Sveti Ivan od križa i islam
Saint John of the Cross and Islam

Summary/Abstract: Miguel Asin Palacios, in his volume, which is not a large book, but rich in content, looks at the similarities between the mystical teachings of St. John of the Cross and Sufism, more precisely the Shasilian Sufi order, and the possible influence of Shasilian teachings on St. John of the Cross. This similarity is most reflected in the doctrine of renunciation, which has the following fundamental metaphysic principle: God is inaccessible to creation, regarding the absolute transcendence of an infinite Being that is devoid of any analogy with a finite being; it is concluded that God is nothing that we can feel, imagine, think or desire. This renunciation is exemplified in various metaphors reflected in technical terms closely related to those of Saint John of the Cross. The only goal here, as the author himself says, may be to analyze the surface level of the comprehensive and complex material, and, thus, limit the present investigation to an explanation of some of his more typical thoughts on the subject of renunciation of spiritual gifts and its parallel concept – the love of temptation. In this context, two Islamic thinkers and mystics deserve special mention: Ibn Ataullah of Alexandria (died 1309) and Ibn Abbad of Ronda (died 1389–90), who is geographically and chronologically very close to the Carmelite school. Along with the traditional ascetic term purification, Ibn Abbad uses other terms typical of the Carmelite school: emptiness, nakedness and freedom. The soul must be emptied, stripped and freed from all sensual appetites, from all self-interest, from all inclination towards creatures and reliance on them. It must separate itself from things in order to go to God.

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