and his idea about the influence of letters and words make him similar to the advocates of Hurufism. The language used by Ibn Arabi in depicting his mystic experiences is a combination of common language and the terminology invented personally by him. This language makes Ibn Arabi different from his contemporaries and it is in fact the emergence of a new wisdom called theoretical mysticism. Furthermore, Ibn Arabi’s special attitude towards etymology & interpretation of words has brought him to the center of researchers’ attention. His attitudes are ontologically rooted in his pantheistic beliefs and are epistemologically rooted in his viewing the power of fantasy as the most important tools of cognition. Some of the influential backgrounds and fundamentals of his mystic language include Koran, tradition of the Prophet of Islam, and the mystic & philosophical tradition of his predecessors.