Abstract

This paper examines the transformation of the concepts of being (wujūd) and knowledge (maʿrifa) in the thought of the Andalusian Sufi philosopher Ibn al-ʿArabī (1165–1240) and explores their intellectual reception within the broader tradition of rational Islamic theology in Central Asia. While Ibn al-ʿArabī is often associated primarily with mystical metaphysics, his philosophical interpretation of existence and knowledge significantly influenced later intellectual discourses across the Islamic world, including Central Eurasia. The paper situates Ibn al-ʿArabī’s ontology and epistemology within the historical development of Islamic intellectual traditions that shaped theological and philosophical debates in the region.

The study employs textual and comparative analysis of Ibn al-ʿArabī’s major works, particularly al-Futūḥāt al-Makkiyya and Fuṣūṣ al-Ḥikam, alongside selected writings of later scholars associated with the intellectual traditions of Central Asia. By examining key metaphysical concepts such as the unity of being, divine knowledge, and the relationship between reason and revelation, the paper analyzes how Ibn al-ʿArabī’s thought reconfigured classical theological discussions concerning the nature of existence and the limits of human knowledge.

The central argument of the paper is that Ibn al-ʿArabī’s metaphysical framework introduced a distinctive synthesis between rational theological inquiry and mystical epistemology, thereby transforming the intellectual structure of Islamic theological discourse. This transformation did not simply replace rational theology but rather expanded its conceptual boundaries by integrating metaphysical and spiritual dimensions of knowledge.

By highlighting the philosophical significance of Ibn al-ʿArabī’s ideas in the context of Central Eurasian intellectual history, this paper contributes to broader discussions on the interaction between Sufi metaphysics and rational Islamic theology. It also seeks to reconsider the role of Central Asian intellectual traditions in shaping the reception and reinterpretation of Ibn al-ʿArabī’s thought within the wider Islamic intellectual world.