Ibn Arabi’s view on the seal of the friends, khatam ul-awlia

  One of the most important subjects dealt with in Islamic mysticism is known to be the subject of the seal of the friends, khatam al-awlia. The main question of the paper has centered on Ibn Arabi’s thought on the seal of the friends. It is commonly viewed that he has known himself as the seal of the friends. Again one can see clearly the same title for Isa, the mesih, in his works. In this study the terms friend and friendship have been technically described at first and then, showing the place and importance of the subject in Islamic mysticism, Ibn Arabi’s different and contradict speeches on the field have been cited and analyzed. And consequently the paper, relying on Ibn Arabi’s famous commentators’ views, has come to an end.   Key words: Ibn Arabi’s, seal of friends, khatam al-awlia, Islamic mysticism.