A Comparative Study of the Principle of "Insān Kāmil " in the Mystical System of Ayn Al-Quzat Hamadani and Ibn Arabi
Advances in Urban Regional Development and Planning February 27, 2024 Peer reviewed DOI: 10.33140/aurdp.01.01.01 via Semantic Scholar
Summary
The perfect human (Insān Kāmil) is a core concept in Islamic mysticism, explored here through the views of two thinkers, Ayn al-Quzat and Ibn Arabi. Both agree that the perfect human acts as a mirror, mediates between God and creation, and serves as God's vicegerent. They differ on specifics: Ibn Arabi sees the perfect human as a manifestation of God's great name, while Ayn al-Quzat emphasizes the Prophet Muhammad as the true standard.
Study at a glance
| Design | analytic-comparative method |
|---|---|
| Key finding | The concept of perfect man in Islamic mysticism shares common elements between Ayn al-Quzat and Ibn Arabi, such as being a mirror and mediator, but differs in its association with Muhammadan truth, epistemological versus existential focus, and manifestation of divine names. |
Abstract
The idea of "Insān Kāmil" and defining its characteristics and explaining its examples is one of the long-term categories in Islamic mysticism. This idea has been proposed in the mystical system of Ayn al-Quzat and Ibn Arabi, to belong to two different traditions, with common and sometimes distinct characteristics. The present study aims to explain the common and different aspects of the concept of "perfect man" in the mystical views of Ayn al-Quzat and Ibn Arabi by using a analytic-comparative method. The result of the research indicates that belief in elements such as perfect human’s being the mirror; the right to be a creature, mediation between right and creation, and having the position of the vicegerent of God are common to the mystical worldview of Ayn al-Quzat and Ibn Arabi in defining "perfect man". Among the differences between their views on the subject of "perfect man" are: A) In Ibn Arabi's mysticism, "Insān Kāmil" is the manifestation of the great name "Allah", endowed God-given with the divine and ancient truths, and as a result, the root of "fascinated mystic" in terminology called Sufi, but in the views of Ayn al-Quzat, this concept is defined along with "I am like you" and it can be interpreted as "fascinated mystic". B) In the mystical system of Ayn al-Quzat, Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) is introduced as the true criterion of "perfect man", while in Ibn Arabi's school, the concept of "perfect man" is synonymous with Muhammadan truth or Muhammadan word and light, in which each of the prophets is a manifestation of They are its manifestations. C) The theory of "perfect man" has an epistemological aspect in Ayn al-Quzat’s mysticism, but in Ibn Arabi's worldview, this concept is used to reconcile the existential and epistemological fields. D) In the ontology of Ayn al-Quzat, "the perfect man" is the manifestation of the name of beauty, and in the school of Ibn Arabi, it has a comprehensive appearance of both aesthetic and glorious aspects.