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The Tarjuman al-Ashwaq or "Interpreter of Desires" by Ibn 'Arabi is acknowledged as one of the major works of Sufi literature, alongside those of the great Persian poets Attar, Jalaluddin Rumi, Hafiz and Jami.
In keeping with the poetical tradition of Islam, there is a continuing ambiguity in the verses as to whether they are love poems disguised as mystical odes, or mystical odes expressed in the language of human love. The timeless beauty and imagery of the verses cannot be denied, and may be interpreted at many levels. "Gnostics," says Ibn 'Arabi, "cannot impart their feelings to other men; they can only indicate them symbolically to those who have begun to experience the like." In response to the accusation by a religious scholar that these were just sensual poems, Ibn 'Arabi wrote a commentary on the Tarjuman which is partially translated here.
This was one of the first translations of a book by Ibn 'Arabi into a European langauage, made by the great translator of Rumi's Mathnawi, Reynold A. Nicholson. In both cases his translation was of such outstanding quality that it was more than fifty years before other translators began to try their hands at these texts, and his translations still stand the test of time
About the Author:
Muhyiddin Ibn 'Arabi (1165-1240 )
Muhyiddin Ibn 'Arabi, one of the greatest mystics of any age, was born in Murcia in the year 1165, and from his earliest youth displayed remarkable intellectual and spiritual aptitude. He travelled extensively throughout the Islamic world, conversing with mystics, divines and philosophers. His teaching is based on the primordial principle, which underlies all spiritual traditions, of the absolute unity of existence. In more than 400 books the meanings and expression of this principle are set down with extraordinary clarity and fullness. Ibn 'Arabi died in Damascus in 1240. His influence is pervasive and profound, and he is known to many as al-Sheikh al-Akbar - 'the Greatest Teacher'.
Translated by: Reynold A. Nicholson |
