As a historian tracing Sufi mysticism, I’ve often been asked how Ibn Arabi—the “Greatest Master” of Islamic spirituality—met his end. The answer is remarkably uneventful for such a luminous figure: he died of natural causes on November 10, 1240, in Damascus at age 75. His death, marked by no dramatic omen or political intrigue, came quietly in his modest home, as he’d lived—immersed in contemplation.

Events Leading Up to His Death

By his final decade, Ibn Arabi had settled in Damascus, fleeing the political chaos of Moorish Spain and the Crusader upheavals of the Levant. Despite his later mythologization, his last years were spent writing Al-Futuhat al-Makkiyya—his 700-page metaphysical magnum opus—while coping with declining health. Accounts from his students note he grew frail after a pilgrimage to Mecca in 1233, though he continued teaching until shortly before his death.

What Do Historical Records Say?

Primary sources are sparse. Ibn Khallikan’s Wafayat al-Ayan (1274) confirms his death in Damascus during Ramadan 638 AH (equivalent to November 1240 CE), noting his tomb became a site of veneration. Later biographers like Ibn Sab’in described his final days as “a peaceful surrender,” but no contemporary medical records exist. His grave, now in the Umayyad Mosque complex, remains a contested space—some claim his body was moved during Ottoman renovations, complicating pilgrimage.

Controversies and Unanswered Questions

A fringe theory suggests he was poisoned by critics who distrusted his esoteric teachings. However, no credible evidence—like contemporary accusations or physical remains—supports this. More substantively, scholars debate his deathdate: early Ottoman chronicles cite 1241 CE, conflicting with the widely accepted 1240. This hinges on lunar calendar discrepancies, not dramatic events.