Books by Michael Ebstein
Mysticism and Philosophy in al-Andalus. Ibn Masarra, Ibn al-'Arabi and the Isma'ili Tradition (Leiden: Brill, Islamic History and Civilization Series, 2013).
Papers by Michael Ebstein
In De la lettre à l’esprit / From the Letter to the Spirit. Travaux en hommage à Mohammad Ali Amir-Moezzi / Studies in Honour of Mohammad Ali Amir-Moezzi, Orkhan Mir-Kasimov, Mathieu Terrier (eds), Brepols, 2025
Bibliothèque de l'École des hautes études, Sciences religieuses Cette collection, fondée en 1889 ... more Bibliothèque de l'École des hautes études, Sciences religieuses Cette collection, fondée en 1889 et riche de plus de deux cents volumes, reflète la diversité des enseignements et des recherches menés au sein de la Section des sciences religieuses de l'École pratique des hautes études-PSL. Dans l'esprit de la section qui met en oeuvre une étude scientifique, laïque et pluraliste des faits religieux, on retrouve dans cette collection tant la diversité des religions et aires culturelles étudiées que la pluralité des disciplines pratiquées : philologie, archéologie, histoire, philosophie, anthropologie, sociologie, droit. Avec le haut niveau de spécialisation et d'érudition qui caractérise les études menées à l'EPHE-PSL, la collection Bibliothèque de l'École des hautes études, Sciences religieuses aborde aussi bien les religions anciennes disparues que les religions contemporaines, s'intéresse aussi bien à l'originalité historique, philosophique et théologique des trois grands monothéismesjudaïsme, christianisme, islam -qu'à la diversité religieuse en Inde, au Tibet, en Chine, au Japon, en Afrique et en Amérique, dans la Mésopotamie et l'Égypte anciennes, dans la Grèce et la Rome antiques. Cette collection n'oublie pas non plus l'étude des marges religieuses et des formes de dissidences, l'analyse des modalités mêmes de sortie de la religion. Les ouvrages sont signés par les meilleurs spécialistes français et étrangers dans le domaine des sciences religieuses (enseignantschercheurs à l'EPHE-PSL, anciens élèves de l'École, chercheurs invités).
Intellectualist Mysticism in al-Andalus: Baḥya Ibn Paqūda and Ibn Khamīs al-Yāburī
Jewish Quarterly Review, Volume 115, Number 2,, 2025
The aim of this essay is to shed light on the possible background against which Ba@hya Ibn Paqūda... more The aim of this essay is to shed light on the possible background against which Ba@hya Ibn Paqūda wrote his famous Book of Guidance to the Commandments of the Hearts (Kitāb al-hidāya ilā farā’i@d al-qulūb; Heb.: Sefer torat @hovot ha-levavot), by highlighting the similarities between this work and the much less-known Al-gharīb al-muntaqā min kalām ahl al-tuqā (Selected extraordinary sayings of the God-fearing ones), by Abū ‘Abd Allāh Mu@hammad Ibn Sa‘īd Ibn Khamīs al-Yāburī (d. 503/1109–10). The analysis of various passages from these two works will demonstrate that the Jewish Ba@hya and the Muslim Ibn Khamīs, who both hailed from al-Andalus/Sepharad and were active in more or less the same period (the second half of the eleventh century), shared a very similar mystical worldview. Specifically, the Hidāya and the Muntaqā reflect an intriguing fusion between, on the one hand, theological and psychological-ethical teachings inspired by al-@Hārith al-Mu@hāsibī (d. 243/857), the well-known theologian-mystic from Baghdad, and, on the other hand, philosophical-Neoplatonic concepts, derived most likely from the renowned Rasā’il ikhwān al-@safā’ (The epistles of the sincere brethren/brethren of purity). This is yet another example of how vital the comparative reading of Jewish and Islamic sources is for reconstructing the history of Andalusī/Sephardic thought.
The following article aims at highlighting the theurgical tendencies in the teachings of the grea... more The following article aims at highlighting the theurgical tendencies in the teachings of the great Andalusī Muslim mystic Muhyī l-Dīn Ibn al-'Arabī (560/1165-638/1240). By "theurgy" is meant the influence of man on Divinity in its manifest external dimension, that is to say, the dimension of God that creates beings and is involved with their lives and fortunes, as opposed to His hidden essence. The category "theurgy/theurgical" is adopted from the modern academic study of Kabbalah, and is ultimately derived from Late Antique Neoplatonism. The bulk of this article is dedicated to analyzing relevant texts from Ibn al-'Arabī's oeuvre and elucidating the theurgical elements reflected in them, while the last two sections (5-6) present preliminary observations on the relevant links between Ibn al-'Arabī, Kabbalah, and Late Antique Neoplatonism. It is argued that these three traditions should be studied together, as they shed light on one another.
in Religious and Intellectual Diversity in the Islamicate World and Beyond: Essays in Honor of Sarah Stroumsa, eds. Omer Michaelis and Sabine Schmidtke (Brill: Leiden, 2024), pp. 220-255., 2024
in Sufi Cosmology, eds. Christian Lange and Alexander Knysh (Leiden: Brill), 2023
The idea of emanation (fayḍ) and related concepts, ultimately originating in the Neoplatonic trad... more The idea of emanation (fayḍ) and related concepts, ultimately originating in the Neoplatonic tradition, played a central role in the development of Islamic mystical thought. The nature of this role and the ways in which Muslim mystics adapted and incorporated the idea of emanation into their respective teachings will be the focus of this chapter. 1 Introduction: "Neoplatonism" and "Emanation" The use of the terms "Neoplatonism" and "emanation" is not self-evident as might seem at ��rst and, therefore, merits clari��cation. In recent scholarship, the accuracy and utility of the term "Neoplatonism," which was coined in the eighteenth century, have been called into question, given the exceedingly wide-ranging array of writers and works-stretching from the third century to the modern period, and originating in diverse cultural, religious, and philosophical contexts-that is often subsumed under its umbrella (see, for example, Adamson, Neoplatonism, 206-7; Catana; Remes and Slaveva-Gri���n, 2-5). Accordingly, the use of "Neoplatonism" and "Neoplatonic" in what follows will be restricted mainly to the Islamic domain and within the latter to mystics who were inspired in one way or another, directly or indirectly, by certain Arabic Neoplatonic writings that were produced in the ninth and tenth centuries. These writings (on which see below) formed a continuation of the rich literary tradition initiated by Plotinus, the third-century Greek philosopher, his immediate disciples, and Late Antique heirs (on Plotinus and Neoplatonism in general, see the articles and bibliographies in Gerson, Plotinus; Remes and Slaveva-Gri���n). There are other di���culties, however, related to the use of the terms "Neoplatonism" and "Neoplatonic" that are speci��c to the ��eld of Islamic mysticism. While scholars of previous generations did not hesitate to speak of Neoplatonic "in��uences" on Islamic mysticism in general and on speci��c ��gures in particular (see, for instance,
Journal of Sufi Studies, 2019
The article discusses various attitudes towards the human intellect (ʿaql) in classical Islamic m... more The article discusses various attitudes towards the human intellect (ʿaql) in classical Islamic mysticism, as reflected in key mystical writings composed from the third/ninth century to the rise of Ibn al-ʿArabī in the sixth/twelfth. It begins by presenting the basic challenge that the concept of ʿaql posed for the mystics of Islam and then proceeds to analyze diverse approaches to the intellect in works that were written in both the east (mashriq) and the west (al-Andalus). Special attention is given to the impact of Neoplatonism on mystical attitudes towards the intellect. The conclusion to the article offers general observations on the problem of ʿaql in classical Islamic mysticism, and attempts to explain the tendency of certain sixth/twelfth-century mystics who were exposed to Neoplatonic thought to reduce the role of the intellect in the mystical quest for God.
The following article aims at analyzing various classifications of knowledge that are found in th... more The following article aims at analyzing various classifications of knowledge that are found in the literature of classical Islamic mysticism. The discussion focuses on two main corpora: Sufi writings, composed in the central and eastern parts of the Islamic world, and works by the Andalusī mystics or theosophists Ibn Masarra (d. 319/931), Ibn Barraǧān (d. 536/1141), Ibn Qasī (d. 546/1151), and Muḥyī l-Dīn Ibn al-ʿArabī (d. 638/1240). The article examines the discrepancies between the Eastern-Sufi and Andalusī taxonomies of knowledge, in an attempt to highlight the typological differences between these two mystical traditions of classical Sunnī Islam.
Intellectual Interactions in the Islamic World: the Isma'ili Thread, ed. Orkhan Mir-Kasimov (I. B. Tauris and The Institute of Ismaili Studies), 2020
The purpose of the article is to analyze the symbol of the circle and elucidate its significance ... more The purpose of the article is to analyze the symbol of the circle and elucidate its significance in two medieval Islamic corpora: classical Ismāʿīlī writings, composed in the 4th/10th-6th/12th centuries, and the works of the famous Andalusī mystic Muḥyī l-Dīn Ibn al-ʿArabī (560/1165-638/1240). The discussion in the article focuses on two main areas: cosmology and sacred human history. Attention is also given to notions that are in this context unique to Ibn al-ʿArabī. The study reveals that the symbol of the circle and cyclical conceptions figure prominently in both Ismāʿīlī and Akbarian thought; moreover, the article demonstrates how Ismāʿīlī teachings are important for understanding the background against which Ibn al-ʿArabī developed his distinctive circular vision of existence.
This article focuses on ḥadīth al-nawāfil (" the tradition concerning supererogatory works "), wh... more This article focuses on ḥadīth al-nawāfil (" the tradition concerning supererogatory works "), which is one of the most quoted traditions in Islamic mystical literature. The tradition describes how the believer may draw close to God and gain His love by performing supererogatory works, to such an extent that her organs become divine. The article discusses the significance of the nawāfil tradition in various mystical writings composed in the formative and classical periods of Islamic mysti-cism (third–seventh/ninth–thirteenth centuries), with special attention given to the writings of the influential mystic Muḥyī l-Dīn Ibn al-ʿArabī (d. 638/1240). The article likewise attempts to demonstrate the relevance of certain Shii conceptions to the understanding of ḥadīth al-nawāfil and its interpretations in Sunni mysticism. The following divine saying (ḥadīth qudsī), commonly referred to in Islamic sources as ḥadīth al-nawāfil (" the tradition concerning supererogatory works, " henceforth, the nawāfil tradition), is one of the most quoted traditions in Islamic mystical literature: Allah has said: Whoever treats a friend (walī) of mine with enmity, I declare war on him. There is nothing by which my servant draws close to me that is dearer to me than that which I have imposed (iftaraḍtu) upon him; and my servant does not cease to draw close to me by supereroga-tory works (nawāfil) until I love him, and when I love him, I become his hearing (samʿ) by which he hears, his sight (baṣar) by which he sees, his hand by which he forcibly seizes, and his leg by which he walks. If he asks me, I give him, and if he seeks my refuge, I grant it to him. There is no action of mine in which I waver more than [taking] the soul of a believer: he hates dying, and I hate doing him wrong. 1 As reflected in this nawāfil tradition, central to Islamic mystical thought are (1) the pivotal role of obligatory (farāʾiḍ) and supererogatory religious actions in the advancement toward God, and (2) the notion that at the climactic end of this advancement God assumes control of the will and faculties of His beloved servant. In what follows I will discuss the significance of the nawāfil tradition in various mystical writings composed in the formative and classical periods of Islamic mysticism, i.e., from the third/ninth to the seventh/thirteenth centuries. A substantial part of my discussion will be dedicated to the celebrated mystic Muḥyī l-Dīn Ibn al-ʿArabī (d. 638/1240), who quotes or refers to the nawāfil tradition throughout his writings and whose influence on subsequent generations of mystics was such that he was known as al-shaykh al-akbar. I will also allude in passing to certain Shii conceptions that I believe are relevant to the understanding of the nawāfil tradition and its interpretations in Sunni
The following article aims at highlighting the mythic elements inherent in Muḥyī l-Dīn Ibn al-ʿAr... more The following article aims at highlighting the mythic elements inherent in Muḥyī l-Dīn Ibn al-ʿArabī's teachings on the Divine names. The article begins with a very general introduction to the subject of Divine names in Islamic mysticism and then proceeds to clarify the meaning of the term " mythic " as it is used in this study. The core of the article is devoted to an examination of four main areas in which the Divine names, according to Ibn al-ʿArabī, play a central role: the creation of the world (cosmogony); its management ; mystical experiences and knowledge; magic and theurgy. The main claim is that in all four areas, Ibn al-ʿArabī's discourse is to a great extent mythic. The implications of this claim for the understanding of Akbarian thought and for the study of Islamic mysticism in general are discussed in the concluding paragraph of the essay.
La collection Bibliothèque de l'École des hautes études, sciences religieuses, fondée en 1889 et ... more La collection Bibliothèque de l'École des hautes études, sciences religieuses, fondée en 1889 et riche de plus de cent cinquante volumes, reflète la diversité des enseignements et des recherches menés au sein de la Section des sciences religieuses de l'École pratique des hautes études (Paris, Sorbonne). Dans l'esprit de la section qui met en oeuvre une étude scientifique, laïque et pluraliste des faits religieux, on retrouve dans cette collection tant la diversité des religions et aires culturelles étudiées que la pluralité des disciplines pratiquées : philologie, archéologie, histoire, philosophie, anthropologie, sociologie, droit. Avec le haut niveau de spécialisation et d'érudition qui caractérise les études menées à l'EPHE, la collection Bibliothèque de l'École des Hautes Études, Sciences religieuses aborde aussi bien les religions anciennes disparues que les religions contemporaines, s'intéresse aussi bien à l'originalité historique, philosophique et théologique des trois grands monothéismes -judaïsme, christianisme, islam -qu'à la diversité religieuse en Inde, au Tibet, en Chine, au Japon, en Afrique et en Amérique, dans la Mésopotamie et l'Égypte anciennes, dans la Grèce et la Rome antiques. Cette collection n'oublie pas non plus l'étude des marges religieuses et des formes de dissidences, l'analyse des modalités mêmes de sortie de la religion. Les ouvrages sont signés par les meilleurs spécialistes français et étrangers dans le domaine des sciences religieuses (chercheurs enseignants à l'EPHE, anciens élèves de l'École, chercheurs invités…) Directeur de la collection : Arnaud sérAnDour Secrétaires d'édition : Cécile GuivArCh, Anna WAiDe Comité de rédaction :
JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, a... more JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected].
The article analyzes some of the main teachings that are attributed to Ḏū l-Nūn al-Miṣrī (died ca... more The article analyzes some of the main teachings that are attributed to Ḏū l-Nūn al-Miṣrī (died ca 245/859-860), a prominent figure in the formative period of the Sufi tradition. These teachings are reflected in the many sayings that are ascribed to Ḏū l-Nūn in Sufi literature, in non-Sufi biographical dictionaries, and in several other medieval Islamic sources, all dating from the 4th/10th century onwards. The article demonstrates the historical problems related to the figure of Ḏū l-Nūn al-Miṣrī, and, in this context, particular attention is given to the occult tendencies that are attributed to him in various writings.
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Books by Michael Ebstein
Papers by Michael Ebstein