Inter-Faith Reading of Perfect Man With Mystical Approach

• Main Authors: Fatemeh Musavi, Mohammadkazem Shaker
• Format: Article
• Language: fas
• Published: University of Isfahan 2010-12-01
• Series: Comparative Theology
• Subjects: Perfect Man; Human Perfectibility; Judaism and Perfection; Christianity and Perfection; Islam and Perfection; Woman andPperfection; Mysticism and Perfection
• Online Access: http://coth.ui.ac.ir/article_15681_05e6f20e3c89dc5fd14302d3aa3ddf4d.pdf
• ISSN: 2008-9651; 2322-3421

The expression Insan –e kamil (perfect man) is often said to have first been used by Muhyiddin ibn 'Arabi (1165 -1240AD), though the concept of the term is much older. In his theosophical teaching, the doctrine of insan e- kamil, is held a prominent place. After him two other great Sufis, Aziz Nasafi (1300AD) and 'Abd al- karim ibn Ibrahim al- Jili (1366 – 1424 AD), each wrote a work on this very issue. These works are regarded as explanations of Ibn Arabi’s teachings on human perfection. In Islamic mysticism, Perfect man is the one who within their soul possesses all God's names and attributes. Thus the perfect man’s existence, reality and inner might become a clear mirror and a complete reflection of the Perfection, Beauty and Glory of the Essence of the One, so that he becomes Godlike. However, the idea of human perfectibility going back to other religions and human schools even before Islam. In Abrahimic religions there are some joint teachings that could be considered as main statements for the doctrine of Perfect Man In Jewish scriptures the notion of human creation in God's image suggests that the human being is able to be God's like and the perfection is available to him. However, Jews do not believe a perfect man. They hold that even Moses is not a perfect man. In Christianity, Although Jesus encourages his followers to be perfect like their heavenly fathers, the doctrine of original sin to be considered as an obstacle for human perfectibility.This essay examines some significant element in human perfectibility from the view points of some scholars of Judaism, Christianity and Islam and presents some similarities and differences of their view points.