The Perfect Human in Terms of His Relationship With the Universe Based on the Quran and Sunnah

Abstract

SUBJECT & OBJECTIVES: Islamic Mysticism presents three fundamental ontological dimensions of the Perfect Human: the personal, the divine, and the creational. In this paper, our main focus will be the third dimension, which underscores his supremacy and sovereignty over the entire hierarchy of the self-disclosures of God. We aim to prove some of the fundamental characteristics of this dimension introduced by authorities of mysticism through subtleties drawn from the Quran and Sunnah based on the principles of esoteric interpretation as understood by authorities of mysticism.METHOD & FINDING: This research tries to establish a dialogue between the characteristics of the mystical doctrine of the Perfect Human and the teachings of the Quran and Sunnah by using the comparative-analytical method and citing library sources. Evidence from the Quran and Ḥadīth appropriate to each characteristic and property of the Perfect Human after depicting its ontological status and providing a mystical exposition of the same is provided. Such evidence is not confined to mere explicit similarity apparent at the level of words but also considers content compatibility that resonates with the spirit of the religious text. CONCLUSION: According to the Quran and Sunnah, the Perfect Human has ontological characteristics such as being Rūḥ al-ʿAlam (the spirit of the universe), Wāsiṭat al-Fayḍ (the principal intermediary of divine grace), and al-Shafāʿah al-Kubrā (the station of his supreme intercession). Whilst analyzing the Quranic verses and Ḥadīth, one realizes that the perfect human spoken about in mysticism is not different from the Infallible Imam of the Twelver Shi‘as.