The Horizons of Being

The Horizons of Being explores the teachings of Ibn al-'Arabåi by examining Dåawåud al-Qayòsaråi's (d. 1350) Prolegomena (muqaddima) to his commentary, Maòtla' khuòsåuòs al-kilam fåi ma'åanåi Fuòsåuòs al-òhikam (A Preamble of Select Discourse on the Meanings of the Fuòsåuòs al-òhikam), referred to simply as Muqaddimat al-Qayòsaråi. While his commentary represents the third in a direct line going back to Ibn al-'Arabåi through Kåashåanåi, Jandåi and Qåunawåi, it remains one of the most popular due to itsthorough and accessible treatment of the Fuòsåuòs that frequently synthesizes the ideas of his predecessors. The Muqaddima stands on its own as an independent work and has been the subject of careful study. If the al-Futåuòhåat al-makkiyya contains the entirety of Ibn al-'Arabåi's metaphysics which is distilled in the Fuòsåuòs, then Qayòsaråi's Muqaddima can be read not just as a precis of the Fuòsåuòs but a summary of Ibn al-'Arabåi's doctrine--