ABSTRACT
Examine the origin of existence, and think it through: you will see the same (divine) Generosity, both eternal and created. And the (created) thing is like the (eternal) thing, except that He made it appear in the actual reality of the worlds as created. So if the viewer swears that his existence is eternal (in the Unity), he is honest and truthful, not lying; But if the viewer swears that its existence (emerges) after its non-existence, (that is) more appropriate – and then its [existence] is threefold. [I.5.31] In order to understand these novel concepts of time that we have explained in previous chapters, we need to shed more light on Ibn ‘Arabî’s controversial understanding of the oneness of being (wahdat al-wujûd), because it is the key to understanding his various views of time. Although he had never employed this famous term directly, it is quite evident that this characteristic understanding of the oneness of being strongly dominates Ibn Arabî’s many writings: he explains almost everything on the basis of the concept of ultimate unicity and oneness. More specifically, the metaphysical structure of the world, how it comes into existence, how it is maintained and its ontological relation with the Creator can be explained only on the basis of the oneness of being.
