ONTOLOGICAL AND EPISTEMOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS OF THE CONCEPT OF "TARIQA" IN ARAB-ISLAMIC PHILOSOPHY: IN THE CONTEXT OF AL-GHAZALI, IBN ARABI, AND NEUROTHEOLOGY

Abstract

In Arab-Islamic philosophy, the concept of tariqa denotes more than merely religious practice or moral and ethical precepts. It is conceptualized as a complex philosophical system that characterizes spiritual self-perfection, the cognition of existence, and the path of ascension toward the Divine. Within the Sufi tradition, tariqa is defined as a unique cognitive and experiential path that bridges sharia (the exoteric law) and haqiqa (the esoteric truth). This path is intrinsically tied to the purification of the inner self, spiritual maturation, and the comprehension of the profound essence of human existence. Consequently, tariqa transcends practical spiritual experience, functioning as a philosophical category endowed with deep ontological and epistemological substance that encompasses questions of being and knowledge.