The Muhyiddin Ibn Arabi Society

Aims

The Muhyiddin Ibn ‘Arabi Society (MIAS) was founded to promote a greater understanding of the work of Muhyiddin Ibn ‘Arabi and his followers.

Organisation

The Society was established in the UK in 1977. It administers members worldwide (everywhere except North and Central America). It publishes the Journal of the Muhyiddin Ibn ‘Arabi Society and a number of books, organises events in the UK, and the Archive Project. It manages the Society’s website and a Facebook Group. In July 2018 the Society in the UK was registered as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation with the Charity Commission for England and Wales under No. 1179324 [/].

The Muhyiddin Ibn ‘Arabi Society in USA was established in November 1983. It administers members in North America (USA, Canada and Mexico). It organises Events in the USA, and its members receive the Journal. It maintains a Facebook page. It is a registered tax-exempt non-profit corporation under ID 94-2932606 [/].

The Society is not beholden to any particular body or individual, and is funded by the annual subscriptions and donations of its members. In both the UK and USA the organisers and helpers of the Society work on a voluntary basis.

It is open to all, and has members in more than 30 countries. Many of the honorary fellows are leading scholars in this field

Honorary Life President and Honorary Fellows

Honorary Life President: Grenville Collins | Honorary Fellows: Claude Addas · Samer Akkach · Ralph Austin · Pablo Beneito · Abdullah Binzagr · William Chittick · Gerald Elmore · Simone Fattal · Eric Geoffroy · Denis Gril · Souad Hakim · Mahmud Kiliç · Todd Lawson · Abd al-‘Aziz Sultan al-Mansub · James Morris · Seyyid Hussein Nasr · Kautsar Azhari Noer · Victoria Rowe-Holbrook · Michael Sells · Stefan Sperl · Yasushi Tonaga · Eric Winkel

Membership

Society membership is administered from two centres, Oxford (UK) and Berkeley (USA):

• Membership in the UK and worldwide is administered from Oxford.
• Membership in North America (USA, Canada & Mexico) is administered from Berkeley

There is more about membership and how to join the Society on the following pages:

Support the Society

The Society’s day-to-day activities have historically been funded by membership subscriptions,but as its activities increase these have benefited from generous donations by its members and others. For information about some of the Society’s planned developments over the next three years,and how it makes use of regular donations,one-off gifts and bequests,please see the page on supporting the Society.

Affiliated organisations

Muhyiddin Ibn Arabi Society Latina (MIAS Latina) is an independent association which was established in Murcia,Spain,in 2011.  It has organised events in Spain,Portugal and Italy and publishes a journal,El Azufre Rojo:Revista de Estudios sobre Ibn Arabi. Go to the  MIAS Latina [/]website.

The Muhyiddin Ibn Arabi Society Australia Pacific (MIAS AP) was established in Melbourne Australia in 2017 and organises events there. It does not have a separate membership.

Activities of the Society

Symposia and other Events

The Society has organised a symposiumin the United Kingdom each year since 1984,and in the United States since 1987. These are a meeting place for scholars and people with a very wide range of interest in the work of Muhyiddin Ibn ‘Arabi.

The Digital Manuscript Archive Project

As part of itsManuscript Archive Project,the Society has an important collection of microfilm and digital copies of historic manuscripts. These copies help to protect these works against loss. The Online Catalogue of the Archive is a unique research tool which provides the basis for the publication of accurate editions and translations of the text.

Society Library

In November 2023 the Ibn ‘Arabi Society library was transferred to the Woolf Institute,Cambridge,UK,on a multi-year loan. Over 1000 books and journals are housed as a Special Collection in the Institute’s library. The Society will continue to add new works to the collection. This was a transformation for the Society library,which was kept in a private house over decades,and means that the books will be much more accessible.

Established in 1998,and with strong links to the University of Cambridge,the Woolf Instituteaims to provide an academic framework and space in which people can tackle issues of religious difference constructively.

Only University of Cambridge and Cambridge Theological Federation staff and students will be able to borrow books from the collection. Members of the Society and the public can visit the library. To arrange to view the collection,please contact the Library in advance of a visit by emailing library@woolf.cam.ac.uk. The library is open Monday –Friday,9.00am –5.00pm.

Print and Digital Publications

	The Society publishes a Journaltwice a year,sent to its members and subscribed to by many libraries around the world. The first volume was published in 1982,and Volume 75 in 2024,by which point more 500 articles had appeared in it.
	Bookspublished by the Society include a translation of the Fusus al-hikam,two volumes of prayers,and a Commemorative Volumemarking the 750th anniversary of Muḥyīddīn Ibn ‘Arabi’s death. These can be purchased online through this website.
	The Society website makes available over 200 articlesand translations from the Journal (and other sources),and podcasts and videosof over 100 talks and symposia presentations. It provides news about conferences and other events worldwide.
	The Society in the UK has a Facebook Group [/]. The Society in the USA has a Facebook Page [/]