# Tanbih al-Ghabi bi-Tabri'at Ibn 'Arabi

Tanbih al-Ghabi bi-Tabri'at Ibn 'Arabi (Arabic: تنبيه الغبي بتبرئة ابن عربي, lit. 'Warning to the Dolt/Fool Concerning Ibn 'Arabi's Vindication') is a booklet written by the Shafi'i-Ash'ari scholar Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti (d. 911/1505) as a response to the book Tanbih al-Ghabi ila Takfir Ibn 'Arabi [ar] (Arabic: تنبيه الغبي إلى تكفير ابن عربي, lit. 'Warning to the Dolt/Fool Concerning Ibn Arabi's Heresy/Apostasy') by Burhan al-Din al-Biqa'i (d. 885/1480) in which al-Suyuti defended Ibn 'Arabi (d. 637/1240) against his critics in general, and against accusations of heresy and unbelief by al-Biqa'i in particular. Al-Suyuti said:
   The scholars past and present have differed concerning Ibn 'Arabi, one group considering him a wali of Allah (saint of God or spiritual leader of Muslims) - and they are correct - such as Ibn 'Ata' Allah al-Sakandari and 'Afif al-Din al-Yafi'i [ar], another considering him a heretic - such as a large number of the jurists - while others expressed doubts concerning him, among them al-Dhahabi in al-Mizan. Two opposed verdicts are reported from Shaykh 'Izz al-Din ibn 'Abd al-Salam, one attacking him, and one describing him as the Spiritual Pole (al-Qutb). What reconciles them is indicated by Shaykh Taj al-Din ibn 'Ata' Allah in Lata'if al-Minan [ar], namely, that Shaykh 'Izz al-Din at the beginning acted in the fashion of jurists in passing quick judgment on the Sufis. When Shaykh Abu al-Hasan al-Shadhili went to pilgrimage and returned, he came to Shaykh 'Izz al-Din before entering his own house and conveyed to him the Prophet's ﷺ greeting. After that, Shaykh 'Izz al-Din humbled himself and began to sit in al-Shadhili's gatherings...

## Summary

In this book, al-Suyuti refuted the criticisms and accusations against Ibn 'Arabi, which, according to him, were caused due to misunderstandings and misinterpretations, or due to the distortion and alteration of Ibn 'Arabi's books and statements by the heretics and blasphemers. Al-Suyuti tried to demonstrate the veracity of the sainthood of Ibn 'Arabi and stated that, though Ibn 'Arabi was a great saint, but the reading of his writings should be forbidden to incompetent people and disciples ignorant of Sufi terminology [ar].
Al-Suyuti cites from Ibn Hajar al-'Asqalani's list in Inba' al-Ghumr bi-Anba' al-'Umr [ar] (Tidings of the Abundance in the News of the Ages), the scholars who praised Ibn 'Arabi and/or considered him one of the righteous saints of God, such as the following:
* Ibn 'Ata' Allah al-Sakandari (d. 709/1309).
* Al-Yafi'i [ar] (d. 768/1367), a Shafi'i-Ash'ari scholar and Sufi from Yemen affiliated with the Qadiri order who wrote several works dedicated to bolstering and defending Sufism.
* 'Izz al-Din ibn 'Abd al-Salam (d. 660/1262), after his meeting with Abu al-Hasan al-Shadhili (d. 656/1258), he understood the real meaning of Ibn 'Arabi's symbolic utterances, and asked God's pardon for his former opinion about Ibn 'Arabi and acknowledged him an Imam of Islam.
* Siraj al-Din al-Hindi [ar] (d. 773/1371), a Hanafi-Maturidi scholar, who is perhaps best known for his commentary on both al-'Aqida al-Tahawiyya and al-Hidaya.
* Najm al-Din al-Bahi (d. 802/1400), a Hanbali scholar who was highly praised and respected by Ibn Hajji and Siraj al-Din al-Bulqini, as al-Sakhawi mentioned in his al-Daw' al-Lami' [ar] (The Shining Light).
* Isma'il ibn Ibrahim al-Jabarti (d. 806/1403), a Sufi scholar of the Qadiri order from Yemen, who was the teacher of 'Abd al-Karim al-Jili (d. 826/1422).
* Majd al-Din al-Fayruzabadi (d. 817/1414-15), the author of al-Qamus al-Muhit who in his commentary on Sahih al-Bukhari often quotes Ibn 'Arabi's explanations.
* Shams al-Din al-Bisati [ar] (d. 842/1439), a Maliki chief judge (Qadi al-Qudah [ar]) of Egypt, who had some arguments and disputes with the Hanafi-Maturidi scholar 'Ala' al-Din al-Bukhari regarding Ibn 'Arabi.
* Shams al-Din ibn Najm (d. 801/1399); and several other scholars.

## Critical response

* Books portal
* Islam portal
The Hanafi scholar Ibrahim al-Halabi (d. 956/1549) wrote a critical reply to al-Suyuti, entitled Tasfih al-Ghabi fi Tanzih Ibn 'Arabi (Arabic: تسفيه الغبي في تنزيه ابن عربي) against the latter's defense of Ibn 'Arabi.