THE ISLAMIC MYSTICAL IMAGINATION (KHAYĀL): NAVIGATING THE SPECTRUM OF DIVINE SIGNS (ĀYĀT) IN IBN ‘ARABĪ
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Abstract
The concept of the imagination, has been an important area of philosophical and religious inquiry. But this concept is often neglected in connection with the Islamic mystical tradition even though the faculty of the imagination (khayāl) plays a central role in mystical experience. This article will address the role imagination in the thought of the famous mystic Ibn ‘Arabī. It will demonstrate how Ibn ‘Arabī’s framework of khayāl helps us to more fully appreciate the function of the “spiritual imagination” in the interpretation of signs (āyāt). Ibn ‘Arabī’s contribution to the term recognizes the complex role of khayāl, not merely in its relationship other faculties, such as reason and the senses, but also its role in hermeneutic interpretation, creating an awareness and sensitivity to the Divine signs in nature and within the self.
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