Interpreting Ibn ʿArabī: Philosophy, Theology, and Exegesis in Later Islam offers a comprehensive and critical examination of one of Islam’s most enigmatic and influential thinkers. Through close engagement with major controversies surrounding Ibn ʿArabī’s ideas― from the doctrine of the Oneness of Being to his vision of sainthood and Qurʾānic interpretation― this volume traces the rich and contested legacy of his thought across the Islamic intellectual tradition.

Addressing the most debated aspects of Ibn ʿArabī’s teachings, this book surveys the major contests around the fixed entities, Divine Power, human freedom, and the nature of the Perfect Man. It delves into accusations of pantheism and theological transgression, and explores the strategies employed by the Shaykh al-Akbar’s followers to clarify, defend, or reinterpret his views. It also explores Ibn ʿArabī’s provocative Qurʾānic hermeneutics, which includes perspectives on mercy, the problem of idolatry, and the fate of unbelievers, situating the Shaykh’s teachings within broader Sufi, philosophical, and theological currents. Finally, it reveals how Ibn ʿArabī challenged dominant rationalist frameworks and expanded the boundaries of Islamic knowledge by restoring to imagination a central epistemological role.

This book is an essential resource for scholars of Islamic philosophy, theology, Sufism, Qurʾānic studies, and the intellectual history of the Muslim world, shedding new light on the interpretive debates that have shaped Ibn ʿArabī’s enduring legacy.

About the Author

Arjun Nair is an Assistant Professor of Religion at the University of Southern California. He holds a PhD in the History and Cultures of the Muslim World from the Department of Near Eastern Languages & Civilizations at Harvard University. He specializes in the study of religion, Islamic philosophy, and Sufi literature. He has also published in numerous peer- reviewed venues, including the Journal of Islamic Studies, the Journal of Qurʾanic Studies, the Journal of Sufi Studies, Religions, and the Journal of the Muhyiddin Ibn ʿArabi Society.

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