Ibn Arabi: "Of the name 3Abdullah"

Entrance to the Tomb of Sidi Muhyiddine

From Kitab al “3Abadila“(Those who carry the name 3Abd (slave, servant) + a beautiful Name)

Since the name 3Abd Allah is a comprehensive name for those elevated in ranks, we have made it a translator, as a translator combines many tongues. We then added this name to the Station (Maqam) of a slave who has been awarded one of the Stations of the Divine Names, a Perfected Pupil (Insan Kamel) a Prophet or a Friend of Allah (Wali)*.

*Surat Maryam 19:30 : “ He said: I am 3Abdullah, He gave me the Scripture and made me a Prophet” [Issa (as)].

3Abdullah ibn 3Abdullah ibn Muhammad ibn 3Abdullah said:

“Of the Divine Presence, what emerged first is The Name. Of the Letters, the first that emerged is the Ba. Of the Objectified Beings (Mawjudat), the first that emerged is the Intrinsic Essence (Jawhar) and the first to be dyed with the hue (Sibghah*) of the Intrinsic Essence is the Light (Noor). The first Accident (‘AraDd) that emerged was Movement.

The first of His Qualities (Na3at) He allowed the witnessing thereof is Majesty (Jalal). The first that He uttered is “I” (Ana). The first attribute He accepted from the created is Timidity/Modesty (Haya’). The first momentary state of being (Hal) that comes to the created is dissolution, the first knowledge he is capable of receiving is the knowledge of Allah; in that knowledge, he is able to see his own self (Nafs)”.

* Surat al-Baqara 2:138: “A hue from Allah! And who could give a better hue than Allah, if we but truly worship Him?"

He also said, “3alam (Universe) is taken from 3alamat (Sign). For each truth points to a Divine Truth. The existence of the truth is founded on the Truth. Each truth and its Truth must remain coupled. When Allah (swt) remembers the Universe, look to which of the Names He has added to the Universe, it is thus that you can discern which of the Universes Allah addressed”.

He also said, “When al-Haqq (swt) refers to Himself in the singular [I] and refers to you in the plural, that is because of His Unicity and your multiplicity relative to your lack of needless-ness (Ghina) and to the existence of your poverty.

And When al-Haqq (swt) refers to Himself in the plural (Us,We), that is because of the truth of the Divine Names. When He addresses you in the singular it is because He is addressing one meaning (Ma3na) in you and not your totality. Know then whom in you He has addressed and open your hearing to His Divine Address”.

  

He also said, “The multiplicity of paths is due to the multiplicity of truths; only the straight ones He has decreed and those are all the ones which end towards Him”.

He also said: “Petitioning for [His] help is an affirmation of the Kawn (Creation,[ resulting from the command Kun]). The 3aref (Divine Knower) petitions from the standpoint that he is commanded to petition; he knows who the petitioner is and knows Who Knows whom the petitioner is”.

In addition, he said, “The reward of the common people (al 3amat) is according to the deeds and is granted out of the source of Ownership (3ayn al Mulk), while the reward of the Divine Knowers comes from the source of Bestowal/gifting (3ayn al Minnat)”.

And he said, “If a matter/a command (Amr) is established between 2 Divine Names, it will have two differing faces, as each Divine Name has a face that is different from that of another. The matter/command will seek the Name that has accepted it and has shown it Its Face, that is a Station of Truth (Haqq), a Seat of truthfulness (Sidq) * and a majestic rank due to what preceded it and what followed it of the Names...It is preserved from the occurrences of veiling”

*Surat al Qamar 55:54 : “in a seat of truth, in the presence of a Sovereign who determines all things”.

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NB: * The quoted Qur'anic verses are not part of Ibn Arabi's text.