Abstract
The Symbolism of the Sun-the Moon-Stars in Ibn al-Arabī
While expressing their mystical experiences, sufis often resort to using symbolic
language. One of the sufis who give wide coverage to symbols in his books is Ibn al-Arabī
(d. 638/1240). He uses the symbolism of the sun-the moon-stars to express various facts,
existence understanding being in the first place, in his book called Futūḥāt al-Makkiyya,
in which he founds the conception of waḥdat al-wujūd (unity of existence). Having
established a connection between symbols and facts in terms of their shape, function
and association, Ibn al-Arabī states the relationship between Allah, the universe, people and benevolence using these symbols. In this article, a semiotic analysis of the system
on which Ibn al-Arabī employs the symbolism of the sun-the moon-stars is made, and
the meanings he attributed to these symbols are investigated. It is understood that Ibn
al-Arabī employed these symbols depending on a certain base and that especially the
existence understanding has influence on the meanings he attributed to these symbols.
Keywords
Sufism, Symbol, Ibn al-Arabī, the Sun, the Moon, Stars.
