The Equivalence (Al-Taswiya) of Muhibb Allah Ilahabadi

The so-called Sufi fight of 17th century India
between Ahmad Sirhindi and Ibn Arabi has been
repeatedly portrayed in modern South Asian
historiography as an epic clash of metaphysicians.
Orientalists and reformers alike have cast Sirhindi
as a revolutionary of pure Islam who tirelessly
combated the heretical ideas of the Shaykh al-Akbar.
Yet, the continuing preoccupation with Sirhindi as an
opponent of Ibn Arabi has overshadowed other
important Indian Sufis of the same period,
particularly the Chishti Shaykh Muhibb Allah
Ilahabadi, known in India as the second Ibn Arabi.
Despite being recognized as the most prolific Chishti
author, Muhibb Allah s writings are virtually unknown
to contemporary scholarship, and remain mostly in
manuscript form. This monograph focuses on Muhibb
Allah s most controversial and important treatise,
"The Equivalence" (Al-Taswiya), which demonstrates an
innovative integration of philosophical traditions
within the larger context of Ibn Arabi s school in
17th century India post-Sirhindi. This historical and
intellectual analysis will be useful to those
interested in South Asian Islam, the metaphysical
tradition of Ibn Arabi, and Sufism in general.

Autorentext

G. A. Lipton received his M.A. from the University of NorthCarolina, Chapel Hill where he is currently a Ph.D. candidate inthe Department of Religious Studies. His dissertation exploreshow the prism of post-Enlightenment thought has shaped the modernreception of Ibn 'Arabi and the tradition of Sufism.

Klappentext

The so-called Sufi "fight" of 17th century Indiabetween Ahmad Sirhindi and Ibn 'Arabi has beenrepeatedly portrayed in modern South Asianhistoriography as an epic clash of metaphysicians.Orientalists and reformers alike have cast Sirhindias a revolutionary of "pure" Islam who tirelesslycombated the heretical ideas of the Shaykh al-Akbar.Yet, the continuing preoccupation with Sirhindi as anopponent of Ibn 'Arabi has overshadowed otherimportant Indian Sufis of the same period,particularly the Chishti Shaykh Muhibb AllahIlahabadi, known in India as "the second Ibn 'Arabi."Despite being recognized as the most prolific Chishtiauthor, Muhibb Allah's writings are virtually unknownto contemporary scholarship, and remain mostly inmanuscript form. This monograph focuses on MuhibbAllah's most controversial and important treatise,"The Equivalence" (Al-Taswiya), which demonstrates aninnovative integration of philosophical traditionswithin the larger context of Ibn 'Arabi's school in17th century India post-Sirhindi. This historical andintellectual analysis will be useful to thoseinterested in South Asian Islam, the metaphysicaltradition of Ibn 'Arabi, and Sufism in general.