@article{article_1420714, title={Cosmic Subjectivity in Ibn ‘Ajība’s Qur’anic Exegesis}, journal={Tasavvuf Araştırmaları Enstitüsü Dergisi}, volume={3}, pages={36–53}, year={2024}, author={Golovacheva, Mariya}, keywords={Sufism, Ibn ‘Ajība, tafsīr, subjectivity, consciousness, natural world, majāz}, abstract={In his autobiography the Moroccan Sufi Aḥmad Ibn ‘Ajība cites an incident in which his saintly grandmother gives a command to a snake and the reptile fulfils the lady’s order. Undoubtedly, the story demonstrates the special powers granted to the saintly woman, but is the snake she interacts with also special? Or do snakes (and other natural entities) in general understand more than we ordinarily think? To answer this question and more broadly, to reflect upon the issue of cosmic subjectivity, this article looks into Ibn ‘Ajība’s Qur’anic commentary Al-Baḥr al-Madīd (The Immense Ocean), which is quite unique in its attempt to blend the exoteric and esoteric approaches to the scripture and which is aimed at general public (rather than the initiates on the Sufi path). Whereas the Sufi master himself clearly perceives everything in creation as an understanding subject, when he comments on various Qur’anic verses repeatedly highlighting the “animated quality of nature”, he succeeds in seamlessly bringing together various interpretations (including purely metaphorical readings), accepting them all while singling out the literal reading as the deepest and most accurate depiction of reality, that is understood, seen, and internalised by the spiritually enlightened.}, number={1}, publisher={Uskudar University}