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Kyoto Bulletin of Islamic Area Studies, 7 (March 2014), pp. 362368

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A Comprehensive Review on the Works and Thoughts of Abd al-Ghan al-Nbulus
YAMAMOTO Naoki
This paper examines previous studies about Abd al-Ghan ibn Isml al-Nbulus (d.
1143/1731) and clarifies how research on him has progressed so far.
Al-Nbulus was one of the most distinguished mystical scholars in 18th century Ottoman
Syria. He belonged to the School of Ibn al-Arab and was known worldwide for his writings on
wadat al-wujd (the Unity of Existence). Nbulus was a traveler, and his works on his travels
give us a rounded understanding of the history and cultural conditions of the Ottoman Empire in
the 18th century. From the mystical aspect, Nbulus is remembered as the scholar who untangled
the complicated thoughts of Ibn al-Arab into a simpler form. Despite his caliber in the world of
Islamic philosophy, studies on the characteristics of his mystical thought remain limited.
Recent studies have revealed that Nbulus may not have been merely an annotator of
Ibn al-Arab for the following reasons; first, He emphasized the humans sin (dhanb) against
Allah in the doctrine of his wadat al-wujd. This may be a new approach in the history of the
School of Ibn al-Arabi. Second, he focused on using the word denoting Allahs command (amr)
in his Shar on Ibn al-Fris poems, even though Ibn al-Fri himself didnt use this term
himself. By focusing on these specific terms, it is believed that studying Nbuluss wadat
al-wujd can present us with a new perspective towards the understanding of both inherited
and developed thoughts in the School of Ibn al-Arab in the Ottoman Empire.

1.

Abd al-Ghan ibn Isml al-Nbulus, d. 1143/173118

1
1050/1641
12 7
d. 638/1240d. 690/1291

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d.1214/1799Akkach Ghazz

4
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