Ibn Al Arabi On The Mysteries Of The Pilgrimage From The Fut T Al Makk Yah Meccan Revelations

Mysteries of the Pilgrimage, Book 10, is the tenth of the thirty-seven books of Ibn al-Arabi's greatest work al-Futuhat al-Makkiyah, the Openings of Makkah. The Greatest Teacher, al-shaykh al-akbar, Ibn al-Arabi dictated to his close friends this work of over 10,000 manuscript pages depicting the extraordinary vision of the Youth he encountered while circling the Kaabah in Makkah. Despite its clear provenance as a completely accurate work, from the hand and mind of its transcriber, and its reputation through the centuries as the most significant and profound reflection of Islamic thought, the Futuhat al-Makkiyah has never been translated from the original classical Arabic in its entirety. The first complete critical edition of twelve volumes was produced in 2010 by Abd al-Aziz Sultan al-Mansoub, after eleven years of intense study of the original manuscripts. From 2012 this translator has been exclusively working on translating this work in order to produce the first complete translation into English of the Futuhat al-Makkiyah. The Futuhat al-Makkiyah is no conventional religious or philosophical text; it is sui generis. Although the work has been described as a vast collection of "metaphysics, cosmology, spiritual anthropology, psychology, and jurisprudence," it is first an integral description of a vision. In order to depict what he saw, Ibn al-Arabi draws on different kinds of language: legal and poetic, geometric and theological. Because these languages are difficult, and especially so for readers removed by eight centuries in time, scholars tend to emphasize the difficulty, even impossibility, of translation-or even conveying-this text (especially without omitting troublesome passages or references). Thus scholarly presentations are limited to excerpts and selections. The translator has benefitted from some of the top Arabic language experts, including Hany Ibrahim, Karim Crow, Pablo Beneito, and Atif Khalil. The critical editor Sidi al-Mansoub has been generous to me with his guidance and instruction. I am solely responsible for mistakes, and the publication of this on-going project as a preprint is to encourage readers to help me improve the work.

According to Ibn 'Arabi, voyaging never ceases, and this applies in all worlds and dimensions. The paradigmatic voyages recounted in this remarkable book offer the reader an inexhaustible source of reflection. As a well-known Sufi saying puts it, 'the spiritual journey is called "voyage" (safar) because it "unveils" (yusfiru) the characters of the Men of God'. The Secrets of Voyaging explores the theme of journeying and spiritual unveiling as it plays out in the cosmos, in scripture and within the soul of the mystic. Beginning with a series of cosmological contemplations, Ibn 'Arabi then turns to his own selective readings of Prophetic lore, in which he gives profound insights on the voyages of Muhammad, Adam, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Lot, Jacob and Joseph, and Moses. Angela Jaffray's translation brings this major treatise to an English-speaking audience for the first time. It is accompanied by a new edition of the Arabic text based on a manuscript in Ibn 'Arabi's own hand, an introduction and extensive notes. It also includes a rich in-depth commentary that will guide the reader through Ibn 'Arabi's subtle and allusive writing.

Book 8, Mysteries of Charity, is the eighth of the thirty-seven books of Ibn al-Arabi's greatest work al-Futuhat al-Makkiyah, the Openings of Makkah. The Greatest Teacher, al-shaykh al-akbar, Ibn al-Arabi dictated to his close friends this work of over 10,000 manuscript pages depicting the extraordinary vision of the Youth he encountered while circling the Kaabah in Makkah.Despite its clear provenance as a completely accurate work, from the hand and mind of its transcriber, and its reputation through the centuries as the most significant and profound reflection of Islamic thought, the Futuhat al-Makkiyah has never been translated from the original classical Arabic in its entirety. The first complete critical edition of twelve volumes was produced in 2010 by Abd al-Aziz Sultan al-Mansoub, after eleven years of intense study of the original manuscripts. From 2012 this translator has been exclusively working on translating this work in order to produce the first complete translation into English of the Futuhat al-Makkiyah.The Futuhat al-Makkiyah is no conventional religious or philosophical text; it is sui generis. Although the work has been described as a vast collection of "metaphysics, cosmology, spiritual anthropology, psychology, and jurisprudence," it is first an integral description of a vision. In order to depict what he saw, Ibn al-Arabi draws on different kinds of language: legal and poetic, geometric and theological. Because these languages are difficult, and especially so for readers removed by eight centuries in time, scholars tend to emphasize the difficulty, even impossibility, of translation--or even conveying--this text (especially without omitting troublesome passages or references). Thus scholarly presentations are limited to excerpts and selections.The translator has benefitted from some of the top Arabic language experts, including Hany Ibrahim, Karim Crow, Pablo Beneito, and Atif Khalil. The critical editor Sidi al-Mansoub has been generous to me with his guidance and instruction. I am solely responsible for mistakes, and the publication of this on-going project as a preprint is to encourage readers to help me improve the work.

Mecca and Medina, the world's most forbidden cities, have long been a symbol of mystery and fascination to outsiders...In this unique, ground-breaking book, one of the world's leading experts in Arabian history investigates the colourful, often astonishing story of these two great cities. Carefully sifting fact from legend, Sultan Ghalib describes their architecture, religious life, society, and politics, and shows how they have played a pivotal role in the history of Islam. All those with an interest in Islamic civilization, religion, and current affairs, will find this volume an indispensable resource. - T.J. Winter, Professor of Islamic Studies, Cambridge University