Value and Efficiency of Acquired and Non-Acquired Sciences in Ibn ‘Arabī

One of the most important and fundamental problems in theoretical gnosis is science. Ibn Arabi divides sciences into acquired and non-acquired types based on the way they are gained. Acquired types of science consist of the same discursive sciences which people attain through rational reasoning. In contrast, the perception and attainment of non-acquired sciences are not only impossible for the intellect but also demand another tool called the heart, which is responsible for receiving the blessings and effusions of divine lights. Ibn ‘Arabī believes that true and original knowledge is one which God imparts to the heart. Such a kind of knowledge, unlike rational and acquired ones, is immune against error, doubt, and forgetting. This is because here Man is merely the receiver of God’s manifestations and cannot manipulate them at all. This paper explains the efficiency of acquired and non-acquired sciences from the view point of Ibn ‘Arabī, evaluates them, and highlights the strengths and weaknesses of each in comparison to each other.