Third-level scholar of Islamic philosophy, Center for Specialized Education in Islamic Philosophy, Qom Seminary
Abstract
‘Unity of existence’ is a phrase in the possessive case, wherein the first noun (unity) is the same as the second noun (existence), not something added to it. And since the existence is a personal and unique one (essentially necessity existence), the unity is the same as the essence. One may prove in two ways that Ibn Arabi believes in unity of existence: first, Ibn Arabi’s explicit statements and analogies; and second, his opponents’ explicit statements. Among the necessities and subsidiary ideas of ‘unity of existence’ is that just one being has filled the whole existence and is the essential instance of existence. Therefore, the creatures are not the essential instances of existence. Besides, God is distinct from the creatures in embracing mode. Similarly, the unity of the God’s essence with creatures or His incarnation in creatures is negated, because incarnation and unity is possible where there are two beings. This is while, according to the mystical foundation, there is just one ‘being’ in the whole existence and the others are its states. Of course, this does not mean the negation of pluralities; rather, all pluralities take their reality, in a qualification not causation relation, from the very existence of God, and are realized through the existence of God. Besides, one must pay attention to the fact that since God’s essence cannot establish an existence relationship with things, it must be reduced to first determination and second determination so that the things may be created: the names and attributes in the position of essence are merged like names and attributes in first determination. However, there is no possibility of creation in the position of essence; but in first determination – although there is no creation – there is the possibility of creation. This possibility of creation in first determination prepares the ground for scientific detailed plurality in second determination. And these scientific pluralities of the names and attributes become the source of pluralities in creation in second determination
