Arabian language has a special place from some aspects in Islamic culture. At the head of all these is the Koran-i Kerim. And the reason of it is its miracle of language, oratory and expressive features.

That’s why it is not strange that a language and its specifications not depending on views and differences of opinions attract the attention of the scientists. One of them is Arabi. This study dwells on the “Letters” which are considered the smallest elements of the language, which were in the spotlight for Ibn Arabi.

It should be noted that the considerations around this theme of Ibn Arabi are considerable from language teaching point. So that the smallest elements still discover the features of the language from appearance and sound point.

One of the moments, which call attention, is Ibn Arabi’s attaching importance to the meanings expressed by the letters connected with different sciences like interpretation, view, astronomy, mathematics, and geography. Ibn Arabi’s attaching importance to the letters opened a way for him to reach the pick. On one side, he notes the position of human on the earth; on another side, he notes his deep thoughts about the connection with God.

Having benefited from his rich Sufi practice Ibn Arabi overcame this long distance with his deep thoughts. These deep thoughts beginning from the smallest elements that came to mind, reaches to the elements that the mind cannot cognize as “The essence of human life on the Earth”.

This report deals with the considerations and thoughts connected with letters of Ibn Arabi. On another side, it lightens the efforts on Arabian heritage from linguistic point.

The deep thoughts of Ibn Arabi connected with the letters for benefiting from Sufism it is necessary to pay attention to his poems connected with Sufism. Here also is touched one of the letters of Ibn Arabi connected with letters– (Mim, Vav, Nun letters).

In accordance with the idea of “unity of existence” (vehdet-el-vujud), god appears as a certain perfect beginning, as a self-sufficient absolute, as a sole substance of the reality which consists of all existing reality. The world of existing things appears in the form of occurrence of divine absolute by realizing necessary for existence in the existence of possibility. The realizing of the derived world in the things and phenomena leads to that, the absolute is endowed with the features of deity with the attributes so characteristic for him, among which are distinguished the attributes of divine perfection. As far as the system of “unity of existence” supposes unity of macrocosm and microcosm then the human being the part of the microcosm personifies the attributes of divine perfection by rather adequate image.

For self-recognition exactly by this the human guided by the principles of “unity of existence” had to reveal, to perceive and to improve in himself divine attributes. The reference in this way served Sufi studies about “perfect human”.

The conception of “perfect human” allowed forming the principles of the moral self-perfection. “Unity of existence” supposes the unity of the universe, points to the unity, relation and compliance of its parts. Between the Creator and creature arises inner relation, on one side the absolute in “perfect human” sees and knows himself in whole completeness, on another side the human perfecting his personality, realizes himself as a “divine image”.

The idea of moral improvement of the human being the criterion of finding in him divine attributes and serving as a criterion of his communion to divine essence, forms the supreme aim of human life. Just that’s why in the studiers about “perfect human” can be seen an attempt to create noncontradictory conception of unity of the world which not locking in the frames of one personality of the same ethnos, of the same territory either it is East or West, caters for the wide masses.

Reasonableness, fair, welfare being the attributes of the perfection were considered by many leaders of Sufi movement, at the same time Ibn Arabi, as a reasonable, fair, favorable order as in the universe structure, so in the purely. Reasonableness as a display of universal intellect – absolute was connected with the understanding of reflection of cosmic morality of the order with necessary reflection on human and human society, having a definite relation with cosmos.

Some sources affirm Ibn Arabi’s affection from Fazlallah and there are coincidences in the discretions of both thinkers. But “Hurufilik” can’t be considered as imitation of Ibn Arabi’s views. Sometimes in “Hurufilik” teaching, development of the views of great thinker are felt, while in other situations the views are rejected. Usually researches introduce “Hurufilik” and Ibn-arabi’s views, which is the source for this teaching, without comparing them and without defining and assessing Hurufi authors’ connection to Ibn Arabi’s thinking and their style of expression of individual discretions and similar and different features. Though one by one writing and shape of letters and rules of connection are put on focus in Ibn-Arabi’s “Letter symbolism” and ‘Hurufilik” teachings, these approaches are intended to substantiate diverse philosophical-religious discretions. For example, Ibn-Arabi defines philosophical-mystic values of letters, their grammatical features, pictorial views and etc. by relating them to creation factor. He explains creatures’ coming from spiritual world to material world and its variation by relating letters’ converting to material appearance of voices. But Fazlallah endeavors to explain “Number mysticism” which forms significant part of “Javiddanname” coherent with ”Hurufi” section which is in the beginning of 29 suras.

Both philosophical teachings were accused of moving away from Islam and were often criticized with their purposes distorted. The idea of “Insani-kamil (perfect human)”, which was the base of Ibn Arabi teaching and was taken by Fazlallah later, and often misperceptions of views about standing and relations of god and human are examples to that.

Comparative exploration of teachings found out existence of unlike features alongside with common ones. For instance, Ibn Arabi also gave attention to 8 and 16 numbers, which has its special standing in “Hurufi” teaching, and thinker attributed them philosophical value connecting with fates. But in the teaching of Fazlallah 8 and 16, which was turned to the symbol of Persian alphabet and perfect number, was given a meaning as a integral part of the number 32. Conception of “Period”, which has special place in Fazlallah’s teaching and is analyzed as his private opinion time by time, takes its origin from Ibn-Arabi’s views about “Nubuvvat” and “Valayat”. But Fazlallah Ibn-Arabi’s said considerations based on different mental channel by Shia considerations. Ibn-Arabi placed Anbiyas (prophet) higher than Avlias (Trusted man) and Rasuls (who receive divine wahyu) higher than Avlias while he determines degree of perfection. But Fazlallah have replaced positions of Anbiyas and Avlias. But in regard to Prophet Mohammed though groundings is a little different both thinkers has the same position. According to Arabi one of the proofs indicating that Mohammed is the greatest prophet is his recognition as “Collector of word”. In his tern Fazlallah consider Mohammed higher than other prophets on the basis of “Hurufi-Muqattaat”.

Fazlallah’s intellectual style of expression in “Javidanname” isn’t systematic as Ibn Arabi. With the intention to give his discretions religious and divine character he expressed his opinions by incomplete sentences, mysterious and closed sayings, expressions in need of commentary. But Ibn-arabi’s work, which he notified of to write inspiration given him by spiritual world, has logic and mental sequence attributable to philosophical messages.

We should note that the attitude towards Ibn Arabi in Hurufi sources is not unambiguous. “Hurufilik” based on Ibn-Arabi’s views denied this great thinker afterwards. Hardest expression of this denial finds itself in the work of Aliyyul-Ala –“Qiyametname”. Ibn Arabi’s views, which are expressed in the most prominent and powerful representative of “Hurufilik” teaching, Nasimi’s divans particularly in his divan in Turkish have not been available only through “Hurufilik”. This thinker’s conceptions “Mirror”, “It isn’t corporal”, “Spiritual ascension” and ‘Wali’ found its poetical-philosophical reflection in Nasimi’s poems. Ibn Arabi’s name was remembered in Nasimi’s divan in Turkish as “Sheikh” with hints to thinker’s “Sheikhi-Akbar” work, and his work ‘Fususul-hikem” as “Fusus”, and Sadraddin Konyavi’s commentary to this work as “Fukuk”.

Thinking style of Author who known as “Great sheikh” is very complicated and contrasting and crossing of diverse branches of knowledge and rich outlooks is observed. For the same reasons, there is no adequate grasp of his view to the date with discussions and polemics in this regard are still ongoing. We can generalize as following aspects defining thinking model of Sheikh and at the same time make its explanation complicated:

To understand Ibn Arabi’s outlook, rules of peripatetic philosophy and formulas of formal logic aren’t enough. Herein, intuitive taste and esoteric view and method of interpretation specific to commentary of religious texts are in the center of attention. He used terms and notions taken from traditional Islamic sciences in a new shade of meaning by transforming similar to his style of thinking while he states his thoughts. At the same time Ibn-Arabi try to ground his education on cosmological, mystic and metaphysician views specific to middle ages in the context of religious and mental-spiritual values.

Second feature attributable to Ibn-Arabi’s model of thinking is ‘Unity of existence” (Vahdati-vucut) education. World order introduced by him reflects specific harmony of relations amongst God-space-human. Herein absolute essence of god is one which can’t be identified by feelings, indivisible and inconceivable. But its name and attributes exist in material world and these are one which can be identified by feelings, variable and conceivable. Creation of the world happens from top to down (descent), firstly from theophany (Tajalli) of substances light of Mohammed – namely Universal intelligence, then all creatures and human being created. By means of spirit human being close to god and by means of substance human being close to material world that is why raising arch to opposite direction (ascent) begins and human desire directed to “truth” by finding purity and spiritual-emotional lightening and circle of creature completed. In the stage of creature human, particularly mature human holds very important place he was considered main target of creation and divine vicegerent. Everything existing in “great world” is summarized in human who is named “small world”. According to Ibn-Arabi process of “Tacalli” never cease otherwise whole world disappear. All contracting and controversial thinks observed in the world are theophany (Tajalli) of faces of Glory (calal) and Beauty (jamal) namely Wrath (Qahr) and Benefit( Lutf) , or in regard to substance, true creature is single and called “Vujud” (existence), its inner is “Ceation” and outer is “Truth”. Truth exists everywhere, according to Koran Allah (God) is in everywhere you turn your face, but his this feature is not in the meaning of incarnation and can be understood in metaphysical meaning.

Third feature attributable to Great sheikh’s model of thinking are “Double encountering” and “Contrasting order». he explained his education on antithesis and antinomy. Here two-poled world is introduced and its one pole is unity another pole is multiplicity. Accordingly mysterical and spiritual world, sensible and phenomal world, spiritual reality and outward form, world, macrocosm and microcosm, exterior and interior and other contrasting poles as such are compared. Between two poles such a dialectic maneuver has:

In the angle of unity everything is truth and in the angle of multiplicity everything is creation, but creator and creation can never be same. On the basis of dual approach great Sheikh bring the notion of ”Tanzih” (Transcendence) for the unity of “Truth” by substance and the notion of ”Tashbih” (Similarity) for majority oh its faces. Who take off this sensitive point introduce “unity of existence” as a Pantheism by mistake. But main competitor of Ibn-Arabi Ibn-Taymiyya confessed that Ibn-Arabi’s education is more close to Monotheism.

Final major feature in Ibn-Arabi’s thinking model is symbolic and artistic and aesthetical style of language. In authors’ works difference is explicit between external and covered meanings. He usually stated his opinions both by symbols and signs agreeing with modern semiotics and structuralism methodology by way of making analogy and allegorical phrases and by poetical paradoxes so it make difficult even for talented reader to understand covered details of though. For this reason and other complicated factors noted above even in middle ages number of commentaries was written for Ibn-Arabi’s work. On the other hand prominent poets and writes of East has profited by his deep mystic views and symbolic expressions as a rich source for artistic self-expression. It’s traces and influences can be observed in the creativities of outstanding writes as Movlana Rumi, Hafiz, Sheikh Mahmod Shabustari, Imaddadin Nasimi, Maghribi Tabrizi, Abdurrahman Jami, Shah Qasim Anvar, Shah Ismail Khatai, Mohammed Fuzuli. Alongside with metaphysics Ibn-Arabi has literary legacy in general most mysticism figures displayed interest in artistic imagination and symbolic style even by whom isn’t poet. Even influence of the same style show itself in Imam Qazali who didn’t write poem, because most suitable way of stating metaphysical views and mystic senses is artistic-aesthetical and symbolic style of expression. Just for this feature mysticism values penetrate literary process deeply and soaked into spirit of poem easily.

By referring to opinion of outstanding scientists, Shazel also consider that status of Al-Habib is higher and more mature in relation to status of Al Khalil. He researches Al Khalil nickname as a reproduction of the word Al-khulla. In its turn this word is also one of the names of mystic love but can’t replace notion of Al-mahabba. Author, in the basis of discretion of five influental mystic, (Including his teachers Abu-Abdullah Al Huseyn, and Mohammad Ad-Damaqani Al-Baqdadi) who grounded , by means of the interpretation of relevant Ayes (paragraph in Koran), that Al –habib is in higher status in comparison with Al-Khalil, compares both notions in favor of Al-Mahabba (love). As a result author considers that Prophet Mohammad got everything that other prophets missed. That is why orders of Mohammad remind of divine orders and to obey him is to obey god.

Idealization of Prophet Mohammed began when stories (hadith) about Mohammad began to be collected. Herein ascetics and mystics played significant role. Contrary to ordinary human character of Mohammad who sent for the prophet mission according to Koran, Mystic tradition related him ideology of miracle, extraordinary knowledge and nobleness. It resulted emergence of the character of “Mature human” (Al-insanu’l-Kamil, for example: see: Ibn-Arabi’s intellectual education). Already famous mystic Al-Hallac talked about everlasting life of prophets. Character of Mohammad gained cosmic scale.

Influence of the process to the weakening of the status of Ibrahim, misrepresentation of the Yasrib period of the life of Mohammed was natural. Rhetoric of Mohammad’s admonition is return to monotheism which initially related to the name of Prophet Ibrahim Al-Hanif. Departure from Yasrib Jews made Mohammad to create ideological fronts against them. Arabians legendary history gained new meaning. In the suras (Article of the Koran) of that time Ibrahim is introduced as forefather of Mohammad and Islam and real monotheistic Hanif.

In whole comparison of Mohammad as “Beloved of god” and Ibrahim as a”Friend of god” who concentrate quantities of the notion of “Mystic love for god” in itself, changed their status for the benefit of first one. Characters of the first and final prophet publicist of “real monotheistic” – Ibrahim Al-Khalil and Mohammad Al-Habib – in Koran are formal metamorphosis and in the thinking of Muslims change of their status is introduced as a withdrawal from metamorphosis in Koran. But in fact this were a real development of Mohammad’s cult and religious dogma ensuring everlasting worship necessity and having everlasting attractive power. In the list of prophets charismatic character of Mohammad left in the shadow the character of Ibrahim – “Friend of god”.

For Ibn ‘Arabi, imagination is the indispensable “third thing” (al-shay’ al-thālith), an isthmus (barzakh) between Being and nothingness, haqq and khalq, spirit and body. He believes it to be more worthy to be called “light” than any other created thing. In its broadest, non-delimited (mutlaq), sense imagination is identical with the cosmos (‘ālam). In the narrower sense, considered as an intermediary between spirit and body, it is referred to as the “delimited one” (al-khayāl al-muqayyad). Depending on whether it is connected with a particular subject or not, it is divided by Ibn ‘Arabi into “contiguous” (muttasil) and “discontiguous” (munfasil).

As the cosmic isthmus between the Real and nothingness, imagination is known under a variety of names, depending on the aspect in which it is considered (I shall discuss some of them – the ‘cloud’ (‘amā’), ‘the breath of Compassionate’ (nafas al-Rahmān), ‘the reality of realities’ (haqīqat al-haqā’iq)).

As for the Shaykh al-Ishrāq, I shall argue that, in general, he views imagination as imperfection (nuqs), testifying to the insufficient separation of its possessor from the matter. Although the forms created by imagination – the so-called “suspended likenesses” (al-muthul al-mu‘allaqa) are immaterial themselves, they require a material substrate (mawdū‘) in order to become manifest. Suhrawardi supposes that in the hereafter such substrate is provided by certain celestial bodies in case of the blessed (su‘adā’) and by some body situated between the sphere of the Moon and that of the Fire – in case of the wicked (asqiyā’).

In his “Futuhat” work Ibn Arabi’s position to this problem is also the same. Like Tirmizi Ibn Arabi also provided for the expression “Ahla’l-Beyt” the moral elite which he called saint supporters of the prophet Mohammad and those who rose to the absolute praying moment (magam al-ubuda al mahda). Nevertheless the interpretation of the hadith of “Ahla-l Beyt” is the defenders of my people” which was given by Ibn Arabi unlike to Tirmizi possesses theoretical nuances and assumes importance.

His ontology foundation is the “unity of being” concept. According to it two aspects of the relative being: “existence” and “non existence” are united in the Absolute Being – the God. They correlate with each other as inward and outward with mutual determination. So Sufis take the world as not-different to the God, with every single thing of it, being the One God’s self manifestation.

This ontology system determined his way of using the non-Islamic symbolism (mostly Christianity, zoroastrism and idolatry). The investigation of this aspect of his teaching is very important, because it explains the medieval Sufi tradition’s view on the representatives of other confessions. The importance of this issue in the cultural dialog between East and West can’t be overestimated.

In his epatage non-Islamic symbolism Shabistari used the following logic: if every single thing of the world is the God’s display, worshiping them is the One God’s worshiping. Such idolatry is not a sin, but the “the Truth infidelity” (kufr-i hakiki), the form of religious behavior treated as idolatry, but being in reality the One God worshiping. On the contrary, if a Muslim doesn’t comprehend the unity of being, he is blamed as idolater. So Sufi tradition sees in the symbol of idolatry not an anti-Islamic pathos, but a radical apology of the unity of being concept.