Source: The Art of Strategy: A blog about philosophy, strategy, and exploring human potential.

Ibn Arabi is one of the greatest intellectuals in history. He was born in 1165 AD, and he lived until 1240 AD. He was a philosopher, mystic, theologian, astronomer, logician, and psychologist.

His work has influenced numerous religions such as Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Sikhism.

Ibn Arabi’s work has been studied by scholars from a variety of disciplines, including anthropology, sociology, literature, and philosophy. He has been described as one of the most original thinkers in history  

Ibn Arabi wrote the Fusus al-Hikam or “Bezels of Wisdom” which is what inspired many people including Rumi to have a deep understanding of spirituality.

He is often compared to such philosophers as Plato and Socrates for having laid out a theory of knowledge that relies on cognition rather than faith alone which helped shape the foundations of modern philosophical thought.

Ibn Arabi recognized that there were three types of creativity: conceptual, empirical, and spiritual. He characterized conceptual creativity as a phenomenon that was produced by the human mind. This type of creativity is a product of a single individual’s will and their ability to be original in their thoughts and ideas. In contrast, empirical creativeness refers to how people produce things from material that can be observed around them. The third type – spiritual creativity – refers to the process by which humans achieve what they want from their inner thoughts or desires after having previously been given up hope or desire for it.

Ibn Arabi is known as the “Shaykh al-Akbar” (the greatest shaykh, master, guru, ustaad) and his quotes are full of wisdom and meaning. His views and quotes on love, creativity, and intelligence made him an influential philosopher.

Below are 20 quotes of Ibn Arabi that have impacted almost every aspect of life:

1) “All truth begins with doubt.”

2) “We attain success when we know what we want and fear losing it more than we fear gaining it.”

3) “The human spirit is like a bird. It cannot be caged.”

4) “We must always feel thankful for everything, even if things were difficult or made us suffer; for they help us learn to appreciate all the good things in life.”

5) “We must not think of ourselves as the real goal, rather we should think of our works.”

6) “The past is a story they tell to make us forget the present.”

7) “Hope begins with someone who loves us even when we are unworthy of it.”

8) “A man’s self is made up of his knowledge, deeds, and intentions; these three things compose his soul.”

9) “The world is like an onion: it has many layers, but when you get to the heart of it there’s always sweetness.”

10) “Forget not that every problem is a door which leads to a solution.”

11) “You are what you love.”

12) “The imagination is a necessary condition without which nothing can be produced.”

13) “It is the duty of every man who hears to speak and it is his duty to listen.”

14) “Creativity is divine because of its ability to create new things.”

15) “Creativity is just a means to an end, and it is the only way in which we can develop our ability to love.”

16) “Intelligence is not the power of knowledge, but the capacity to act in harmony with that knowledge.”

17) “The most important part of intelligence is not about knowing, but about understanding.”

18) “The student of Wisdom is not a mere learner, he is both a learner and a teacher.”

19) “Be among those who make firm their foothold on the earth .”

 20) “The Way is the goal of the seeker, not the means.”