The Concept of the Perfect Man in Islamic Mysticism

Conclusion

According to Islamic mysticism, the essence of God is absolutely hidden and cannot be comprehended. We know God through His names and attributes. The names and attributes emerge from the essence and the world emerges from God’s names and attributes. God first discloses Himself in His names, and then with the mediation of His names in the world. The highest discloser and manifestation is in the human being which is the most universal being and capable of reflecting all God’s names. This is due to the nature of the human being which is composed of both physical and spiritual, earthly and heavenly, and material and immaterial substances. The human has reason and a tendency toward the good, but at the same time, it has selfish desires too. Since he has free will, man can go in any direction. He can achieve the highest stages of perfection, as he can fall into the lowest pit of deficiency. The perfect man is the one who fully actualizes his potential for perfection. He is the vicegerent of God, the microcosm, the bearer of God’s trust, the intermediary cause of creation, the ultimate goal of the world, the channel for sustaining the world and guardian of the world, the friend of God, the mirror through which one can see God, the master, guide and perfect example in the journey toward God, the prophet, the Imam.