The Components of femininity and Ibn Arabi

Abstract
What is the nature of woman in relation to man? In elucidating Ibn ʿArabī’s response to this question, it is necessary to approach the discussion of the ontological, epistemological, and pragmatic dimensions of woman in contrast to man within a trilogical framework. Ontologically, woman is the agent of proliferation and the emanation of various manifestations from the Divine Essence. Epistemologically, the cognitive capacity of the feminine gender is imagination (al-khayāl), and in epistemic terms, woman symbolizes wisdom. Wisdom refers to theoretical reflection combined with the pragmatic dimension. The wise person is responsible for resolving crises by drawing upon the knowledge of divine truths. In other words, through three processes—revelation, inspiration, and true dreams—woman perceives the divine names and attributes and molds them into tangible forms. She achieves a symbolic understanding of esoteric knowledge and wisdom. From a pragmatic perspective, woman is like the wise person. The difference between wisdom and mere theoretical contemplation is that the wise must have the ability to solve problems and crises using divine knowledge. Thus, naturally, woman becomes a guide.
Keywords: gender, femininity, feminine, masculine, Ibn ʿArabī.
 
Introduction
What constitutes the core of all three waves of feminism in the modern world is the shared question about the demarcation between men and women. How should these distinctions be drawn? What are their boundaries? Any response to this question depends on addressing the underlying issue: What is the nature of woman in contrast to the nature of man? The term "in contrast" is used deliberately. This is because we want to emphasize that we must seek a description (not a logical definition) of woman that elucidates woman in relation to man and man in relation to woman. The modern world’s inquiry into the nature of woman examines the historical and contextual dynamics of this relationship and ultimately seeks to resolve the nature of this confrontation. Therefore, if we aim to engage our intellectual tradition to respond to the philosophical and epistemological question of the nature of woman, it is essential to consider the contrast underlying this modern inquiry. We must, so to speak, develop a dialectical response from within our intellectual tradition—one that defines woman in contrast to man and man in contrast to woman.
This study attempts to address the question of "the nature of woman" by drawing on the intellectual framework provided by Ibn ʿArabī, which offers a particularly suitable foundation for such an inquiry. (The research explains why and how Ibn ʿArabī’s thought, more than that of many other Muslim thinkers, is equipped to answer this modern question.) It seeks to revisit Ibn ʿArabī’s theoretical mysticism to explore the nature of woman and femininity within his theoretical framework. By doing so, the study aims to provide a basis for understanding the distinctions between the feminine and the masculine, and vice versa, from the perspective of this intellectual tradition. This approach ultimately seeks to answer a fundamental question of the modern and postmodern world in a manner that aligns with the ethos of Islamic civilization.
Discussion
In exploring the nature of femininity in Ibn ʿArabī’s thought, this article employs a trilogical approach. It first examines the methodological significance of trilogy in studying Ibn ʿArabī. Subsequently, it analyzes the concept of ʿArabī and its position within the levels of existence according to Ibn ʿArabī, focusing on the triad of Wāḥidiyya (Oneness), Raḥīmiyya (Mercifulness), and Nafs (Self or Soul). The feminine aspects are then elucidated through a trilogical framework: Creatorship (ontological dimension), Wisdom (epistemological dimension), and Guidance (pragmatic dimension). Finally, building upon this analysis, the feminine gender is outlined in contrast to the masculine gender in terms of Ibn ʿArabī’s mysticism.
Method
The research method adopted in this article is descriptive and analytic, based on library sources.
Conclusion
The feminine aspect of existence, in its manifestation through Oneness, Mercifulness, and Self, is revealed as direct manifestations of the Divine Essence. The core of these three manifestations lies in the creative aspect, creation, and proliferation. Thus, the descending arc (qaws al-nuzūl), or the unity within multiplicity, is the feminine identity of being. This feminine identity is manifested in humans as woman, who embodies the component of creatorship from an ontological perspective, wisdom from an epistemological perspective, and guidance from a pragmatic perspective.
In Ibn ʿArabī’s thought, femininity represents a human identity that is the source of creation, production, and proliferation. The imaginative faculty plays a more prominent role in this identity, which is why the acquisition of intuitive wisdom, and the gaining of knowledge through true dreams, inspiration, and revelation, finds a more suitable ground in women. Therefore, women possess a greater ability to understand the signs of transcendent realities within sensory and natural phenomena. Woman has a greater capacity to comprehend divine signs through natural phenomena to achieve an understanding of divine realities. Given the superiority of their imaginative power, women are also more adept at understanding metaphorical and allegorical meanings.
Woman symbolizes the perfect human in the descending arc. She belongs to the stage of proliferation while being responsible for understanding the singular, transcendent divine reality within this multiplicity. Her role is to guide the perplexed human being through the manifold sensory and natural realms, revealing the truth of the One Being amidst the material multitudes. This is why, in Ibn ʿArabī’s view, the mother of Moses is seen as the source of wisdom imparted to Moses, symbolized through the act of breastfeeding. The duty of breastfeeding Moses is divinely determined through her, and no other woman can fulfill this role.
Thus, woman, from an epistemological perspective, symbolizes a figurative understanding of the Divine Essence. From a pragmatic perspective, she represents guidance and nurturing. It is she who has the ability to elevate a child, initially limited to natural and material understanding, to a level where the recognition of divinity can be realized amidst the multiplicity of sensory and natural phenomena.