The Sufi Path of Knowledge

By William C. Chittick,

Book cover of The Sufi Path of Knowledge: Ibn Al-Arabi's Metaphysics of Imagination

Book description

"For the first time in the history of Orientalism, a thorough study of Ibn al-'Arabi's thought is now available. William Chittick has given us a translation of numerous passages from the work of the Magister Magnus and placed them in their theological context, thus removing many misunderstandings that have prevailed…

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Why read it?

2 authors picked The Sufi Path of Knowledge as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

This book was a revelation for me when it came out, and I continue to use it as both reference and a source of new ideas and inspiration. The author felicitously combines a deeply personal perspective on Sufism’s greatest thinker Ibn ‘Arabi (1165–1240) with academic rigor and precision in translation. His comments on Ibn ‘Arabi’s teachings are unobtrusive and helpful in navigating the Sufi master’s breathtaking exploration of the universe that he presents, paradoxically, as a giant reflection of the [self-]image and imagination of the Divine Absolute. The subtle interaction of mundane and divine imaginations determines how we ourselves imagine…

From Alexander's list on teaching you how to be a Sufi.

This book quite literally rocked my world when I read it in my early twenties, leaving me wondering where the great Sufi philosopher Ibn ‘Arabi had been all my life. In unparalleled fashion, master translator and interpreter of Sufi texts William Chittick takes readers into Ibn ‘Arabi’s universe by carefully outlining the Master’s teachings in his own words, and on his own terms. The only condition I would say one must fulfill before reading this book is to have the willingness to see with what Ibn ‘Arabi calls “two eyes”—the eye of reason and intelligence, and the eye of imagination…

From Mohammed's list on Sufi philosophy.

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