The Primordial Man: Divine Self-Disclosure and the Metaphysics of the Perfect Human in Sufi Thought

Introduction: Deconstructing the 'First Human'

The proposition that God is seen as the "first human" in Sufi thought serves as a metaphorical gateway into one of the most profound and esoteric doctrines in Islamic mysticism: the concept of al-Insān al-Kāmil, or the Perfect Human.1 This is not a doctrine of incarnation, which would be antithetical to the core Islamic principle of Divine Oneness (Tawḥīd). Rather, it is a complex metaphysical framework centered on the idea of perfect manifestation and divine self-disclosure (tajallī).1 Within this framework, the Perfect Human is understood as the very reason for creation, the ultimate purpose for which the cosmos was brought into being. This purpose is encapsulated in a well-known ḥadīth qudsī (a divine saying narrated by the Prophet Muhammad) where God states, "I was a Hidden Treasure and I loved to be known, so I created the world".4 The Perfect Human is the unique being who fulfills this divine desire for self-knowledge.

This report will demonstrate that the Perfect Human is conceived as the primordial archetype of existence, the teleological goal of the cosmic process, and the microcosmic synthesis of all levels of reality. This entity is understood to be the first to receive the divine effusion in its totality at the level of principle, and the last to appear in the temporal order of creation, thereby completing the great circle of being.1 The principal architects of this doctrine were the 13th-century Andalusian mystic Muhyī al-Dīn ibn ʿArabī (d. 1240) and the 14th-century Sufi ʿAbd al-Karīm al-Jīlī (d. ca. 1410). Their seminal works, Fuṣūṣ al-ḥikam (The Bezels of Wisdom) and Al-Insān al-kāmil (The Perfect Human), respectively, provide the most comprehensive expositions of this theory.1

The repeated emphasis on God's "desire to be known" reveals that the doctrine of al-Insān al-Kāmil is not merely a static cosmological model but a sophisticated theodicy of consciousness.3 If the fundamental purpose of creation is for the "Hidden Treasure" of the Divine to become known, then the act of creation itself is fundamentally an act of making the Divine knowable. An unconscious cosmos, comprised of stars, mountains, and non-rational creatures, cannot fulfill this purpose on its own, as knowledge requires a knower. The human being, and specifically the Perfect Human as the epitome of human potential, is the only creature endowed with the comprehensive consciousness required to "know" God in the totality of His self-revelation. Therefore, the existence of the Perfect Human justifies the existence of the entire cosmos by serving as its self-aware spirit. This reframes the cosmic narrative as a dynamic, epistemological drama in which the universe achieves its ultimate purpose only when it is consciously perceived and known through the heart of the Perfect Human.

Part I: The Archetype of Creation

1.1 The Pre-Eternal Light ($Nūr Muḥammad$)

The metaphysical foundation for the Perfect Human begins not with the creation of Adam, but in pre-eternity with the concept of the Muhammadan Light, or Nūr Muḥammad. This doctrine is rooted in prophetic traditions (aḥādīth), most famously the saying, "The first thing God created was my light".10 This is not the physical light of the historical person of Muhammad, but a pre-eternal, uncreated light that functions as the primordial substance or substratum for all subsequent creation.14 Early Sufi thinkers like Sahl al-Tustarī (d. 896) described this light as a "luminous mass of primordial adoration" or a "transparent column of divine light," from which God created Adam and everything else that exists.14 This establishes the ontological primacy of the Muhammadan principle, which precedes the Adamic principle in the metaphysical hierarchy.

The Nūr is the instrument through which the divine creative command "Be!" (Kun) is actualized, making it the ultimate source of existence.13 It is the light that illuminates the darkness of pure potentiality or non-existence ('adam), bringing the cosmos into being.14 This primordial light is thus the raw material from which the universe is formed and the ultimate source of all being. Through the historical Prophet Muhammad, this light becomes fully manifest, allowing all other beings to become illuminated and participate in its divine radiance.14

1.2 The Muhammadan Reality ($Ḥaqīqah al-Muḥammadiyya$)

While the Nūr represents the primordial substance, the Ḥaqīqah al-Muḥammadiyya (the Muhammadan Reality) denotes the archetype or universal principle. It is described as the "Reality of Realities" (Ḥaqīqat al-ḥaqā'iq), representing the first determination (ta'ayyun) or self-manifestation of the undifferentiated Divine Essence.12 In philosophical terms, it is analogous to the Universal Intellect or the Logos, the medium through which God knows the world and the world comes to know God.18

This Reality serves a paradoxical dual function. It is the "Greatest Veil" (al-ḥijāb al-a'ẓam), a necessary intermediary that allows the finite creature to perceive the infinite radiance of the "Divine Sun" without being annihilated by its sheer intensity.13 In this capacity, it is both a barrier that preserves the distinction between Creator and created, and a portal that makes communion possible. The Ḥaqīqah al-Muḥammadiyya is also the teleological cause of the cosmos; the universe was created specifically for the sake of its manifestation.20 It is the pre-eternal locus that encompasses all the Divine Names and the "fixed entities" (a'yān thābita)—the eternal archetypes of all created things—within the divine knowledge before their emergence into temporal existence.17

This metaphysical schema introduces a profound causal inversion that reorients the understanding of sacred history. While a linear, historical reading places Adam as the first human and Muhammad as the final prophet, the metaphysical perspective reverses this order. The principle of Muhammad, in the form of the Nūr and the Ḥaqīqah, is the origin of all things, including the principle of Adam. This is the meaning behind the prophetic saying, "I was a prophet when Adam was between water and clay".3 The end goal of creation—the perfect manifestation of the divine image in the historical Muhammad—is simultaneously its originating cause. This is a classic expression of teleological causation. Consequently, the relationship between Adam and Muhammad is not one of simple succession but of potential versus actualization. Adam represents the universal human potential, the archetypal form created "in God's image," but the Ḥaqīqah al-Muḥammadiyya is the perfect and complete realization of that potential. Adam is the form, while the Muhammadan Reality is the timeless spirit that animates that form across all prophetic dispensations.21 Sacred history is thus not a straight line but a circle that begins and ends with the Muhammadan principle, with all other prophets understood as particular manifestations of this singular, timeless reality.

Part II: The Perfect Human ($Al-Insān al-Kāmil$)

2.1 The Synthesis of Ibn ʿArabī: The All-Comprehensive Being

It was Ibn ʿArabī who first coined and systematically elaborated the term al-Insān al-Kāmil.23 In his complex metaphysical system, the Perfect Human is the being who comprehensively unites and synthesizes all the realities of existence, from the highest divine attributes to the lowest material forms.8 He is the microcosm ('ālam ṣaghīr) in whom the macrocosm ('ālam kabīr) is not only reflected but brought to its perfection and completion. This unique status is derived from the fact that humanity was created "in God's image" ('alā ṣūratihi), a state that implies the capacity to encompass all the Divine Names.1 While every other entity in creation manifests only a particular Divine Name (e.g., a rock manifests The Strong, a plant manifests The Nourisher), the Perfect Human alone has the capacity to manifest the all-comprehensive Name, Allāh, which synthesizes all other names and attributes.7

2.2 The Mirror of God ($Mir'āt al-Ḥaqq$)

Central to Ibn ʿArabī's exposition is the metaphor of the mirror.1 According to this analogy, the Absolute Reality (God) desired to see His own attributes reflected in a locus other than Himself, to behold the beauty of His Names in a concrete form. The cosmos was thus created as a vast, undifferentiated, and unpolished mirror. Adam, representing the potential for the Perfect Human, was the "polishing of that mirror" and the very "spirit of that form".21

The Perfect Human is the perfectly polished mirror in which God sees His own Names and Attributes made manifest in their full splendor.1 This relationship is reciprocal. The Perfect Human is not only a mirror for God but also a mirror of God. God's presence can be realized by others through him, and it is through the Perfect Human that the divine desire to be known is fulfilled.3 This establishes a dynamic and reciprocal relationship of knowing and being known, where the Divine and the perfected human are inextricably linked in a cycle of self-disclosure and recognition.

2.3 The Isthmus ($Barzakh$) and the Vicegerent ($Khalīfah$)

Metaphysically, the Perfect Human occupies the station of the barzakh—an isthmus or intermediary that simultaneously separates and unites two realities: the sea of Divinity (the Necessary Being, al-Wājib) and the sea of Creation (the contingent beings, al-mumkin).1 He is the "dividing line between shadow and sunlight," a being who partakes of both the divine and the earthly.19 His essence is the boundary and the portal between the divine absolute and the determinate realm of creation.1

This unique intermediary status makes him the true khalīfah (vicegerent or successor) of God on earth.17 This vicegerency is not merely a political or social role but a cosmic function. The Perfect Human acts as the channel through which divine governance, mercy, sustenance, and knowledge flow into the world. He is the spiritual "pole" (quṭb) around which the spheres of existence revolve, maintaining the cosmic order through his spiritual presence.8

2.4 The Classic Exposition of al-Jīlī: The Journey of the Pole

While Ibn ʿArabī laid the foundations, it was ʿAbd al-Karīm al-Jīlī who provided the most systematic and detailed exposition of the doctrine in his work Al-Insān al-kāmil.1 Al-Jīlī presents the Perfect Human as a singular, timeless reality that manifests in different forms or "garbs" throughout history. Though he appears in different eras with different names (e.g., Abraham, Moses), his original name and most perfect manifestation is Muhammad.8

Al-Jīlī meticulously details the spiritual journey of the seeker toward this state of perfection. This path involves a series of descents (tanazzulāt) and ascents (taraqqiyāt), which correspond to the seeker's realization of the Divine Names, then the Divine Attributes, and finally the Divine Essence itself.25 The culmination of this journey is the realization of one's true identity as a perfect mirror of the Divine. At this station, the mystic's individual self is annihilated, and he subsists only through God. It is from this state of union that a mystic like al-Ḥallāj could exclaim, Anā al-Ḥaqq ("I am the Creative Truth"), not as a claim of personal divinity, but as an expression of becoming a pure locus for the divine reality.35

The doctrine of al-Insān al-Kāmil serves as the master key to the metaphysical system of Ibn ʿArabī and his school, offering a sophisticated resolution to the central theological paradox of Islam: the relationship between God's absolute transcendence (tanzīh) and His intimate immanence (tashbīh). Orthodox Islamic theology, in its effort to avoid any form of anthropomorphism or associationism (shirk), heavily emphasizes God's transcendence, as articulated in the Qur'anic verse, "There is nothing whatsoever like unto Him" ($42:11$). Yet, the Qur'an also affirms God's immanence, stating, "He is with you wherever you are" ($57:4$). The Akbarian doctrine of the Unity of Being (waḥdat al-wujūd) strongly emphasizes this immanence, positing that all things are loci of God's self-disclosure (tajallī).37 This, however, risks collapsing the crucial distinction between the Creator and the creation, which is the primary concern of orthodox critics.2 The concept of the Perfect Human acts as the regulating principle that resolves this tension. As a created being (khalq), he affirms God's ultimate transcendence. He is fully human, a servant ('abd) of God. Yet, he is the unique and singular being who can perfectly and consciously synthesize all the Divine Names and Attributes. He is the barzakh where God's immanence is fully and coherently realized without compromising His essential transcendence.4 The Perfect Human is thus the living, breathing resolution of this ultimate theological paradox, allowing for a sophisticated non-dualism that simultaneously upholds the fundamental Creator-creature distinction required by Islamic Tawḥīd.

Part III: The Metaphysical Ground of Being

3.1 The Unity of Being ($Waḥdat al-wujūd$) vs. Orthodox $Tawḥīd$

The doctrine of the Perfect Human is philosophically grounded in the concept of waḥdat al-wujūd, often translated as the "Unity of Being" or "Unity of Existence".37 This principle posits that there is only one true Reality, one true Being (Wujūd), and that is God.38 Everything else in the cosmos does not possess being in its own right; its existence is contingent, borrowed, and metaphorical. All created things are described as "He/not He" (huwa lā huwa), meaning they are manifestations or reflections of the one true Being, but are not identical with His Essence.37

This concept must be carefully distinguished from both pantheism ("everything is God") and the standard orthodox understanding of Tawḥīd ("there is one God").39 The Sufi understanding of Tawḥīd, particularly for the spiritual elite, is expressed as lā mawjūda illā Allāh—"there is no being/existence except God".40 This is not merely a creedal statement about the number of deities but a profound ontological declaration about the nature of reality itself. It asserts that only God has true, self-subsistent Being, while the universe is a perpetual shadow or reflection of that Being.

3.2 Divine Self-Disclosure ($Tajallī$)

From the perspective of waḥdat al-wujūd, creation is not a singular event in the past but a continuous and perpetual process of Divine Self-Disclosure (tajallī).17 The one, undifferentiated Reality endlessly manifests itself in the infinite forms of the cosmos, much like a single, colorless light appears as a spectrum of different colors when passed through various prisms.15 Every moment, the universe is annihilated and re-created in a "new creation" (khalq jadīd), sustained only by the constant effusion of divine self-manifestation.

Within this dynamic cosmology, the Perfect Human is the locus of the most complete and comprehensive self-disclosure, the tajallī dhātī, which is the disclosure of the Divine Essence itself, encompassing all other particular disclosures of the Names and Attributes.9 He is the point at which the universe becomes fully conscious of its divine source, the eye through which God beholds His own creation, and the tongue through which the creation praises its Creator.

Part IV: Comparative and Critical Dimensions

4.1 The Logos, Adam Kadmon, and the Perfect Human

The Sufi concept of al-Insān al-Kāmil exhibits profound structural similarities to archetypal figures in other major mystical traditions, most notably the Logos in Christianity and Adam Kadmon in Kabbalah. A comparative analysis reveals both shared metaphysical functions and critical theological distinctions.

Feature

Al-Insān al-Kāmil (Sufism)

Logos (Christianity)

Adam Kadmon (Kabbalah)

Nature

The perfect mirror of Divine attributes; the realized human potential. A created being.

The Divine Word or Reason; co-eternal with God. Uncreated.

Primordial spiritual man; the configuration of the Sefirot. An emanation.

Role in Creation

The teleological cause and ultimate purpose of creation; the microcosm and barzakh.

The agent through whom all things were made.

The archetypal pattern upon which the lower worlds are formed.

Relationship to Divinity

A created being who is the most complete locus of Divine self-disclosure. The perfect servant.

"The Word was with God, and the Word was God" (John 1:1).

An emanation from the Ein Sof (the Infinite), not the Ein Sof itself.

Historical Manifestation

The Prophet Muhammad par excellence; also manifests in other prophets and saints (awliyā').

Incarnated uniquely in the historical person of Jesus Christ.

Not historically incarnated but a supernal cosmic reality.

The Perfect Human, like the Christian Logos, functions as a universal intellect and creative principle, a mediator between the divine and the created realms.18 Both are seen as the perfect image of God and the means by which the divine becomes knowable to humanity. The fundamental and irreconcilable difference, however, lies in their relationship to divinity. The Christian doctrine of Incarnation posits that the Logos, the Word, is God, co-eternal and consubstantial with the Father.18 In stark contrast, al-Insān al-Kāmil, even in his most exalted state, remains a created being and the most perfect servant ('abd) of God. His perfection lies not in being divine, but in perfectly reflecting the divine.

Similarly, the Perfect Human shares a functional parallel with the Kabbalistic figure of Adam Kadmon (Primordial Man), who also serves as a cosmic archetype and a bridge between the Infinite (Ein Sof) and the manifest worlds of creation.28 Both are conceived as microcosms that contain all the levels of reality within their structure. The theological contexts, however, differ significantly. Adam Kadmon is an emanation, a configuration of the divine attributes (Sefirot), whereas al-Insān al-Kāmil is a creature, albeit one created in the divine image.

4.2 Theological Tensions and Orthodox Critiques

The highly esoteric and philosophical nature of the doctrine of al-Insān al-Kāmil has subjected it to significant criticism from more exoteric and orthodox streams of Islamic thought.2 The principal objections include:

1. Blurring the Creator-Creature Distinction: The primary critique is that the language of waḥdat al-wujūd and the description of the Perfect Human as a perfect mirror of divine attributes verge on shirk (polytheism) or pantheism. Critics argue that this blurs the absolute and unbridgeable distinction between the eternal Creator and the contingent creature, which is the bedrock of orthodox Tawḥīd.2

2. Spiritual Elitism: The concept of a spiritual hierarchy culminating in a "Perfect Human" can be interpreted as devaluing the faith and practice of ordinary believers, creating a form of spiritual elitism that is seen as foreign to the egalitarian spirit of early Islam.2

3. Misuse of Authority: Throughout history, the claim to such an exalted spiritual station has been susceptible to abuse by individuals seeking worldly power and influence, leading to the misuse of sacred authority.2

4. Disengagement from the World: A more modern critique suggests that an intense focus on achieving inner perfection and mystical union can lead to a form of quietism or disengagement from pressing social, ethical, and political issues that demand worldly action.2

Conclusion: The Realized Human

In conclusion, the Sufi concept of God being seen as the "first human" is a symbolic interpretation of a far more intricate metaphysical doctrine. The doctrine of al-Insān al-Kāmil is not about the deification of a human being, but about the ultimate realization of humanity's theomorphic potential—its capacity to be created "in the image of God." This is often expressed in the Sufi goal of takhalluq bi-akhlāq Allāh, or "taking on the character traits of God".34

The Perfect Human is the individual who has traversed the spiritual path, undergoing the annihilation of the ego-self (fanā') and attaining subsistence in God (baqā'), thereby becoming a pure and willing channel for divine will, knowledge, and compassion.2 The "first human" in this profound vision is the archetypal, perfect being who was the first idea in the Divine Mind and the final purpose of the creative act. He is the one who, by perfectly knowing and reflecting the Creator, allows the Hidden Treasure to finally be known, thus completing the great circle of existence and giving meaning to the entirety of the cosmos.

Works cited

1. The Perfect Human (al-insan al-kamil) - Pure, accessed on September 27, 2025, https://pure-oai.bham.ac.uk/ws/portalfiles/portal/236257486/The_Perfect_Human_al-insan_al-kamil_.pdf

2. From Dust to Divinity: Insān-i-Kāmil and the Spiritual Ideal in Sufism ..., accessed on September 27, 2025, https://thehimalayaninkline.com/from-dust-to-divinity-insan-i-kamil-and-the-spiritual-ideal-in-sufism/

3. Al-Insān al-Kāmil - Wikipedia, accessed on September 27, 2025, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Ins%C4%81n_al-K%C4%81mil

4. The Metaphysics of Perfection: A Comprehensive Study of al-Insān al-Kāmil in Sufi Tradition, accessed on September 27, 2025, https://ghayb.com/a-study-of-al-insan-al-kamil/

5. The Mystical Visions of Ibn Arabi – Diana Steigerwald - Ismaili Web Amaana, accessed on September 27, 2025, https://www.amaana.org/ismaili/2014/04/ibn-arabi-diana-steigerwald/

6. Ibn Arabi's Thought on Waḥdat Al-Wujud and its Relevance to Religious Diversity, accessed on September 27, 2025, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/309541253_Ibn_Arabi's_Thought_on_Wahdat_Al-Wujud_and_its_Relevance_to_Religious_Diversity

7. The-Perfect-Man-as-the-Prototype-of-the-Self-in-the-Sufism-of-Jami-by-William-C.-Chittick.pdf - Traditional Hikma, accessed on September 27, 2025, https://traditionalhikma.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/The-Perfect-Man-as-the-Prototype-of-the-Self-in-the-Sufism-of-Jami-by-William-C.-Chittick.pdf

8. The Perfect Man - The Sufi Tavern, accessed on September 27, 2025, https://sufi-tavern.com/sufi-doctrine/the-perfect-man/

9. Al-Insan-Al-Kamil Abdul Karim Al Jili | PDF | Muhammad | Sufism - Scribd, accessed on September 27, 2025, https://www.scribd.com/document/218546504/Al-Insan-Al-Kamil-Abdul-Karim-Al-Jili

10. Al Haqiqa Al Muhammadiyah Archives - Ghayb.com, accessed on September 27, 2025, https://ghayb.com/tag/al-haqiqa-al-muhammadiyah/

11. Al-Haqiqa tul Muhammadiya. This concept is based upon the reality of our beloved Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. The prophet is the first creation of Allah, H - Thread from Sheeis Mustafa @sultanm28903166 - Rattibha, accessed on September 27, 2025, https://en.rattibha.com/thread/1560829312433012738

12. Hikmat – The Sufi Tavern, accessed on September 27, 2025, https://sufi-tavern.com/hikmat/hikmat/

13. nur Muhammadiyya Light of Muhammad - The Language of the ..., accessed on September 27, 2025, https://www.almirajsuficentre.org.au/qamus/app/single/1168

14. Nūr Muḥammad | Encyclopedia.com, accessed on September 27, 2025, https://www.encyclopedia.com/environment/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/nur-muhammad

15. The Light Of Muhammad: Discussion Muslim Scholars In Malay Archipelago - ResearchGate, accessed on September 27, 2025, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/358889999_The_Light_Of_Muhammad_Discussion_Muslim_Scholars_In_Malay_Archipelago

16. al-haqiqat al-Muhammadiyyah Reality of Muhammad - The Language of the Future | Sufi Terminology, accessed on September 27, 2025, https://www.almirajsuficentre.org.au/qamus/app/single/453

17. THE MUHAMMADAN REALITY: A CENTRAL LEITMOTIF OF IBN ' ARABĪ'S THOUGHT AL-HAQIQA AL-MUHAMMADIYYA AL-RAHMĀNIYYA - ProQuest, accessed on September 27, 2025, https://search.proquest.com/openview/255da59016e8ddd2eea4cd5b9de13fa1/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=646551

18. Logos (Islam) - Wikipedia, accessed on September 27, 2025, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logos_(Islam)

19. Ibn 'Arabî - Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, accessed on September 27, 2025, https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/ibn-arabi/

20. Shaykh Nuh Keller on Haqiqa al-Muhamadiyya (The Muhammadan Reality), accessed on September 27, 2025, https://britishmisk.wordpress.com/2011/09/24/shaykh-nuh-keller-on-haqiqa-al-muhamadiyya-the-muhammadan-reality/

21. Veils of Light and Darkness: Thinking Through Ibn Arabi's Bezels of Wisdom, accessed on September 27, 2025, https://parisinstitute.org/veils-of-light-and-darkness-thinking-through-ibn-arabis-bezels-of-wisdom/

22. The Muhammadan Reality Pt.4 - Ghayb.com, accessed on September 27, 2025, https://ghayb.com/2017/09/the-muhammadan-reality-pt-4/

23. Perfect Man According to Ibn Arabi, accessed on September 27, 2025, https://haftasman.urd.ac.ir/article_66859_en.html

24. THE THEORY OF THE PERFECT MAN IN IBN 'ARABI'S FUSUS AL-HIKAM - J-Stage, accessed on September 27, 2025, https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/orient1960/19/0/19_0_87/_article

25. The perfect human being according to Abdul Karim Al-Jili - International Journal of Advanced Academic Studies, accessed on September 27, 2025, https://www.allstudyjournal.com/article/1065/5-10-8-597.pdf

26. The Hierarchy of'the Perfect Man According to Ibn 'Arabi - SciSpace, accessed on September 27, 2025, https://scispace.com/pdf/the-hierarchy-of-the-perfect-man-according-to-ibn-arabi-1hxfeexhue.pdf

27. Full text of "Ibn Arabi S Theory Of The Perfect Man And Its Place In Islamic Thought", accessed on September 27, 2025, https://archive.org/stream/IbnArabiSTheoryOfThePerfectManAndItsPlaceInIslamicThought/Ibn-Arabi-s-Theory-of-the-Perfect-Man-and-Its-Place-in-Islamic-Thought_djvu.txt

28. (PDF) A comparative study of the principle of "Insān Kāmil " in the mystical system of Ayn al-Quzat Hamadani and Ibn Arabi - ResearchGate, accessed on September 27, 2025, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/378525933_A_comparative_study_of_the_principle_of_Insan_Kamil_in_the_mystical_system_of_Ayn_al-Quzat_Hamadani_and_Ibn_Arabi

29. Al-Insan al-kamil: Significance and symbolism, accessed on September 27, 2025, https://www.wisdomlib.org/concept/al-insan-al-kamil

30. Perfect Man in Rumi's Perspective - London Academy of Iranian Studies, accessed on September 27, 2025, https://iranianstudies.org/2010/06/29/perfect-man-in-rumi%E2%80%99s-perspective1/

31. Universal Man – al-Insan al-Kamil | Sufi Path of Love, accessed on September 27, 2025, https://sufipathoflove.com/2022/12/22/universal-man-al-insan-al-kamil/

32. Sufism and the Perfect Human - Muhyiddin Ibn Arabi Society, accessed on September 27, 2025, https://ibnarabisociety.org/sufism-and-the-perfect-human/

33. universal-man.pdf - Sufi Path of Love, accessed on September 27, 2025, https://sufipathoflove.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/universal-man.pdf

34. The Values of Perfect Human Beings in the Dignity Seven of Insān Kāmil - ERIC, accessed on September 27, 2025, https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1334343.pdf

35. THE COSMIC HUMAN: Unlocking the Insan Al-Kamil Within (Sufi Mysticism) - YouTube, accessed on September 27, 2025, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfksJp2IsdQ

36. Sufism | Definition, History, Beliefs, Significance, & Facts - Britannica, accessed on September 27, 2025, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Sufism

37. Sufi metaphysics - Wikipedia, accessed on September 27, 2025, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sufi_metaphysics

38. P | A | Hakim: Unity of Being in Ibn Arabi, accessed on September 27, 2025, https://ibnarabisociety.org/unity-of-being-in-ibn-arabi-souad-hakim/

39. Can you explain Ibn Arabi's doctrine of “Unity of Being”? - Quora, accessed on September 27, 2025, https://www.quora.com/Can-you-explain-Ibn-Arabi-s-doctrine-of-Unity-of-Being

40. Oneness of God in Sufism - IslamiCity, accessed on September 27, 2025, https://www.islamicity.org/7530/tawhid-in-sufism/

41. Journey Towards Perfection: The Concept of Insan Kamil in al-Jili's Philosophy, accessed on September 27, 2025, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/377369478_Journey_Towards_Perfection_The_Concept_of_Insan_Kamil_in_al-Jili's_Philosophy

42. Mansour Mo'tamedi1, Vali Abdi Comparing logos in Christianity with ..., accessed on September 27, 2025, https://www.ibn-sina.net/en/mansour-motamedi1-vali-abdi-comparing-logos-in-christianity-with-the-perfect-man-of-ibn-arabi/

43. al-Insan al-Kamil, the Perfect Individual | Sufi Path of Love, accessed on September 27, 2025, https://sufipathoflove.com/al-insan-al-kamil-the-perfect-individual/