Ecosufism in the Thought of Ibn ʿArabī and Rūmī: Unity, Nature and Ecological Ethics in Sufi Metaphysics

This article examines the ontological and ethical foundations of ecosufism through the views articulated by Muḥyiddīn Ibn ʿArabī (d. 638 AH/1240 CE) and Mawlānā Jalāl al-Dīn Rūmī (d. 672 AH/1273 CE) in their major works. Its central argument is that these two foundational figures of Sufi metaphysics offer a coherent, theocentric account of the human–nature relationship grounded in the principles of waḥdat (unity) and tajallī (self-disclosure). Conceiving the cosmos as a living and conscious reality, Ibn ʿArabī and Rūmī further deepen this ontological vision through the Qurʾānic notions of khilāfah (vicegerency) and amānah (trust). These concepts are explained in Ibn ʿArabī’s teaching of al-insān al-kāmil (the Perfect Man) and in Rūmī’s teachings on humility and mercy, as both an ontological and ethical responsibility. This responsibility is expressed through the practical and ethical virtue of iʿtidāl (moderation), which limits the use of natural resources by humans. In this sense, ecosufism stands in clear opposition to anthropocentric approaches, rejecting the reduction of nature to a mere means to human ends. The study also shows that, without claiming any historical origin or conceptual identity, there are notable parallels between the foundations of ecosufism and modern ecological approaches. In this respect, meaningful points of convergence can be identified between ecosufism’s ontological and ethical framework and contemporary perspectives such as deep ecology, the intrinsic value of nature, the idea of a living cosmos, panpsychism, environmental stewardship, and environmental virtue ethics. The article argues that ecosufism, as an understanding that explains human–nature relationships both in a metaphysical sense and how this relationship should be reflected in concrete practices, has the potential to contribute to today’s ecological problems at both the theoretical and practical levels.