The importance of Muhyi al-Din Ibn al-Arabi (1165-1240) for Islamic mysticism lies in the fact that he was a speculative thinker of the highest order, albeit diffuse and difficult to understand. His central doctrine is the unity of all existence. In this text, William Chittick explores how, through the work of Ibn Al-Arabi, Sufism moves away from anguished and ascetic searchings of the heart and conscience and becomes a matter of speculative philsophy and theosophy.

Renowned expert William Chittick covers the life and works of the legendary Spanish-born Sufi writer Ibn Arabi in this new biography. Discussing not only Ibn Arabi's work on the subject of mysticism, Chittick also examines Ibn Arabi's love poetry.

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"Full of quotes of Ibn al-Arabi, makes interesting reading"