About the Presentation:
Adam Tyson will be discussing his dissertation research on the monistic Sufi philosophy known as the “Unity of Being”(Waḥdat al-Wujūd) in the early modern Ottoman and Mughal Empires. Following the death of its supposed founder, Ibn al-’Arabī (d. 1240 c.e.), this philosophy flourished and spread to all corners of the Islamicate world gaining followers and critics alike. Especially in the 17th century, debates surrounding this system of thought can tell us much about Sufism as well as the history of empire, changing religious demographics, and contests over political and religious authority. Proponents and detractors of this philosophy have been quick to point out that the boundaries between religions become complicated by the universalizing claims of this worldview. Adherents to the doctrine of Waḥdat al-Wujūd like Şeyh Bedreddin (d.1421 c.e.) led Muslims and Christians alike in a revolution, and the Mughal prince Dārā Shikūh (d. 1659 c.e.) used this philosophy to justify his pluralistic religious project. This talk will also explore the opponents of this philosophy in the 17th century who offered critiques both from within Sufism, and from outside of its circles. By exploring case studies where mystical monism was debated, it becomes apparent that anxieties over the demarcation between Islam and non-Muslim religions are at the crux of what makes this philosophy so controversial, and that its defenders attempt to navigate a course between the particulars of Islam and the universalizing worldview of mystical monism.

About the Speaker:

Adam Tyson is a Ph.D. Candidate with a designated emphasis in Middle East and Islamic Studies and holds an M.A. in Comparative Religion from the University of Washington as well as a B.A. in Religious Studies from Lawrence University. He is currently in his sixth year at the UCR Religious Studies Program. Adam's focus is on Islamic Mysticism in the Early Modern period with an emphasis on intellectual history and Sufism in the Ottoman and Mughal Empires. His dissertation research explores philosophies and theologies of mystical monism in the late Medieval and early modern period as well as the role of Sufism in crossing religious boundaries in the Ottoman and Mughal Empires.