Philosophical Sufism I: The School of Ibn al-Arabi
Description
A 12-Week Online Course
This course offers a clear, structured, and intellectually serious introduction to philosophical Sufism through the teachings of Ibn al-ʿArabī, one of the most influential and profound figures in Islamic intellectual and spiritual history. Drawing on the textbook Philosophical Sufism: An Introduction to the School of Ibn al-ʿArabī, the course introduces students to a sophisticated metaphysical tradition that addresses the deepest questions of existence, knowledge, divine reality, and human transformation.
Over twelve weeks, students will engage foundational themes central to the Akbarian tradition, including divine unity (tawḥīd), being and existence (wujūd), the divine names, cosmology, the imaginal world, unveiling, human vicegerency, prophecy and sainthood, resurrection, and the path of spiritual realization.
Complex ideas are explained with clarity and care, making the course accessible to beginners while maintaining intellectual rigor and conceptual precision. No prior background in Sufism, philosophy, or Arabic is required.
Overview
Week 1 — Introduction: Sufism and Philosophy
Topics: Sharīʿa, ṭarīqa, ḥaqīqa, the convergence of Sufism and philosophy, epistemology of unveiling and reason, overview of kalām, Peripateticism, Illuminationism and philosophical Sufism
Reading: Introduction
Week 2 — Ontology and Divine Unity
Topics: Wujūd and the nature of being, divine unity (tawḥīd), essence and manifestation, the relationship between the One and multiplicity
Reading: Chapter 1, Ontology
Week 3 — The Divine Names and Knowledge
Topics: Names of the Essence, Attributes and Acts, divine self-disclosure (tajallī), divine knowledge, ontological differentiation
Reading: Chapter 2, The Divine Names and Attributes; Chapter 3, Divine Knowledge
Week 4 — The Origin of Multiplicity
Topics: Emergence of multiplicity from unity, metaphysical hierarchy, contingency and dependence, structure of manifestation
Reading: Chapter 4, The Origin of Multiplicity
Week 5 — The Universal Worlds
Topics: Levels of existence, intelligible and sensory realms, cosmological structure, macrocosm and microcosm
Reading: Chapter 5, The Universal Worlds
Week 6 — The Imaginal World
Topics: ʿĀlam al-mithāl, symbolic perception, spiritual epistemology, unveiling (kashf), limits of discursive reason
Reading: Chapter 6, The Imaginal World
Week 7 — Unveiling
Topics: Unveiling (kashf) and spiritual knowledge, hierarchy of knowing, inner perception, symbolic interpretation, the relationship between reason and unveiling, verification of spiritual experience
Reading: Chapter 7, Unveiling
Week 8 — The Human Vicegerency
Topics: The human being as God’s vicegerent (khalīfa), microcosm and macrocosm, comprehensive human reality, divine representation, humanity’s unique position in the order of existence
Reading: Chapter 8, The Human Vicegerency
Week 9 — The Existential Circle
Topics: The arc of descent and ascent, procession and return of beings, cyclical structure of existence, relationship between origin and end, metaphysical meaning of the existential journey
Reading: Chapter 9, The Existential Circle
Week 10 — The Supreme Spirit in the Microcosm
Topics: Spirit (rūḥ), heart (qalb), soul (nafs), intellect (ʿaql), inner faculties of the human being, spiritual psychology, manifestation of higher realities within the human microcosm
Reading: Chapter 10, The Supreme Spirit in the Microcosm
Week 11 — Prophethood and Sainthood
Topics: Prophecy (nubuwwa) and sainthood (walāya), Muhammadan Reality, hierarchy of spiritual authority, seal of prophecy and sainthood, relationship between revelation and realization
Reading: Chapter 11, Prophethood and Sainthood
Week 12 — Resurrection
Topics: The return (maʿād), death and the intermediate world (barzakh), bodily and spiritual resurrection, paradise and hell, unveiling of realities in the next life, ultimate return to God
Reading: Chapter 12, Resurrection
Texts
Primary textbook: Ali, Mukhtar H. Philosophical Sufism: An Introduction to the School of Ibn al-ʿArabī. London: Routledge, 2023.
Prerequisites
No prior background in Sufism, Islamic studies, philosophy, or Arabic is required. The course is designed for beginners while remaining intellectually rigorous and conceptually precise.
Learning Objectives
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
Identify the core principles of philosophical Sufism
Understand the central concepts of Ibn al-ʿArabī’s thought and his intellectual legacy
Explain how metaphysics, cosmology, and spirituality are integrated within this tradition
Engage primary ideas of Sufi philosophy with clarity and confidence
Readings
Assigned readings are drawn primarily from the course textbook and are to be completed prior to each class session. Reading selections are calibrated to support comprehension and guided discussion rather than technical specialization.
Class Structure
Each class meets for ninety minutes, with approximately fifty minutes devoted to structured lecture and forty minutes to discussion and questions. Lectures are designed to build progressively, ensuring continuity and conceptual grounding across the eight-week course.
Q&A Protocol
Students may submit questions during class via Zoom’s chat function or “raise hand” feature. Questions may be addressed during the lecture when appropriate or reserved for the discussion portion of the session.
Next Course in the Series…
Course Details
Instructor: Professor Mukhtar Ali
Dates: TBD
(12 Weeks)
Day: TBD
Time: TBD
US- Eastern Standard Time (EST)
Location: Online
Tuition: Included in Membership: $100
How to Register
To enroll, click the Register button below and complete the online checkout process. Once registration is confirmed, you will receive a confirmation email with access details and course information.