The Five Divine Presences: From Al‐qūńw? To Al‐qayari̇

The Sufi Doctrine of Man

“…As for general style, Ṣadr al-Dīn's works are altogether more neutral in tone -cooler if one will -than those of his master, and are noticeably devoid of poetic verses,21 which, by contrast, form an integral element of Ibn ʿArabī's oeuvre.22 Noticeable too, as already mentioned, is the fact that apart from the occasional mention of "the Shaykh"23 Qūnawī almost never refers to other Sufi masters.24 This differs markedly from Ibn ʿArabī, whose writings -though representing a new departure in the development of Sufi metaphysicsretain much of the flavour of earlier Sufi literature, characterised as they are by a familiar, anecdotal style along with numerous references to the 25 References to the sayings and deeds of earlier masters feature abundantly in much of the classic literature of Taṣawwuf. Notable examples are Qushayrī's Risāla, Hujwīrī's Kashf al-maḥjūb, and Kalābādhī's al-Taʿarruf li-madhhab ahl al-taṣawwuf.…”

“…Having captured vital outlets to the Mediterranean and the Black Sea, the ensuing revenue from transit trade helped fund the cultural and architectural efflorescence of the Seljuq capital, Konya.23 Noticeable,too,in this period is the generally favourable attitude of the Seljuq sultans towards Sufism, with Kaykāʾūs famously providing a haven for Ibn ʿArabī24 while his successor, Kaykūbād, offered protection to the family of Jalāl al-Dīn Rūmī. 25 From the 1240's onwards the political landscape of Seljuq Anatolia would be dominated by one feature above all others: the encroaching Mongol threat from the East. In fact, since the Mongols had first started their campaigns, some twenty years earlier, against the Iranian dominions of the Khwarazmian shah, Konya and Rūm in general had been absorbing waves of refugees from Introduction 26 See Cl.…”

“…( outstanding representatives of the qawm, or "folk", with whom the author has kept company. 25 Finally, Qūnawī's works contain far fewer Qurʾānic quotations. That said it still seems something of an exaggeration to suggest, as Chittick does, that Ṣadr al-Dīn's writings "focus on philosophical issues rather than on Qurʾān and hadith".26 His longest work, after all, is his commentary on the Fātiḥa; and, as will be seen, much of his metaphysical language -like that of his master -is derived from scriptural concepts and terms.…”

“…Although, on the whole, he says relatively little about how long these formative stages take, or what modalities man, or at least his underlying essence, assumes in his descent through these degrees, he does state that this journey falls under the aegis of the Divine Name "the Eternity" (al-dahr),24 and that "man sojourns in each of the worlds and presences through which he 25 Iʿjāz, p. 320. 26 Iʿjāz, p. 320.…”

“…24 He relates these complementary facets to those mentioned in the Qurʾānic verse {For every one of you We have made a law and a way} (Qurʾān,V,48). 25 He adds, for example, that the inner spirit is concerned with "acquainting souls with the most direct path to perfection" (Iʿjāz, p. 300) and with "vivifying the link between the spirit of those who follow this way and the spirit of the prophet [who founded it]" (Iʿjāz,p. 298).…”