Lecture on Ibn al Arabi: Dr. Ayesha Leghari

Hast-o-Neest

 Institute of Traditional Studies & Art

invites you to a lecture

Shaykh ul Akbar Ibn al Arabi's 

Concept of 'Insaan-ul-Kamil' - The Perfect Human being

Dr. Ayesha Leghari Saeed

Sunday, 3rd March 2013

at 4:30 pm

at 2S, Gulberg II, Lahore

Shaykh ul Akbar ibn al Arabi: Despite his early and extraordinary spiritual development al-Shaykh al-Akbar (b.1165 CE)  never ceased learning from other shaykhs and ulama until almost the end of his days. When he spent the latter part of his life traveling in the Muslim lands, he would always seek out prominent shaykhs and alims wherever he went and become their disciple even though he often traveled with a large entourage of his own students and disciples.  In his quest for knowledge he traveled widely in Morocco and other parts of North Africa.

Al-Shaykh al-Akbar  produced many tracts and treatises throughout his life, the most famous among them being al-Fusus al-Hikam, which to this day remains one of the key texts on Muslim prophetology, the Tarjuman al-Ashwaq, a divan of his poetry, and al-Futuhat al Makkiya, in which diverse topics of Tasawwuf are illuminated in the light of the Quran and Hadith. All three were composed or completed in Damascus.

Like all major Sufi saints, al-Shaykh al-Akbar was particularly concerned with the five pillars of Islam, and gave elaborate explanations of the spiritual meaning and benefits of each. Just the way he derived his spiritual insights from the literal meaning of revelation, similarly, he considered it essential to follow the outer aspect of the Sharia, like the rituals, if one were to acquire and benefit from its inner dimension.

Dr. Ayesha Leghari Saeed:

-PhD from the Department of Arabic and Islamic Studies University of Melbourne

-Graduated in Applied Psychology, English Literature and Arabic, Kinnaird College, Lahore

-Visiting Lecturer on Educational Psychology, Islamic Philosophy of Education, Iqbal’s Philosophy, and Ibn al Arabi’s teachings at Foundation University Islamabad/Rawalpindi, University of the Punjab, Quaid-e-Azam University, International Islamic University, Cambridge University, Melbourne University and the Comparative Religions Group of The Asian Study Group, Islamabad.

-Associated with Iqbal Review and Interreligious Insight, an international journal promoting inter-faith dialogue. 

-Currently writing a book contracted by Edwin Mellon on Ibn al Arabi’s teachings.

-Co-founder with Dr Amineh Hoti of an organization called “Valuing Diversity” in Islamabad with the aim of working for Interreligious, intergroup and interpersonal harmony in Pakistan.

-Coordinator for a small charity organization called the Ammaji Development Organization which has worked for disaster relief, health and education in Dera Ghazi Khan as well as in the Northern areas of Pakistan and Azad Kashmir.

Queries: 0300 849 3170