The Opening And Other Meccan Revelations

This is an English translation of the first volume of Ibn Arabi's famous book of al-futuhat al-makkiyya.The Meccan Revelations is considered the most important book in Islamic mysticism. Ibn al-Árabî started working on this book in Mecca in the year 598 AH / 1202 AD; thus from here it takes its name, where he received the immense knowledge that he had broadcasted in this huge book from a spirit he calls the 'passing young' (al-fatâ al-fâàt) whom he met at the Kaaba. But it took him around thirty years to finish it in Damascus in the year 629 AH / 1232 AD, and then he rewrote it again between 632/1235 and 636/1239, just two years before he passed away.The book consists of 560 chapters that vary in length between as short as half a page and as long as several hundreds. Although it is now mostly printed in four condensed volumes, based on Bulaq edition, it is in total contained in 37 volumes according to Ibn al-Árabî's own arrangement, and each volume is normally divided into seven parts which may start or end regardless of chapters; thus some chapters are placed in more than one part or even more than one volume.Although this volume contains the first chapter of the five hundred and sixty chapters of the Futûħât and a considerable part of the second chapter which is quite long, but we can consider this volume as an introduction to this immense book. As he normally did for other volumes, Ibn al-Árabî divided this volume into seven parts:1. The First Part is a foreword (khuţbah) to the book, but which can also be considered an abstract summary of Ibn al-Árabî's view of the world. He divided this foreword into two sections; in the first one he enclosed his spiritual addressing before the Prophet, may Allah have mercy and peace upon him, and his Companions and other prophets who all met in the world of imaginational realm (ăâlam al-mithâl) and whom he saw through a disclosure attended metaphysically in his heart. In this addressing he speaks about the spiritual hierarchy and the origin of spiritual and physical creation.2. The Second Part is a list of the five hundred and sixty chapters which constitute the Futûħât.3. The Third Part is an introduction to the book, in which he explains the sources of knowledge and the difference between its three types: the intellectual science, the science of states and the science of secrets which he shows that it is highest and all encompassing science which actually includes all other sciences..4. The Fourth Part starts with the first chapter of the Futûħât in which Ibn al-Árabî explains the occasion that led him to this initiative and how he received the knowledge that he is going to broadcast in the book from a spirit he met while circumambulation around the Kaaba.5. The Fifth Part is devoted almost entirely to explaining the ambiguous characters at the beginning of some chapters of Qurãn and particularly ﴾ALٓM: الٓمٓ (àlif-lâm-mîîm)﴿ of sûrat al-Baqarah.6. In the Sixth Part he talks about the properties of the characters one by one.7. The Seventh Part is devoted to explaining the different terms he had used in this weird science of characters.

The Duality of Time Theory is the result of more than two decades of ceaseless investigation and searching through ancient manuscripts of concealed philosophies and mystical traditions, comparing all that with the fundamental results of modern physics and cosmology, until all the contradicting jigsaw pieces were put together into this brilliant portrait. Without the overwhelming proofs and strong confirmations that accumulated over time, it would have been impossible to pursue this long research path, as it was extremely challenging to appreciate the unfathomable secret of time and the consequences of the ongoing perpetual creation of space, that result from the Single Monad Model of the Cosmos. The complex-time geometry of the Duality of Time Theory explains how the physical dimensions of space are sequentially being re-created in the inner levels of time, which makes the outward time genuinely imaginary with respect to the inner real levels. This is easily expressed in terms of the hyperbolic split-complex numbers, that characterize the Relativistic Lorentzian Symmetry. This will have deep implications because space-time has become naturally quantized in a way that explains and unites all the three principles of Relativity, leading to full Quantum Field Theory of Gravity, as well as explaining all the other fundamental interactions in terms of the new granular space-time geometry. This ultimate unification will solve many persisting problems in physics and cosmology. The homogeneity problem, for example, will instantly cease, since the Universe, no matter how large it could be, is re-created sequentially in the inner time, so all the states are updated and synchronized before they appear in the outer level that we encounter. Furthermore, the Duality of Time does not only unify all the fundamental interactions in terms of its genuinely-complex time-time geometry, but it unifies this whole physical world with the two other even more fundamental domains of the psychical and spiritual worlds. All these three conclusive and complementary realms are constructed on the same concept of space-time geometry that together form one single absolute and perfectly symmetrical space. This particular subject is treated at length in the Third Volume of this book series - the Ultimate Symmetry, which explores how the apparent physical and metaphysical multiplicity is emerging from the absolute Oneness of Divine Presence, descending through four fundamental levels of symmetry: ultimate, hyper, super and normal. Among many other astonishing consequences, this astounding conclusion means that the psychical world is composed of atoms and molecules that are identical with the physical world except that they are evolving in orthogonal time direction. It may appear initially impossible to believe how the incorporeal worlds may have the same atomic structure as the physical world, but it is more appropriate to say that physical structures are eventually incorporeal, because they become various wave phenomena and energy interactions as soon as we dive into their microscopic level, as it is now confirmed by Quantum Field Theories. In the Duality of Time Theory, since rigid space is created sequentially in the inner time, energy may become negative, imaginary and even multidimensional, which simply means that all things in creation are various kinds of energy moments that are spreading on different intersecting dimensions of time; so not only mass and energy are equivalent, but also charge and all other physical and metaphysical entities are interconvertible types of energy, including consciousness and information.

Objective and illuminating, this treatise, written by Sufi leader Muhyiddin Ibn 'Arabi, presents a fundamental analysis of spiritual practice. Underscoring the importance of silence, seclusion, hunger, and vigilance, this guide demonstrates that these activities are both physical and spiritual. Providing the necessary tools for an enlightened life, this dual-language edition incorporates the first critical edition of the Arabic text, gathered from the best-surviving manuscripts. An introduction, and translation of chapter 53 of the renowned Futuhat al-Makkiyya, are also included.

Approaching the Qur’an presents brilliant translations of the short, hymnic chapters, or Suras, associated with the first revelations to the Prophet Muhammad. These early Suras contain some of the most powerful, prophetic, and revelatory passages in religious history, offering the vision of a meaningful and just life that anchors the faith of one fifth of the world’s inhabitants. In addition to these translations, Michael Sells provides an introduction to the Qur’an, commentaries on the Suras, a glossary of technical terms, and discussions of the auditory nature and gender aspects of the Arabic text. An ideal resource for students and interested lay readers, this third edition also includes a new full Sura and associated commentary, a new preface, and a thoroughly updated bibliography.

"The continuation of our acclaimed English translation of Les Iluminations de la Meque. Volume II contains more of the "Greatest Shaykh's" wisdom for the first time in English. Subjects include: the gnostic and the sacred law, the mystic properties of the Quranic letters, the secrets of Forgiveness and the attainment of Divine Nearness."--Publisher's website.