MYSTICAL ELEMENTS IN IBN AL-ARABI’S THE RINGSTONES OF WISDOM AND HENRY DAVID THOREAU’S WALDEN: A PARALLEL STUDY BY RAIHAN BIN MD GHAZALI A dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Human Sciences (English Literary Studies) Kulliyyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences International Islamic University Malaysia MARCH 2010
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MYSTICAL ELEMENTS IN IBN AL-ARABI’S THE RINGSTONES OF WISDOM AND HENRY DAVID
THOREAU’S WALDEN: A PARALLEL STUDY
BY
RAIHAN BIN MD GHAZALI
A dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Human
Sciences (English Literary Studies)
Kulliyyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences
International Islamic University Malaysia
MARCH 2010
ii
ABSTRACT
The purpose of this thesis is to provide a parallel study between Ibn al-Arabi’s Sufism with the mystical elements in Henry David Thoreau’s Walden. The Sufi elements will be derived from Ibn al-Arabi’s translated work entitled The Ringstones of Wisdom (Fusus al-Hikam; 2004). Sufism deals with the relationship between the individual and God. It is an attempt by man as a believer and worshipper to seek, find and be accepted by God. This quest is both physical and spiritual in nature. The individual passes different stages of self-examination and purgation before attaining the highest realm of spiritual fulfillment. So, in Sufism, life is a journey of self-discovery which leads to enlightenment. This is a form of spirituality which has affinities with the one explored by Henry David Thoreau in his book, Walden. In this study, Thoreau’s work will be examined to discover parallels between elements of Sufism i.e. “Dream and Reality,” “He Who Knows Himself Knows His Lord,” and “Metaphysical Perplexity” with Thoreau’s personal mysticism. These elements will be utilized to formulate the understanding of spiritual fulfillment and the self. This research will use relevant library sources which will include books, journals, encyclopedias, and relevant academic resources. The study is significant because it will add to the existing research done in this area. The research will also show some religious and spiritual elements that different schools of mysticism share in their examination of the individual’s quest for moral enlightenment and self-fulfillment.
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ملخص البحث
آتاب و" ابن العربي"بين الصوفية مقارنة في العلوميهدف هذا البحث إلى دراسة
، وهذه المعالم سوف تستمدّ من الترجمة العربية "والدِن: "هنري ديفيد ثورو الموسوم
وتتمحور الصوفية حول العلاقة بين الفرد . لابن العربي "مفصوص الحِك" من آتاب
وخالقه، وهي محاولة من المؤمن العابد يطلب فيها الرضا والقبول من االله تعالى،
ويمر الفرد بمراحل . وهذا المطلب في الطبيعة البشرية نوعان؛ جسماني وروحاني
في ضوء . لروحانيةمختلفة في آشف ذاته وتطهيرها قبل أن يصل إلى أعلى مراتب ا
ما ذآرناه تعد الحياة من وجهة نظر الصوفية رحلة لاآتشاف النفس البشرية، وهي
وهذا التنوير الروحاني يشابه ما قام به هنري ديفيد . رحلة تقود إلى تنوير الإنسان
ولذلك سوف تقوم هذه الدراسة في البحث عن معالم ". والدِن"ثورو في آتابه
، وحالة )من يعرف نفسه عرف ربّه: (لحلم والحقيقة، ومقولةا: الصوفية فيه مثل
سيقوم البحث بوصف هذه المعالم الصوفية لتحديد فهم . الارتباك فيما وراء الطبيعة
الكتب : تعتمد هذه الدراسة على مصادر عدة، منها. دقيق للروحانيات وللنفس البشرية
وتنبع . من مكتبة الجامعة اسبةوالمجلات العلمية والموسوعات والمراجع العلمية المن
أهمية هذه الدراسة من آونها إضافة حقيقة في هذا المجال، وفي الوقت نفسه سوف
تبرز الدراسة بعض العناصر من آلا الجانبين الديني والباطني، التي يتوافق فيها
الإسلام وعامة التوجهات الباطنية في رياضة نفس الفرد نحو التنوير الروحي
هذه الدراسة سوف تفضي في المجال العلمي بعضاً من الرؤى الجديدة . ذاتوتحقيق ال
والمذاهب الفكرية التي تساعد على معرفة أآثر بالرب وإيجادر وحانية آاملة يرتقي
.بها إلى أعلى درجات الإيمان
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APPROVAL PAGE
I certify that I have supervised and read this study and that in my opinion, it conforms to acceptable standards of scholarly presentation and is fully adequate, in scope and quality, as a dissertation for the degree of Master of Human Sciences (English Literary Studies).
.......................................... Mohammad A. Quayum Supervisor
I certify that I have read this study and that in my opinion, it conforms to acceptable standards of scholarly presentation and is fully adequate, in scope and quality, as a dissertation for degree of Master of Human Sciences (English Literary Studies).
………………………… Umar Abdurrahman Examiner
This dissertation was submitted to the Department of English Language and Literature and is accepted as a partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Human Sciences (English Literary Studies).
..........................................Mohammad A. Quayum Head, Department of English Language and Literature
This dissertation was submitted to the Kulliyyah of Human Sciences and is accepted as partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Human Sciences (English Literary Studies).
.......................................... Badri Najib Zubir Dean, Kulliyyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences
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DECLARATION
I hereby declare that this dissertation is the result of my own investigations, except
where otherwise stated. I also declare that it has not been previously or concurrently
submitted as a whole for any other degrees at IIUM or other institutions.
Raihan Bin Md Ghazali
Signature ………………………….. Date …………………………...
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INTERNATIONAL ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY MALAYSIA
DECLARATION OF COPYRIGHT AND AFFIRMATION OF FAIR USE OF UNPUBLISHED RESEARCH
PARALLELS BETWEEN ELEMENTS OF IBN AL-ARABI’S SUFISM WITH MYSTICISM IN HENRY DAVID THOREAU’S WALDEN
No part of this unpublished research may be reproduced, stored in retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without prior written permission of the copyright holder except as provided below.
1. Any material contained in or derived from this unpublished research may only be used by others in their writing with due acknowledgment.
2. IIUM or its library will have the right to make and transmit copies (print or electronic) for institutional and academic purposes.
3. The IIUM library will have the right to make, store in a retrieval and supply copies of this unpublished research if requested by other universities and research libraries.
Affirmed by Raihan Bin Md. Ghazali.
................................ ………………..
Signature Date
vii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Firstly, all praises to Allah (S.W.T) the one true God, the Almighty Knower, Lord and Sustainer of all creations for all the blessings He has bestowed upon me and others. I thank my mother (Nuzhah Binti Mohamed Yusoff) and uncle (Zakaria Bin Abu Samah) for their support and assistance throughout the course of writing the dissertation. I thank my supervisor, Prof. Dr. Mohammad Abdul Quayum Abdus Salam, for numerous insightful discussions, useful remarks and for having endless patience with me during the process of the research. Last but not least, I thank my father (Md. Ghazali Bin Ahmad) for his unwavering strength and inspiration throughout my life.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Abstract ...................................................................................................................... ii Abstract in Arabic ...................................................................................................... iii Approval Page ............................................................................................................ iv Declaration Page ........................................................................................................ v Copyright Page ........................................................................................................... vi Acknowledgments ...................................................................................................... vii CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION .................................................................... 1
Background of the Study ................................................................................ 1 Statement of Problem ..................................................................................... 4 Scope of the Study ......................................................................................... 5 Objectives of the Study .................................................................................. 6 Significance of the Study ............................................................................... 8 Literature Review ........................................................................................... 9 Theoretical Framework .................................................................................. 15 Methodology .................................................................................................. 20 Limitations of the Study ................................................................................. 21 Organization of Chapters ............................................................................... 22
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW ....................................................... 24
Definition of Dream and Reality .................................................................... 24 Definition of He Who Knows Himself Knows His Lord ............................... 29 Definition of Metaphysical Perplexity ........................................................... 31 Sufism and Transcendentalism - a Parallel .................................................... 35
CHAPTER THREE: DREAM AND REALITY ................................................... 43 CHAPTER FOUR: HE WHO KNOWS HIMSELF KNOWS HIS LORD ........ 57