Sadr al-Din al-Qunawi
Encyclopedia
Sadr ad-Din Qunawi (died 1274) was a Persian
Sufi who wrote the first and most influential commentary on Ibn Arabi
's Setting of Wisdom. He was adopted by Ibn Arabi
and remained his disciple throughout his life.
, Hadith
and Peripatetic philosophy
. He was specially a master of Hadith
and people from Islamic lands came to Konya
to study with him. Qunawi was more well versed than Ibn Arabi
in Peripatetic philosophy and sought to harmonize Peripatetic philosophy with intellectual expressions of Sufism
.
In addition to his critical role in spreading the teachings of Ibn Arabi
, Sadr al-Din was acquainted with Mawlānā Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Rūmī. Both lived in Konya and Sadr al-Din was the poet's imam at daily prayers. Sadr al-Din also instructed Qutb al-Din al-Shirazi
, author of a widely known commentary on Suhrawardi's
Hikmat al-Israq. Another student of Sadr al-Din, the Sufi poet Fakhr al-Din al-Iraqi, was largely responsible for introducing ibn-Arabi in the Persian language.
Persian people
The Persian people are part of the Iranian peoples who speak the modern Persian language and closely akin Iranian dialects and languages. The origin of the ethnic Iranian/Persian peoples are traced to the Ancient Iranian peoples, who were part of the ancient Indo-Iranians and themselves part of...
Sufi who wrote the first and most influential commentary on Ibn Arabi
Ibn Arabi
Ibn ʿArabī was an Andalusian Moorish Sufi mystic and philosopher. His full name was Abū 'Abdillāh Muḥammad ibn 'Alī ibn Muḥammad ibn `Arabī .-Biography:...
's Setting of Wisdom. He was adopted by Ibn Arabi
Ibn Arabi
Ibn ʿArabī was an Andalusian Moorish Sufi mystic and philosopher. His full name was Abū 'Abdillāh Muḥammad ibn 'Alī ibn Muḥammad ibn `Arabī .-Biography:...
and remained his disciple throughout his life.
Biography
Little can be gleaned from his personal life except the occasional references to himself when he gained visionary knowledge. Qunawi was well versed in Quran, SufismSufism
Sufism or ' is defined by its adherents as the inner, mystical dimension of Islam. A practitioner of this tradition is generally known as a '...
, Hadith
Hadith
The term Hadīth is used to denote a saying or an act or tacit approval or criticism ascribed either validly or invalidly to the Islamic prophet Muhammad....
and Peripatetic philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
. He was specially a master of Hadith
Hadith
The term Hadīth is used to denote a saying or an act or tacit approval or criticism ascribed either validly or invalidly to the Islamic prophet Muhammad....
and people from Islamic lands came to Konya
Konya
Konya is a city in the Central Anatolia Region of Turkey. The metropolitan area in the entire Konya Province had a population of 1,036,027 as of 2010, making the city seventh most populous in Turkey.-Etymology:...
to study with him. Qunawi was more well versed than Ibn Arabi
Ibn Arabi
Ibn ʿArabī was an Andalusian Moorish Sufi mystic and philosopher. His full name was Abū 'Abdillāh Muḥammad ibn 'Alī ibn Muḥammad ibn `Arabī .-Biography:...
in Peripatetic philosophy and sought to harmonize Peripatetic philosophy with intellectual expressions of Sufism
Sufism
Sufism or ' is defined by its adherents as the inner, mystical dimension of Islam. A practitioner of this tradition is generally known as a '...
.
In addition to his critical role in spreading the teachings of Ibn Arabi
Ibn Arabi
Ibn ʿArabī was an Andalusian Moorish Sufi mystic and philosopher. His full name was Abū 'Abdillāh Muḥammad ibn 'Alī ibn Muḥammad ibn `Arabī .-Biography:...
, Sadr al-Din was acquainted with Mawlānā Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Rūmī. Both lived in Konya and Sadr al-Din was the poet's imam at daily prayers. Sadr al-Din also instructed Qutb al-Din al-Shirazi
Qutb al-Din al-Shirazi
Qotb al-Din Shirazi or Qutb al-Din al-Shirazi was a 13th century Persian Muslim polymath and Persian poet who made contributions astronomy, mathematics, medicine, physics, music theory, philosophy and Sufism.- Biography :...
, author of a widely known commentary on Suhrawardi's
Shahab al-Din Suhrawardi
Other important Muslim mystics carry the name Suhrawardi, particularly Abu 'l-Najib al-Suhrawardi and his paternal nephew Abu Hafs Umar al-Suhrawardi."Shahāb ad-Dīn" Yahya ibn Habash as-Suhrawardī was a Persian...
Hikmat al-Israq. Another student of Sadr al-Din, the Sufi poet Fakhr al-Din al-Iraqi, was largely responsible for introducing ibn-Arabi in the Persian language.
Works
- Tafsir al-Fatiha A Sufi commentary on the Qur'an and possibly his most important work.
- Sharh al-Hadith al-Arba'in An unfinished work on the famous 40 sayings of the Prophet of Islam. Qunawi died before completing this work but 29 of the Sayings were commented upon. It provides important elucidations on Qunawi's teaching on imagination and other matters.
- Sharh al-Asma' al-Husna A concise explanation of the ninety-nine names of God and their traces on the human level.
- Fakk al-Khutum A short commentary on the essential themes of Ibn 'Arabi's Fusus al-Hikam.
- Miftah al-Ghayb One of Quwnawi's key works. In Persian madrassas, it is traditionally taught to students who have previously mastered the most difficult philosophical texts.
- Al-Nusus A collection of 21 texts that pertain to the state of "Perfection"
- al-Mufawadat This is his correspondence with Nasir al-Din Tusi