Existence Quote by Ibn Arabi
““Then the matter is as we have confirmed. So know that you are imagination and that which you perceive and of which you say, "It is not me" is also imagination. All of existence is imagination within imagination. True existence is Allah, the Real, in particular in respect to essence and source, not in respect to His Names, because the Names have two meanings. One meaning is His source which is the same as the "Named", and the other meaning is what it indicates and that by which the Name is separate from this other Name, and so distinct. The Ever-Forgiving is separate from the Manifest and the Hidden, and the First is distinct from the Last. Thus it is clear to you that each Name is the same as the other Name, and yet it is not the other Name. Inasmuch as the Name is the same, it is the Real, and inasmuch as it is not it, it is the imaginary Real which we discussed.””
About This Quote
Source Treatise: The Book of the Divine Names, 13th‑century Sufi work
Reality is layered; what we perceive is imagination, and true existence is the Divine essence beyond names.
In simple terms: All is imagination; true reality is the Divine.
Key Takeaway
Recognize the limits of perception and seek deeper truth
Themes
philosophy
spirituality
metaphysics
Sufism
Mood
contemplative
inquisitive
Type
theological
philosophical
When to use this quote
- meditation
- theological study
- personal contemplation
- academic discourse
Key Concepts
imagination
divine essence
ontology
Questions to Reflect On
- What does “imaginary Real” mean to you?
- How does this view affect your daily perception?
A Different Perspective
The abstract nature may be inaccessible without prior philosophical background.
