Sh. Muhyiddin Ibn al-ʿArabī

30 True Insight Into the World of Nondelimited Imagination

Ibn al-ʿArabī’s chapter is clearly addressed to an audience familiar with the philosophical quest to transcend human limitations and achieve union with the Agent Intellect. His purpose was to show that true recognition of self and God, full realization of the human state, will be found only by following in the footsteps of the guides sent by the Real.

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In other words it is not sufficient to know and realize the reality of the knowledge designated by the formula of tawhīd, ‘There is no god but God,’ as the philosophers do in their quest, even if this knowledge does guarantee salvation.

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To achieve the fullness of the human image of the Divine – the status of the perfect human being, standing in the Muhammadan Station – one must also realize the knowledge embraced by the second formula of faith, ‘Muhammad is God’s Messenger.’ It is this knowledge alone that opens up true insight into the World of Nondelimited Imagination, that is, everything other than God, an ‘everything’ that has been encapsulated by the human reality ever since God taught Adam all the names.