Ibn al-Arabi and Chuang-tzu were and continue to be very influential to the study of both religion and philosophy. Their separate notions of dream and reality have survived through the centuries and we continue to attempt to explain and analyze them today. In this paper I will first examine Ibn al-Arabi's concept of dream and reality and then move on to study Chuang-tzu's thoughts on the subject. After reviewing both of these constructs I will compare and contrast some of the similarities and differences between the two. Through this analysis I will show that although they were written hundreds of years and thousands of miles apart, their conclusions on dream and reality are strikingly similar.
The Philosophers
Ibn al-Arabi was one of the world's most profound Islamic thinkers. Born in 1165 C.E. in Spain, this mystic, poet, sage and philosopher was celebrated for his exceptional teaching ability and his unconventional views. Ibn al-Arabi was a prolific writer. Of his over 350 works, three of the most well known are the Fusus al-Hikam, commentary on the wisdom attributed to 28 prophets from the Judaic/Christian/Islamic line; the Futuhat al-Makkiyya, an explanation of his ideology; and Tarjuman al-Ashwaq, a volume of love poems. In these books, Ibn al-Arabi imparts his knowledge of metaphysics and his views on the unity of being. So controversial are these beliefs, that he was branded a heretic by numerous Muslim groups, and some of his works are still banned in Egypt today. Centuries after his death in Damascus in 1240 C.E., Muslims and non-Muslims alike continue to be influenced and inspired by Ibn al-Arabi's ideas. Despite negative reaction from conservative Muslims, by challenging traditional Islamic doctri...
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...href="http://www.ibnarabisociety.org/IbnArabi.html">http://www.ibnarabisociety.org/IbnArabi.html (March 20, 2004).
The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2001. "Ibn al-Arabi, Muhyi ad-Din Muhammad bin Ali al-Hatimi at-Tai." New York: Columbia University Press, 2002. New York: Bartleby.com, 2002. http://www.bartleby.com/65/ib/IbnalAra.html (March 20, 2004).
The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2001. "Chuang-tzu." New York: Columbia University Press, 2002. New York: Bartleby.com, 2002. http://www.bartleby.com/65/ch/chuangtz.html (March 20, 2004).
Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. "Zhuang Zi." February 22, 2004, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhuang_Zi (March 20,2004).
the Accuracy of the Chronicle of Al-Jabarti." Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies. No. 2 (1970): 283-294. http://www.jstor.org/stable/613005 (accessed November 30, 2013).
Ibn Munqidh, Usama. "From Memoirs." McNeill, William and Marilyn Robinson Waldman. The Islamic World. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1973. 184-206.
One of Rene Descartes’s most famous arguments, from his not only from his first meditation but all of the meditations, is his Dream Argument. Descartes believes that there is no way to be able to distinguish being in awake from being in a state of dreaming. In fact you could actually be in a dream right now. Rene Descartes’s theory that one is unable distinguish being awake from dreaming, as interesting as it is, can be at times a little farfetched, along with a few contradictions to himself, Descartes’s dream argument does not entitle himself to any sort of claim.
Hilāl, ʻAlī Al-Dīn. Islamic Resurgence in the Arab World. New York, NY: Praeger, 1982. Print.
In the history of concepts, there is no concern that Al-Ghazali’s figure emerges as one of the best Western thinkers. Considered as the prominent Sunni theologian that ever lived, Al-Ghazali’s polemic againstNeoplatonic thinkers, mainly Ibn Sina, dealt a fatal rage to philosophy within Islamic world. Written following his period of private study of philosophy, and completed in 1094 CE, Tahafut al-Falasifa carried the purpose of pursuing the analysis of reason that inspired his stint of cynicism, and was attempting to illustrate that reason is not self-reliant in the sphere of metaphysics and is incapable out of itself to construct an absolute world-view. Whereas, as Goldziher (1981) explains, Al-Ghazali uniquely held certain beliefs which he refuted in Tahafut, he wanted to demonstrate that reason on its own cannot establish that the world has the creator, two gods are unfeasible, God is not an entity or a body, and that he understand both himself and others, that the spirit is a self-resilient body. This paper will analyze Al-Ghazali’s argument on the eternity of the world, as found in his first areas of debate with philosophers and evaluated against Ibn Rushd’s answers.
Lewis, Bernard. The Middle East: A Brief History of the Last 2,000 Years. New York: Scribner,
There are two declarations of faith in Islam: That there is only one God and that Muhammad is the Messenger of God. In Memories of Muhammad, Omid Safi explores the ways in which Muhammad – both the historical and spiritual Muhammad – is remembered, commemorated, and contested by Muslims throughout the centuries. Safi focuses on the movements and moments in Muhammad’s life and after his death that for many Muslims best exemplify the teachings of Islam. He succeeds in opening up the dialogue to correct the negative portrayals of Muhammad and the religion of Islam, calling it a “Muhammad problem” in his introduction. Furthermore, he provides a book that is accessible and intelligible to both Muslims and non-Muslims, drawing from historical and spiritual sources, and addresses relevant issues contested between Muslims in relation to other religions, presenting Muhammad as a historical figure and one who is beloved by the Umma.
The Islamic tradition, as reflected in Naguib Mahfouz’s Zaabalawi, has over the course of history had an incredible impact on Arab culture. In Mahfouz’s time, Islamic practices combined with their political relevance proved a source of both great power and woe in Middle Eastern countries. As alluded to in Zaabalawi, Mahfouz asserts the fact that not all Muslims attain religious fulfillment through this common tradition, and other methods outside the scope of Islam may be necessary in true spiritual understanding.
Ghazzālī, and Richard Joseph. McCarthy. Al-Ghazālī's Path to Sufism and His Deliverance from Error: An Annotated Translation of Al-Munqidh Min Al-dal⁻al. Louisville, KY: Fons Vitae, 2000. Print.
Al Ghazali a significant person in Islam has helped shape Islam to be what it is today - a living religious tradition for the lives of its adherents. His contribution to Islam though his theories, knowledge and works have left a positive impact upon the Islamic world that continues into the present. An everlasting impact upon the faith, Muslims and the expansion of Islam to be one of the most popular religious traditions in the present world for the lives of its adherents is seen as Al Ghazali’s
However much Islam and Christianity would seem to share common ground, the discussion is not complete without noting the parallels between this two that have taken center stage. Some of the remarkable differences as they try to answer deep life complexities arise in the areas of religious practices by both their adherents and the clergy (Dorothy 13-28). “There is also a stark contrast to the belief system subscribed to, means of salvation, scriptures”. The most prominent difference present concerns the belief of life after death and practices of depicting the metaphysical
Abu Al-Walid Muhammad Ibn Ahmad Ibn Rushd, known in Latin as Averroes, was one of the most influential Islamic philosophers and scientist. He lived in a time where Philosophy was not celebrated in the Islamic world, and philosophers were regarded as unbelievers. He, however, revived the Aristotelian philosophy stressing that it has no conflict with the belief in God, and that was the theme he used throughout his writings. He integrated religion and philosophy challenging the anti-philosophical view of the Muslim scholars at that point. That influenced a group of western scholars who used the same examination and identified themselves as the “Averroists.”
1-Fakhry, Majid. Al-Farabi, founder of Islamic Neoplatonism : his life, works and influence, Oxford: Oneworld,c 2002. Print.
G. Esposito, John L (2002) Islam; What Everyone Should Know. New York. Oxford University Press Inc.
...were revolutionary and still hold true today. His impact on society today goes from his celebrity status in Iran to the Ibn Sina Academy of Medieval Medicines and Sciences in Aligarh, India, Avicenna School in Karachi, Pakistan, moon crater, and a plant genius called Avicennia. This Renaissance man sacrificed a lot of time to write his many books. He sacrificed a lot of time to gain a vast amount of knowledge from Aristotle to cadavers. “Ibn Sina sought to integrate all aspects of science and religion in a grand metaphysical vision. With this vision he attempted to explain the formation of the universe as well as to elucidate the problems of evil, prayer, providence, prophecies, miracles, and marvels. Also within its scope fall problems relating to the organization of the state in accord with religious law and the question of the ultimate destiny of man” (Iskander).