An Analysis of the Content of Waḥdat al-Wujūd: the Relationship between Essence and Existence

Abstract

Discussions about “the unity of existence” (waḥdat al-wujūd), which is always considered together with the name of Ibn ʿArabī, are common not only in Sufism but also in almost all domains of Islamic thought. In this respect, the problem of the unity of existence is a notable and much-debated issue in the history of Islamic philosophy, which results in countless comments on and approaches to the matter. Nevertheless, no solid conclusion or solution is attained. This is primarily because of the lack of a precise explanation of the nature and content of the unity of existence manifested by Ibn ʿArabī and his followers. The unity of existence seems to have two basic principles that can be formulated as follows: “Existence as such is God, and immutable entities (al-aʿyān al-thābita), the truth of contingencies, are not created and existence is subsequently attached to truth.” These two elements exclusively determine whether a doctrine is the unity of existence, whereas the principles abovementioned are entirely grounded on discussions about the relationship between essence and existence. The first and second principles are conclusions of the following opinions, respectively: “The existence of Allah is identical with His essence” and “among contingent beings, the existence is subsequently added to the essence.” In this context, this study therefore seeks an evaluation not only of what unity of existence is but also of the importance of the relationship between essence and existence in terms of the unity of existence as a notable discussion point in Islamic thought.

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