Mystics of al-Andalus: Ibn Barrajan and Islamic Thought in the Twelfth Century

The twelfth century CE was a watershed moment for mysticism in the Muslim West, with the Mu tabirun or Contemplators championing a synthesis between Muslim scriptural sources and Neoplatonic cosmology. Ibn Barrajān of Seville was most responsible for shaping this new intellectual approach, and his commentaries on the divine names and the Qur'an stress the significance of God's signs in nature, the Arabic bible as a means of interpreting the Qur'an, and the mystical crossing from the visible to the unseen. This book will appeal to researchers of the medieval Islamic world and the history of mysticism and Sufism in the Muslim West.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 372 pages
Publication date: 30 May 2019
Publisher: Cambridge University Press

The twelfth century CE marked a significant turning point in the realm of mysticism within the Muslim West. In al-Andalus, the pioneering figures of this mystical tradition, known as the Mu'tabirun or Contemplators, championed a remarkable synthesis between Muslim scriptural sources and Neoplatonic cosmology. Ibn Barrajān of Seville, who played a pivotal role in shaping this innovative intellectual approach, is the subject of Yousef Casewit's captivating book. Ibn Barrajān's extensive commentaries on the divine names and the Qur'an emphasize the profound significance of God's signs in nature, the Arabic bible as a tool for interpreting the Qur'an, and the mystical journey from the visible to the unseen. By delving into the understudied writings of both Ibn Barrajān and his contemporaries, Ibn al-Arif and Ibn Qasi, as well as considering the broader socio-political and scholarly context of al-Andalus, this book will captivate scholars interested in the medieval Islamic world, the history of mysticism, and Sufism in the Muslim West.

Weight: 554g
Dimension: 153 x 227 x 25 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781316636022