The Wisdom of All-Compassionate Mercy: the Chapter of Solomon: the Chapter of Solomon

The Wisdom of All-Compassionate Mercy (hikma rahmaniyya) is the first English translation of the 16th chapter of Ibn 'Arabi's masterwork, Fusus al-hikam (Gemstones of Wisdom) as commented on line by line by the Ottoman Abdullah Bosnevi (d. 1644). The chapter concerns the universal wisdom of Solomon and how it is related to the all-embracing principle of Mercy and the place of the true human being in the world. It also deals with one of the great love-affairs of antiquity, the story of Solomon and Bilqis (the Queen of Sheba), including his invitation to her and the miraculous transportation of her throne. The story also portrays the loving interplay of divine spirit and human soul within the mystic.

This is a companion volume to The Wisdom of Elevation and Exaltation (the chapter of Jesus). The translation has been done from the Arabic version of the commentary, which is a revised and expanded one from the earlier Turkish, and which was described by a contemporary of Bosnevi as 'a very good commentary, perhaps even the best of all'. This gives an insight into the way in which Ibn 'Arabi's text was studied and understood by successive generations, and demonstrates the extraordinary depth of Bosnevi's comprehension and vision. It will appeal to all students of Ibn 'Arabi's teachings and those interested in Sufism more broadly.