FUTMAK · Primary-text excerpts
New knowledge in every breath
All annotated passages · Arabic source record · Open in the parallel reader
al-Futuhat al-Makkiyya · Cairo / Maymaniyya · volume 1, page 166 · chapter 19
Site passage ID: fm-p0005
Arabic source excerpt
اعلم أيدك الله أن كل حيوان وكل موصوف بإدراك فإنه في كل نفس في علم جديد من حيث ذلك الإدراك لكن الشخص المدرك قد لا يكون ممن يجعل باله أن ذلك علم فهذا هو في نفس الأمر علمEnglish translation draft
Know—may God support you—that every living creature and everything described as possessing perception is, in every breath, in new knowledge by virtue of that perception. Yet the perceiving person may not be someone who notices that this is knowledge. Nevertheless, in the matter itself, it is knowledge.
Terminology and context
- Nafas is “breath”; it is distinct from nafs, “self”. The supplied Arabic is unvocalised at this point, so the reading is made explicit.
- The qualification “by virtue of that perception” specifies the kind of new knowledge discussed.
- The passage separates undergoing perception from noticing it as knowledge. It does not supply a numerical physical update rate.
Cite this draft
Ibn al-Arabi, al-Futuhat al-Makkiyya, Cairo / Maymaniyya, 1:166, chapter 19. Futmak, “New knowledge in every breath”, editorial translation draft (AI-assisted), 2026-10-25, fm-p0005.
https://www.futmak.com/english/passages/?id=fm-p0005
The source reference belongs to the printed edition; the passage ID belongs to this website.