Sin in the cosmological function of the mystical viewpoint of Ibn ‘Arabi: An interdisciplinary approach

The conception of sin is often considered ethically as a religious negative notion in holy texts. The mystics have another interpretation based on their doctrines. An ontological interpretation in a mystical perspective does not regard sin as a negative factor among human beings because according to some mystics such as Ibn ‘Arabi, there is nothing in the universe but God, and other things including creatures and their actions all are His manifestations. Ibn ‘Arabi has his own interpretation of sin and repentance. All things are manifestations of God and they cannot be sin or evil. This paper approaches mystic’s interpretation through a comprehensive and integrated system of existence regarding the theory of the unity of being as a central point in Ibn ‘A rabi’s thought. In the first step, Ibn ‘A rabi’s doctrine will be explained, and then based on the concepts such as open systems, dynamics, complexity, and chaos a discussion will be developed. The result will lead us to answer the question that how Ibn ‘A rabi justifies the concept of sin and how his interpretation helps to understand the position of human beings in the universe. He looks at the phenomenon of human as a complex, open, chaotic system that reflects the divine attributes.