Dissolving into Being

Dissolving into Being is an introduction to Sufi philosophy, a tradition based on the teachings of Ibn 'Arabi (d.1240), Sufism's most influential master. His voluminous writings offer a treasury of wisdom, yet their vintage and complexity can limit their purview to experts. To help bridge the gap between specialized studies of Sufi philosophy and a broader readership, Dissolving into Being offers a modern commentary on key passages of Ibn 'Arabi's foremost work, The Gemstones of Wisdom, drawing out its profound insights on the unity of life, the reality of love and the mysterious nature of destiny, death and what follows. In the process of doing so, the book explores key elements of the Islamic Sufi-tradition and offers an overview of the Sufi path of spiritual transformation, all the while pointing to the deep resonance of Sufi philosophy with other religions and philosophies. Although such works are much more widely available for other (what we might call) mystical philosophical traditions, there is little available on Sufi philosophy that is not explicitly oriented towards a strictly academic readership.