Gregory Vandamme: Spiritual Education and the "Imaginary Master" in Ibn Arabi

Muhyiddin Ibn Arabi Society Online event 24th June, 2023

Spiritual Education and the "Imaginary Master" in Ibn ʿArabī's Kitāb al-Ajwiba al-ʿarabiyya

Although Ibn ʿArabī (d. 638/1240) is known as “the greatest master” (al-shaykh al-akbar), little is known about his practical teachings and his approach to the master-disciple relationship. Apart from scattered accounts of his own companionship with various masters, Ibn ʿArabī dedicates very few books or chapters to the rules of spiritual education. Therefore, the Shaykh al-akbar’s views on the matter remain largely to be determined. An understudied work could contribute to fill this gap: the K. al-Ajwiba al-ʿarabiyya fī sharḥ al-naṣāʾiḥ al-yusūfiyya. It contains a detailed expression of Ibn ʿArabī’s conception of spiritual education, illustrated by numerous details and anecdotes that bring into light the practical and pedagogical implications of his doctrines. This talk will propose a brief overview of the treatise, its originality, and the principles of spiritual education that are defined in it. A particular focus will be given to the notion of “imaginary master”, central to both the pedagogical doctrine of Ibn ʿArabī and the nature of the K. al-Ajwiba al-ʿarabiyya. The talk will delve into how the imaginary master is presented as the necessary interface between the disciple and the master, and how it shapes the whole process of spiritual education.
Gregory Vandamme, holds a PhD in Religious Studies from UCLouvain, specialises in classical Sufi thought, with a particular focus on the works of Ibn ʿArabī and his commentators. His research primarily centres on the metaphysical doctrines and Quranic hermeneutics of Sufism.