page_title: Abu Bakr ibn al-Arabi
section_title: Biography
hierarchical_section_title: Abu Bakr ibn al-Arabi / Biography
caption_attribution_description: Deutsch: Die Grabanlage von Ibn al-ʿArabī al-Maʿāfirī in Fès, Marokko
context_page_description: Abu Bakr ibn al-Arabi or, in full Abū Bakr Muḥammad ibn ʿAbdallāh ibn al-ʿArabī al-Maʿāfirī al-Ishbīlī was a Muslim judge and scholar of Maliki law from al-Andalus. Like Al-Mu'tamid ibn Abbad, Ibn al-Arabi was forced to migrate to Morocco during the reign of the Almoravids. It is reported that he was a student of Al-Ghazali for some time. He was a master of Maliki Jurisprudence. His father was a student of Ibn Hazm although Ibn al-Arabi considered him to be deviated. He also contributed to the spread of Ash'ari theology in Spain. A detailed biography about him was written by his contemporary Qadi Ayyad, the famous Malikite scholar and judge from Ceuta..
context_section_description: Abu Bakr Ibn al-'Arabi (born 468/1076, died 543/1148) was a "Andalusian Malikite qadi". He was born in Seville Al-Andalus, Ibn al-'Arabi's father (Abu Muhammand ibn al-'Arabi) was a high ranking statesman working for the Taifa king of Seville, al-Mu'tamid ibn 'Abbad (r.1069-91). However, in 1091 when Al-Andalus was taken over by the Almoravids, Ibn al-'Arabi (now 16), and his father decided to leave for a less turbulent setting (his father also had political motivations). The two al-'Arabis travelled by ship to Egypt, and from there they turned to Jerusalem, where they stayed from 1093-1096.
  Al-'Arabi devoted himself to his studies, teaching, and writing. He wrote many books on several different subjects, including hadith, fiqh, usul, Qur'an studies, adab, grammar and history. Some of his works include: Book on the Arrangement of the Travel that Raised my Interests in Religions and Experiences of the Great Authorities and Eminent People by the Observer of Islam and the Various Lands. Ibn al-'Arabi also wrote The Rule of Interpretation, and Protective Guards Against Strong Objections (a source of comments that al-Ghazali made to his students) among many others of his works. Two of al-'Arabi's books (Tartib al-rohla li al-targhib fi al-millah and Qanun al-ta'wil) provided descriptions of the al-Arabi's travels, and specifically recounted religious life in the holy city of Jerusalem. These accounts are important, as they may be the only eyewitness accounts by a Muslim in Jerusalem during the Seljuq period, and they also provide a critical Muslim objective.
  After leaving Jerusalem in 1096, both al'-Arabis' traveled to Damascus and Baghdad to study. They settled in Baghdad and returned there after they took pilgrimage. While in Jerusalem, Ibn al-'Arabi was enticed by all of the scholars he met there, and performing the hajj became an addition in his quest for knowledge. It was only when he returned to Baghdad in 1097 that Ibn al-'Arabi finally met Imam Abū Ḥāmed al-Ghazālī, under whom Ibn al-'Arabi studied, beginning at the age of 21.
  Under al-Ghazali, an Islamic theologian, philosopher and Sufi mystic,  Ibn al-'Arabi studied closely. As a result, Ibn al-'Arabi is said to be one of the "most important sources of information about al-Ghazali's life and his teachings". When it came to al-Ghazali's theology, Ibn al-'Arabi became a master, and was enthusiastic, but perhaps more importantly critical of his teachings. Although Ibn al-'Arabi undoubtedly respected al-Ghazali, he was not afraid to express his feelings of difference when it came to the teachings of falsafa (Islamic philosophy).
  After his father died in 1099 (at age 57), Ibn al-'Arabi, age 26, headed back to Seville. After being gone for 10 years studying in the Muslim east, he was an esteemed and credited scholar and teacher, as well as a main source to spread the works and teachings of al-Ghazali in the Muslim west. Ibn al-'Arabi continued to study, reflect upon, and challenge the works of al-Ghazali. For example, al-Ghazali believed that, "there is not in the sphere of possibility anything more excellent, more perfect or more complete than what God has in fact created." However Ibn al-'Arabi argues that there is a limitation of God's power. We can see this argument by Ibn al-'Arabi in some of his other works. For example, there were (and probably still are) times when judges and lawyers were/are faced with a situation where there is no legal text or scripture to help provide insight or guidance on the judicial decision. In these cases, judges and lawyers must use their best discretion to determine the rule of law. Laws of slander came into question, and defining the punishment as a right of God or a private right were debated. While Ibn al-'Arabi recognized that there are two views on whether the right is of God or a private right, ultimately he felt that the crime should largely be seen as a private right, as it is conditioned by the victim filing a petition.
  Ibn al-'Arabi reflected upon the nature of the soul and the study and theory of knowledge. Ibn al-'Arabi stu
caption: Grave of Ibn al-Arabi in the Bab Mahrouk Cemetery in Fez.
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