Henry Corbin and Martin Heidegger: From Phenomenology to Angelology

Abstract

What remains of ontology after the end of metaphysics? In Henry Corbin and Martin Heidegger: From Phenomenology to Angelology, Kamaruzzaman Bustamam Ahmad offers a bold and rigorous philosophical inquiry into one of the most compelling yet underexplored dialogues of twentieth-century thought. Martin Heidegger dismantled metaphysical theology through his concept of the ontological difference, redefining Being as that which cannot be reduced to a highest being or metaphysical foundation. Henry Corbin, deeply influenced by Heidegger, moved in a seemingly opposite direction—recovering the imaginal world, angelology, and visionary metaphysics within Islamic philosophy. Are these two thinkers opposed? Or does Corbin extend Heidegger’s project beyond finitude? This book argues that the movement from phenomenology to angelology is not a regression into metaphysics, but a daring ontological expansion. By carefully examining key themes such as:Ontological differenceOnto-theologyEcstatic temporalityFinitude and Being-toward-deathThe imaginal world (mundus imaginalis)Angelic mediationVertical temporality and transcendencethe author demonstrates how Corbin’s imaginal ontology may preserve Heidegger’s post-metaphysical discipline while enriching the grammar of manifestation. Rather than offering a theological defense, this work presents a rigorous philosophical analysis of ontology, metaphysics, phenomenology, and Islamic philosophy in conversation with continental thought. This book is ideal for readers interested in:Heidegger studiesHenry Corbin scholarshipPhenomenologyPost-metaphysical ontologyPhilosophy of religionIslamic metaphysicsContinental philosophyWritten with clarity and depth, this volume is both intellectually demanding and conceptually precise—designed for scholars, graduate students, and serious readers seeking to understand how ontology might evolve beyond the crisis of metaphysics. If you are searching for a serious philosophical work on Heidegger, Corbin, imaginal ontology, and the future of post-metaphysical thought, this book belongs in your library.