Theologian and Professor of Islamic Studies at the École pratique des hautes études in Paris
Abstract
This article provides a profound examination of the fundamental paradox in the concept of monotheism from the perspective of Islamic mysticism. Drawing upon the works of Ibn Arabi and his major commentator Haydar Amoli, Henry Corbin presents a three-stage analysis of the evolution of monotheistic understanding. In the first stage, exoteric and conventional monotheism, which conceives God as a supreme being (Ens supremum), actually falls into the trap of "metaphysical idolatry." In the second stage, esoteric monotheism transcends this limitation to discover the "Oneness of Being" (wahdat al-wujud), where God is not an entity but pure Being and pure Act itself. Finally, in the third stage, through the establishment of "integral ontology," unity and multiplicity are reconciled in the divine realm. Corbin compares this intellectual journey with Proclus' Neoplatonic philosophy, which establishes a profound harmony between the One God and multiple divine manifestations. Through a meticulous analysis of Haydar Amoli's diagrams, the author demonstrates how this perspective can lead to a more comprehensive understanding of the relationship between ontological unity and apparent multiplicity in the realm of mystical theology.
