Videos

This is a discussion between Pablo Beneito and Stephen Hirtenstein on their latest book Patterns of Contemplation, which was published at the end of December 2021. It was hosted by David Hornsby (Ibn Arabi Society) in February 2022.

The book is an innovative and comprehensive introduction to the sacred principles and symbolism of geometry, letters and numbers, through the first in-depth analysis and English translation of a major Sufi masterpiece, The Blessing-Prayer of Effusion (al-Ṣalāt al-fayḍiyya). This prayer on the Prophet Muhammad, understood as the Reality of the Human Being, is both a metaphysical masterpiece and a devotional tour de force.

Pablo and Stephen discuss the nature of prayer upon the Prophet according to Ibn 'Arabi, and the special qualities of this extraordinary Blessing-Prayer, its commentary tradition and its author, as well as the difficulties of translation.

The title for this talk by Stephen Hirtenstein is drawn from the final mysterious book-title mentioned by Ibn ʿArabi in his listing of his own writings in the Fihrist (‘Catalogue’). It would be impossible to appreciate Ibn ʿArabi’s writings without encountering the notion of al-insān al-kāmil explicitly or implicitly, but how and where does Ibn ʿArabi actually use the term in his writing? What are the key features of this perfect human? In what way could it apply to each and every human being?

The talk was given on 13th April 2024, hosted by the Ibn Arabi Society (MIAS Online).

This interview with Stephen Hirtenstein was done by our friend in Oman, Hadi al-Lawati, in October 2021. It is in English with Arabic subtitles, and there is a 9-minute summary at the beginning.

A talk in London in December 2019 by Stephen Hirtenstein, introducing his book, 'The Alchemy of Human Happiness', a translation of chapter 167 of Ibn ʿArabi's Futuhat al-Makkiyya. For full details, watch the video:

A talk given by Stephen Hirtenstein in May 2020 on The Circle and the Compass in Ibn ʿArabi's teachings. This was part of a series of online seminars organised by the Muhyiddin Ibn 'Arabi Society in honour of Keith Critchlow and Michel Chodkiewicz, entitled Ibn 'Arabi: The Geometry of Reality.

A talk given by Stephen Hirtenstein in April 2021 on the letter wāw, the final letter of the Arabic alphabet. It was part of a series of seminars organised by the Muhyiddin Ibn 'Arabi Society on Letter and Word, Book and Speech.