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The Way of the Lord and the way of the Soul
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In 1184, when Ibn Arabi started focusing seriously on spirituality, he visited several spiritual teachers in Seville. Among them were followers of Ibn Mujahid, a well-known Sufi of that time. Ibn Mujahid followed the Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) saying: “Judge yourself before you are judged on Judgment Day.” He would review his daily thoughts, actions, words, and experiences. After the evening prayer, he would isolate himself and reflect on what he needed to repent for and what he should be grateful for. He compared his actions to what was required by Islamic law. After this reflection, he would sleep briefly and then wake up to do his nightly prayers and spiritual practices. Ibn Arabi described how a spiritual teacher, Ibn Mujahid, was once asked by the Almohad Sultan, Abu Yaqub if he ever felt lonely living alone. Ibn Mujahid replied that being close to Allah (SWT) made him feel never alone, as Allah (SWT) is always with him. Ibn Arabi also followed Ibn Mujahid’s teachings on self-discipline and found them very valuable.
Even though today’s world is quite different from the simple mediaeval times, where strict self-discipline was common, true spiritual traditions still emphasise practices like retreats and fasting. The goal of such discipline is always to connect with the ultimate reality or Divine Truth. For Ibn Mujahid and Ibn Arabi, their self-discipline was driven by a deep love for Allah (SWT) and a desire to align with Allah’s (SWT) will and the example of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). For both, their spiritual practices were focused on Allah’s (SWT) unity and His constant revelation. Ibn Arabi, like other spiritual teachers, explains that the spiritual journey has two main parts. One is understanding Allah’s (SWT) Unity and how He reveals Himself, which is the ultimate goal. The other is the practices needed to reach this goal, starting from where you are now. Spiritual traditions often describe the challenges and steps to achieve this Divine connection.
Ibn Arabi believes that our desire to seek the truth is itself a response to being sought by Allah (SWT). We seek because we are desired. He advises followers to stay on the spiritual path and focus on Allah (SWT) so that they can always be close to Him, even if they feel distant. By doing this, their actions will continually reflect devotion to Allah (SWT).
