The Spiritual Phenomenology of Unity of Existence (Waḥdat al-wujūd) in “Majnun's Refuge in the Kaaba” painting, Based on Ibn Arabi's point of view

The concept of Wahdat al-Wujud has long been a subject of contention among Muslim philosophers. Ever since its introduction by Ibn Arabi, it sparked a wave of opposition and accusations of heresy. This intricate philosophical-mystical idea, challenging to translate and interpret into languages other than Arabic and Persian, gradually matured through the efforts of Sheikh al-Akbar. From the 7th AH onward, it was introduced into Persian literature through the intermediary role of Qunawi, paving the way for its influence on the works of luminaries such as Rumi and Hafiz. One key focus of the current research is examining the link between Wahdat al-Wujud and Persian painting. By concentrating on creation phenomena from Ibn Arabi's perspective, it seeks to map these philosophical concepts onto the visual elements of Iranian art, revealing their connections. The central question driving this study revolves around how Iranian painters absorbed and reflected Ibn Arabi’s mystical teachings on the Unity of Existence in their artistic creations. Employing a qualitative methodology with descriptive-analytical and interpretative approaches. This research was conducted qualitatively and with a descriptive-analytical and interpretive approach. Overall, it seems that Ibn Arabi's principles are depicted in the cover of a painting inspired by literature that the seemingly simple visual elements have deep meanings that are in harmony with Ibn Arabi's views on the unity of existence. Majnun is a sincere lover who has reached the love of God and during the Hajj season his heart has the capacity for the almighty and he speaks of divine love and oneness with Laila, and is occupied with secrets and needs in the crowd of pilgrims. The four-sided Kaaba is a symbol of God's encompassing of existence, and by depicting the story of Majnun's Hobb (love) and his pilgrimage to the four-sided Kaaba, the artist refers to the Quranic verse, "He is the First and the Last, the Manifest and the Hidden" (57:3), which means that the beginning and end of everything goes back to the Truth, which is aware of the appearances and inwardness of everyone, and that the various affairs and multiple determinations of the world are all different manifestations of a single truth.