A Comparative Study Of The Divine Names And Attributes In Kabbalah,s And Ibn-Arabi,s Shcool. With Emphasis On Bahir And Zohar

Author:
Ali Nazari
Level:
Ph.D
Subject(s):
Sufism and Islamic Mysticism
Language:
Farsi
Faculty:
Faculty of Mysticism
Year:
2017
Publisher:
URD Press
Supervisor(s):
Shahram Pazouki, Reza Elahi Manesh
Advisor(s):
Alireza Fahim

This paper is about one of the attractive subjects in Islamic and Jewish Mysticisms. The aim is to conduct feasibility study on interactions between two schools of thought, Ibn Arabi’s Islamic Mysticism and Kabbalah Jewish Mysticism, through comparing the most pivotal matter of both schools that is Divine names and attributes and Saphira.. This research is to reach to an appropriate and fair answer through investigation and analysis of historical documents (Text Output Method) and qualitative analysis of the inherited works (such as Sefer Yetzira, Zohar in Kabbalah Mysticism, Fotouhat Makieh, Fusus Al-hekam, Shajareh Alkon in Ibn Arabi’s School of thought). For this purposes, this research investigates two mystic traditions in seven degree or level mentioned below:

  1. Ontology
  2. Mohammadiyah Truth (p. b. o. h) and Adam Kadmon
  3. Devine Names and Attributes and Sephirot
  4. Cosmology and Cosmogony
  5. Perfect Man and Adam HaRishon
  6. Spirit and Shakhina
  7. Esoteric Knowledge including: examination of letters and figures secrets and predicting future from Tarot Cards, by comparing and determining similarities and differences.

Considering the origin of both mystic schools, which is the Iberia (now called, Spain and Portugal); and, its relative time coincidence in century 13th and effective scientific and cultural exchanges and connections between Islamic, Jewish and Christian thinkers in that territory and flourishing age of translation movement in Andalusia, makes it possible the interactions between two schools of thought.

Finally, the research findings demonstrate that the hypothesis:

  1. Independency of Ibn Arabi from Kabbalah School over other hypothesis including,
  2. Non-independency Hypothesis, means effect of mysticism on Kabbalah;
  3. Hypothesis of the Effect of Kabbalah on Mysticism; and
  4. Two-way interactive Hypothesis of Mysticism and Kabbalah

is weighing more remarking the fact that despite of two-way interaction between Kabbalah and Islamic mysticism in the east of the Islamic world (Baghdad) and its west (Andalusia) and taking advantage of Islamic Sufism followers from Jewish teachings, and vice-versa, effect of Islamic mysticism on Jewish piety, prior to Ibn Arabi era; however, unique characteristics of Ibn Arabi, his independent ideas, is in a way that despite having access to Jewish mysticism literature and existence of undoubted historic documents proving companionship and familiarity of Ibn Arabi with the greats of nations including Jews, Christian, Islamic Mystic greats; essentially, Ibn Arabi, has accepted certain viewpoints which are in line with his cognitive system (Pantheism) in a compatible way; otherwise, he had rejected them. He explicitly expresses that all the truth mentioned in his works are the result of his own journey into Mohammadi Sharia. Although, Ibn Arabi acknowledged on substantial unity of religions, implicitly prohibit practicing mystical traditions of Jewish and Christians by Muslims based on Prophet Mohammad’s instruction concerning not being supported those having heavenly books, by approval or denial. From other side, there are historical evidences proving access of the founders of Kabbalah Groningen such as Abraham Abulafia, Musa Du Leon To to Ibn Arabi’s works & His Commentators.