A Comparative Study of the Unity of Existence and Existent from Ibn Arabi and Upanishad's point of view

Ibn Arabi is the founder of the Theory of Unity of Existence. Some of these people advocated Ibn Arabi and others opposed him. In this study, it has been attempted to address the different meanings of Existence and Unity. Ibn Arabi believes that existence belongs only to God and there is no existence except Him. It means that the God is existent in the universe and other things are not. The commentators of the Theory of Unity of Existence, then, explained its epistemological aspects.
Upanishads apparently emphasized a consistent principle, which is beings, entirely, material or spiritual, are overwhelmed by the reality sea, which is superior to tangible world, possesses infinite nature and is self-existent. Thus, although Upanishads clearly mentioned the Unity of Existence and in this matter it is similar to Ibn Arabi’s view, there is a clear distinction between the two of them. Ibn Arabi believes that there is no existence except God and the existence of the universe besides God is nothing but an imagery matter. In contrast, Upanishads consider the world as an existing really which is the manifestation of God. In the matter of the Absolute and the Conditional, Upanishads believe that the Absolute was the first, who is the One and only and has no equals. In spite of Upanishads, Ibn Arabi declared that the only absolute and non-conditional existence is God whose existence is necessary by its nature.