Human and Divine Breaths: Mirrors of Creation, Language and Love

Ibn 'Arabi states in Futuhat that 'the breath of the creatures comes from the divine breath' or that 'the human breath has the same form as that of the Merciful.' Parting from this idea, a whole set of implications related with the articulation of language, the act of praising, the continuous creation, the esoteric-exoteric dialectic or even with love, unfolds itself. From the reading of some of Ibn Arabi's cosmological texts, it can be deduced that there is a correlation between the cycle of breath exhalation/inhalation and the rhythm of creation/annihilation in the Universe. Gracia López Anguita is a lecturer in the Dept. of Arab and Islamic Studies at the University of Seville. She obtained her European PhD with a thesis on Ibn Arabi's treatise 'Uqlat al-mustawfiz awarded with the Doctorate Prize. She focuses her research on the thought of this Master and his school. She has been a visiting researcher at Allameh Tabatabai University and at the École Pratique des Hautes Études and is currently part of the team of the research project funded by the Spanish Government and European funds: "Cultural and Religious Identity in Sufism in Morocco and Senegal: Hagiographies, Gender and Symbology." Recorded by Warburg Institute

Muhammad writes: This lecture explores the concept of the anthropocosmic self in Ibn 'Arabi's thought, presenting his vision of life as a dynamic interplay between the human being, the cosmos, and the divine. Ibn ʿArabi, a seminal figure in Sufism, offers a profound framework for understanding selfhood - not as an isolated entity but as a microcosm deeply interwoven with the macrocosm and the divine. This anthropocosmic perspective reorients the purpose of human existence from self-centred individuality to a participatory role in the unfolding of divine realities within creation. It argues that the ultimate vision of life, according to Ibn 'Arabi, is a journey of spiritual realization, wherein the human being transcends dualities and becomes a living bridge between the physical and the transcendent realms. The talk concludes by reflecting on the contemporary relevance of Ibn 'Arabi’s anthropocosmic vision, particularly in addressing modern existential and ecological crises, offering a model of selfhood that harmonizes personal flourishing with cosmic and spiritual interconnectedness. Muhammad U. Faruque is Associate Professor of Islamic Philosophy and Environmental Studies at the University of Cincinnati. A scholar of Islamic Studies and global philosopher, he has lectured widely across North America, Europe, and Asia. His work, translated into multiple languages, has been recognized by major U.S. funding bodies, including the Templeton Foundation and the U.S. Department of Education. His first book, Sculpting the Self (University of Michigan Press, 2021), won the World Prize for Book of the Year from the President of Iran. His forthcoming book, The Interconnected Universe: Sufism, Climate Change, and Ecological Living, explores how Sufi contemplative practices foster an ecologically sustainable way of life through an "anthropocosmic" vision of the self.

This is an online book launch in December 2024 in conjunction with Anqa Books (Stephen Hirtenstein) and the Muhyiddin Ibn Arabi Society (Kris Ramlan). Professor Michael Sells gives an appraisal, followed by a Q&A. This book is the first English translation of two key works by Ibn 'Arabi on the 99 Divine Names: Kashf al-ma'nā and an excerpt from Futūḥāt al-Makkiyya. With an introduction and insightful notes, it presents Ibn 'Arabi's comprehensive understanding of the Divine Names, which underpin the very fabric of existence, and how he focuses on three aspects of the Names: our dependence on each Name, the reality of the Name in relation to God, and the servant's being characterised by the Name. It is an essential guide for anyone seeking to understand the real mystical significance of the Divine Names and Ibn 'Arabi's vision of the divine-human relationship. Pablo Beneito, Professor in the Department of Translation and Interpreting at the University of Murcia, Spain, is a renowned translator and commentator on Ibn 'Arabi's works. He also serves as the editor of El Azufre Rojo: Revista de Estudios sobre Ibn Arabi and coordinates activities for the Muhyiddin Ibn Arabi Society–Latina.

To help bring Ibn 'Arabi's timeless teachings to life for people today, Dickson, in his new book, explores key themes from the Fusus al-Hikam (The Gemstones of Wisdom), a work that conveys the essential wisdom of the prophets on being, reality and human capacity. Dickson addresses many of the challenging aspects of Ibn 'Arabi's thought, showing how multiple interpretations allow it to engage modern audiences and contribute to philosophical and ecumenical discussions. This conversation will focus on how complex metaphysical ideas and theological debates can be accessible and relevant for both spiritual seekers and intellectuals. Join us for a gathering featuring an insightful contemporary engagement with Ibn 'Arabi’s ideas. Hailing from Calgary, Alberta, William Rory Dickson was drawn to Islam and Sufism in his late teens. He pursued the study of Sufism in graduate degrees in Waterloo, Ontario, while maintaining a broad interest in various contemplative traditions. His first book, Living Sufism in North America: Between Tradition and Transformation (SUNY 2015), was the first academic monograph on North American Sufi groups. He has co-authored an introduction to Sufism with Meena Sharify-Funk, Unveiling Sufism: From Manhattan to Mecca (Equinox 2017), as well as an overview of Sufism in the modern period, Contemporary Sufism: Piety, Politics, and Popular Culture (Routledge 2018), with Sharify-Funk and Merin Shobhana Xavier. His latest work, Dissolving into Being: The Wisdom of Sufi Philosophy (Anqa 2024) offers an introduction to Sufi philosophy, providing a modern commentary on chapters of Ibn ‘Arabi’s Gemstones of Wisdom. Dickson is Associate Professor and Chair of the Religion and Culture Department at the University of Winnipeg.

Dunja writes: In Islam, Azrael is best known as the angel of death. The divine unveilings he received led Ibn Arabi to the conclusion that he is also a friend, healer and protector of pious Muslims. My lecture dwells deeper into the archangel's relationship with humans - with special emphasis on the spiritual seekers endowed with the heart of Azrael. Dunja Rasic is a researcher at the University of Religions and Denominations and the author of The Written World of God (Oxford: Anqa Publishing, 2021), Bedeviled (Albany: State University of New York Press, 2024) and The Nightfolk (Oakland: University of California Press, 2025). Her research interests revolve around philosophical Sufism, philosophy of language, Sufi cosmology and the school of Ibn 'Arabi.

The title for this talk is drawn from the final mysterious book-title mentioned by Ibn 'Arabi in his listing of his own writings in the Fihrist ('Catalogue'). It would be impossible to appreciate Ibn 'Arabi's writings without encountering the notion of al-insān al-kāmil explicitly or implicitly, but how and where does Ibn 'Arabi actually use the term in his writing? What are the key features of this perfect human? In what way could it apply to each and every human being? Stephen Hirtenstein is a MIAS Senior Research Fellow and Director of Anqa Publishing. He served as the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of the Muhyiddin Ibn 'Arabi Society from 1982 to 2023. Since 2001, he has been working on the MIAS archiving project for the historic manuscripts of Ibn 'Arabi. He works as an Editor for the Encyclopaedia Islamica (Brill in association with The Institute of Ismaili Studies, London) and runs courses on Sufism and Sufi poetry at the University of Oxford. His most recent publications include a three-part article on Ibn 'Arabi’s Fihrist ('Catalogue') in the Journal, and books such as Patterns of Contemplation (2021) and Ibn 'Arabi’s Prayers for the Week (2021). He is currently revising his first book, The Unlimited Mercifier (1999). He has just been elected an Honorary Fellow of the Ibn 'Arabi Society.

Angela writes: Overshadowed by his younger brother Moses, known primarily for his negative role in the Golden Calf saga, the Prophet Aaron’s importance may seem to some negligible, his status auxiliary, his effect doubtful. A close reading of the Shaykh al-Akbar’s various treatments of this seemingly minor prophet, however, allows us to take a second look at this paradoxical prophet and the complex nature of his leadership and cosmic significance, as themes as perplexing as transcendental and immanental worship, mercy and severity, beauty and majesty come to the fore. This presentation will examine a number of texts where Aaron’s role is singled out in a significant way. In addition to the more familiar Futūḥāt chapters (primarily: "Alchemy of Human Happiness," and "Breath") and the Fuṣūṣ al-Ḥikam’s "Chapter on the Religious Leadership in the Word of Aaron,"" we will also take a look at various other sources, including the Prayers of the Week, the Mosul Revelations, the Night Journey, and the Voyages of the Prophets. Angela Jaffray is an independent scholar specialising in the translation of and commentary on the short works of Ibn ‘Arabī. Her translation of Ibn ‘Arabī’s al-Ittiḥād al-kawnī (The Universal Tree and the Four Birds) was published by Anqa Publications in 2007, and her translation and commentary on Ibn ‘Arabī’s Isfār ‘an natā’ij al-asfār (The Secrets of Voyaging) was published by Anqa Publications in 2015, reprinted in 2016. She is currently working on a revised translation and commentary on al-Niffarī’s Mawāqif and Mukhaṭabāt.

William C. Chittick is an internationally renowned scholar on Islamic civilization as well as Comparative Philosophy and Religious Studies. He is author, editor and translator of 30 books and monographs, and nearly 200 articles on Islamic thought, Shi’ism and Sufism. His works have been translated into a dozen languages used in the Middle East, East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia and Europe. His writings have influenced all students of Islamic thought and have played an important role in changing the content and contour of philosophy education by breaking the hegemony of Western philosophy. Dr. Chittick is the recipient of three National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowships, a Fulbright Fellowship, and most recently, a John Simon Guggenheim Fellowship. He won the World Prize for the Book of the Year twice, conferred by the Islamic Republic of Iran. His fierce dedication to the pursuit of knowledge has been an inspiration for all his colleagues in the Department of Asian and Asian American Studies, where he has mentored students and scholars of Islamic studies from all over the world.

Dr Sachiko Murata’s research has included the interrelationships between Islamic and Far Eastern thought, especially in the writings of the Huiru, “the Muslim Confucianists,” who wrote numerous tracts in Chinese from the seventeenth through the nineteenth centuries. She has published many scholarly articles and a number of books. These include Isuramu Horiron Josetsu (Iwanami, 1985), the translation of a major text on the principles of Islamic jurisprudence from Arabic into Japanese; The Tao of Islam: A Sourcebook on Gender Relationships in Islamic Thought (SUNY Press, 1992); Chinese Gleams of Sufi Light: Wang Tai-yu’s Great Learning of the Pure and Real and Liu Chih’s Displayig the Concealment of the Real Realm (SUNY Press, 2000); and with the collaboration of William C. Chittick and Tu Weiming, The Sage Learning of Liu Zhi: Islamic Thought in Confucian Terms (Harvard University Press, 2009).

Shankar Nair specializes in Muslim-Hindu interactions in South Asia, Sufism and Islamic philosophy, Qur'anic exegesis, Hindu philosophy and theology, and South Asian religious literatures, primarily in the context of the early modern period, but also including the medieval period