The first step in mystical epistemology is known as criticizing reason. There cannot, therefore, be found any mystic being able to speak of mystical thought. Ibn Arabi as the founder of theoretical mysticism in his system of epistemology has first sought to criticize philosophical reasoning and shown that pure perceptual knowledge is but a non essential concept, an imitative mode of knowledge. In this way the product is not of any certainty and, therefore, cannot be reliable. For him, one may arrive at essential and true knowledge on God and creatures with imitating God.
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