Tanbih al-Ghabi bi-Tabri'at Ibn 'Arabi () is a booklet written by the Shafi'i-Ash'ari scholar Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti (d. 911/1505) as a response to the book ' () by Burhan al-Din al-Biqa'i (d. 885/1480) in which al-Suyuti defended Ibn 'Arabi (d. 637/1240) against his critics in general, and against accusations of heresy and unbelief by al-Biqa'i in particular. Al-Suyuti said:
Summary
In this book, al-Suyuti refuted the criticisms and accusations against Ibn 'Arabi, which, according to him, were caused due to misunderstandings and misinterpretations, or due to the distortion and alteration of Ibn 'Arabi's books and statements by the heretics and blasphemers. Al-Suyuti tried to demonstrate the veracity of the sainthood of Ibn 'Arabi and stated that, though Ibn 'Arabi was a great saint, but the reading of his writings should be forbidden to incompetent people and disciples ignorant of .
Al-Suyuti cites from Ibn Hajar al-'Asqalani's list in ' (Tidings of the Abundance in the News of the Ages), the scholars who praised Ibn 'Arabi and/or considered him one of the righteous saints of God, such as the following:
- Ibn 'Ata' Allah al-Sakandari (d. 709/1309).
- (d. 768/1367), a Shafi'i-Ash'ari scholar and Sufi from Yemen affiliated with the Qadiri order who wrote several works dedicated to bolstering and defending Sufism.
- 'Izz al-Din ibn 'Abd al-Salam (d. 660/1262), after his meeting with Abu al-Hasan al-Shadhili (d. 656/1258), he understood the real meaning of Ibn 'Arabi's symbolic utterances, and asked God's pardon for his former opinion about Ibn 'Arabi and acknowledged him an Imam of Islam.
- (d. 773/1371), a Hanafi-Maturidi scholar, who is perhaps best known for his commentary on both al-'Aqida al-Tahawiyya and al-Hidaya.
- Najm al-Din al-Bahi (d. 802/1400), a Hanbali scholar who was highly praised and respected by Ibn Hajji and Siraj al-Din al-Bulqini, as al-Sakhawi mentioned in his ' (The Shining Light).
- Isma'il ibn Ibrahim al-Jabarti (d. 806/1403), a Sufi scholar of the Qadiri order from Yemen, who was the teacher of 'Abd al-Karim al-Jili (d. 826/1422).
- Majd al-Din al-Fayruzabadi (d. 817/1414-15), the author of Al-QÃÂmÃ
«s al-MuḥëṠwho in his commentary on Sahih al-Bukhari often quotes Ibn 'Arabi's explanations.
- (d. 842/1439), a Maliki chief judge () of Egypt, who had some arguments and disputes with the Hanafi-Maturidi scholar 'Ala' al-Din al-Bukhari regarding Ibn 'Arabi.
- Shams al-Din ibn Najm (d. 801/1399); and several other scholars.
Critical response
The Hanafi scholar Ibrahim al-Halabi (d. 956/1549) wrote a critical reply to al-Suyuti, entitled Tasfih al-Ghabi fi Tanzih Ibn 'Arabi () against the latter's defense of Ibn 'Arabi.
See also
Notes
References
External links