The rise of Shaykh e Akbar Ibn e Arabi: Knowledge of the Young Sufi Ibn e Arabi terrifies the Islamic Jurist and Scholar Ibn Rushd of Spain!

The divinely bestowed knowledge of Ibn a Arabi was to record its first victory over the world renowned figure Ibn Rushd (Averros)

Ibn Rushd the celebrated Muslim philosopher & chief judge (qazi) of Cordoba. The meeting was arranged by Ibn Arabi’s father, who enjoyed some closeness with the great philosopher in what is an important indication of his high social standing.

The famous biographical anecdote which is recorded in almost all accounts of Ibn Arabi's life, during a brief & enigmatic encounter Ibn Arabi's knowledge frightened Ibn Rushd, who's considered as the last authentic representative of rational & philosophical tradition in Islam.

The story is related in detail by many modern scholars:

As I (Ibn Arabi) entered, the philosopher(Ibn Rushd) rose from his seat and came to meet me, showing me every possible token of friendship and consideration and finally embracing me.

Then he said to me: ‘Yes’. I in turn replied to him: ‘Yes’. Then his joy increased as he saw that I had understood him.

But next, when I myself became aware of what it was that had caused his joy, I added: ‘No’.

Immediately, Ibn Rushd tensed up, his features changed color & he seemed to doubt his own thoughts. He asked me this question: ‘what kind of solution have you found through spiritual illumination ? Is it just the same as we receive from speculative thought?’

I replied to him: ‘Yes & no. Between yes and no, spirits take flight from their matter & necks break away from their bodies. Averroes turned pale. I saw him start to tremble. He murmured the ritual phrase: ‘There is no strength save in God’ since he had understood my allusions.

His knowledge not only confounded the great philosopher but also, and more importantly, made him ask all the right questions. It was not insignificant at all, in hindsight, that someone like Ibn Rushd,

was instantly able to recognize the source of Ibn ‘Arabi’s knowledge as being spiritual illumination, in front of which rational reasoning humbly retreats.

Source in the picture below

@SeemeGRaja74