The Concept of the Perfect Human “al-Insān al-Kāmil” in Sufi Metaphysics: Philosophical and Anthropological Dimensions

Abstract

The article aims to provide a philosophical analysis of the concept of al-Insān al-Kāmil within the Sufi tradition of the 12th–14th centuries, focusing on the doctrine of Ibn ʿArabī as well as on the interpretations of this phenomenon in the works of Jalāl al-Dīn Rūmī. The study seeks to identify the ontological and anthropological dimensions of the ideal of the Perfect Human and to trace its significance in comparison with the Byzantine Christian theology of Gregory Palamas and 20th-century European philosophical anthropology. Methods. The research employs an interdisciplinary approach that combines philosophical analysis, the historical–religious method, and the hermeneutics of mystical experience. Results. It has been demonstrated that in 12th–14th century Sufism al-Insān al-Kāmil emerges as a central anthropological archetype that integrates cosmological, epistemological, and ethical dimensions. In Ibn ʿArabī’s teaching, the Perfect Human is defined as the “mirror” of the divine names and attributes, while in Rūmī’s poetry this image acquires an existential and ethical dimension. A comparison with the Neoplatonic concept of the “one soul” and with Gregory Palamas’s doctrine of theosis has revealed the universality of this archetype, which unites mystical and philosophical traditions. Conclusions. The concept of al-Insān al-Kāmil in classical Sufism is formed as a specific model of spiritual anthropology that simultaneously transcends Islamic mysticism, demonstrating potential for interreligious and interphilosophical dialogue. Its relevance lies in the possibility of synthesizing traditional notions of holiness with contemporary searches for an integral model of human nature. From an anthropological perspective, the study shows that the Perfect Human in Sufism is not merely a mystical ideal but a comprehensive anthropological model that integrates cosmological, epistemological, and ethical aspects, and can be interpreted in the context of modern philosophical anthropology (M. Scheler, H. Plessner).