Journal of Asian Wisdom and Islamic Behavior
Vol. 4 No. 2 (2026)

Rethinking Ibn ‘Arabi: Ibn Turka’s Commentary on the Fuṣūṣ al-Hikam

Rüdiger Lohlker (Department of Islamic-Theological Studies, University of Vienna, Wien)



Article Info

Publish Date
30 Sep 2026

Abstract

Saʾīn al-Dīn Ibn Turka was a relatively lesser-known thinker of the post-Mongolian period who was active during Timurid rule in Iran. Despite his limited recognition, he was an influential intellectual of his time. This article examines his position within the field of Islamic knowledge in Timurid Iran, particularly his representation of a lettrist and occult approach. His thought reflects an early modern Islamic perspective that employs mathematical conceptions of reality, marking a distinctive development in Islamic intellectual history. The article situates Ibn Turka within the intellectual field of wahdat al-wujūd (Oneness of Being), particularly the commentary tradition on Ibn ʿArabī’s Fuṣūṣ al-Ḥikam. Since Ibn Turka’s commentary has received limited scholarly attention, this study provides an in-depth examination of the work and addresses a significant gap in wahdat al-wujūd studies. It also emphasizes the importance of examining the tradition’s later developments rather than focusing primarily on Ibn ʿArabī as its founder. Using Pierre Bourdieu’s field theory, the article conceptualizes wahdat al-wujūd as a dynamic field characterized by multiple intellectual contestations. This approach moves beyond genealogical studies and enables broader dialogue between Islamic intellectual traditions and other fields of knowledge.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

JAWAB

Publisher

Subject

Religion Humanities Languange, Linguistic, Communication & Media Social Sciences Other

Description

Journal of Asian Wisdom and Islamic Behavior with ISSN number: 2987-6915 is a double-blind review method international journal that publishes authentic scientific articles relating to valuable ideas that contain findings of various local wisdom in the field of Islamic studies in Asia. The journal is ...