Abstract
This paper deals with Abū Bakr Ibn al-‘Arabī’s Ash‘arite theological perspective. He chose to adopt Ash‘arism because he believes that God chose certain figures to safeguard religion and the most important one among them is Abu al-Hasan al-Ash‘arī from whom correct theology spread from one generation of disciples to another. His education at Nidhamiyya College and Abu Hamid al-Ghazali’s tutorship might also be responsible for his preference for Ash‘arism. However, even though he was al-Ghazali’s student, he was not attracted by Sufism, instead keeping his focus on theology. He objected to Sufism for two defects he perceived it to possess. First is Sufis’ references to fake Hadiths and second the Sufi practice of self-mortification. As a devoted Ash‘arite, he consistently opposes the anthropomorphic interpretation of God’s nature espoused by the Hanbalites and the Dhahirite.
Highlights
Despite the major significance of Abū Bakr Ibn al-‘Arabī’s (468/1076-543/1148) role as the champion of Ash‘arism in Spain, until now there has been very little attention given to exploring his contribution to Islamic theological discourse, especially with regards to Ash‘arism. there does not appear to be a single study in English focusing on the theological thought of this scholar
Studying Critically with al-Ghazālī Al-‘Arabī tells that Abū Ḥāmid al-Ghazālī (450/1058-505/1111) was among his important teachers. His great admiration for al-Ghazālī is reflected in his description of him as a full moon that lights up the heavens and states in relation to him that he really met one of the greatest men of the age.[1]. While it is not clear whether or not he spent a long period of time with al-Ghazālī, it appears that he met him during his sojourn at al-Madrasa al-Nidhāmīya (Nidhamiyya College) in Baghdad as well as in Tus where he may have studied some of al-Ghazālī’s works with al-Ghazālī himself.[2]
In terms of interpreting ambiguous religious texts, he adopts the metaphorical approach of later Ash‘arism. His harsh critique of the literal interpretation of such texts is addressed to the Hanbalites, and to the Zahirites and the earlier Ash‘arites who followed the Hanbalites’ literalist method
Summary
Despite the major significance of Abū Bakr Ibn al-‘Arabī’s (468/1076-543/1148) role as the champion of Ash‘arism in Spain, until now there has been very little attention given to exploring his contribution to Islamic theological discourse, especially with regards to Ash‘arism. there does not appear to be a single study in English focusing on the theological thought of this scholar. Concerning al-‘Arabī’s reaction to the anthropomorphic tendency of the Hanbalites, he rejects the literal interpretation of Abū Ya’lā ibn al-Farrā’ (380458/ 990-1066) of a famous Hadith that tells that Adam was created in accordance with God’s form.
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