The Perfect Human Being — Saints, Prophets, and Messengers

انسان کامل — صاحب ولی نبی و رسول

The Perfect Human Being by Essence (Insān Kāmil bil-Dhāt): In every era, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) is the Perfect Human Being by essence — he stands as the Khalifah (vicegerent) of the Divine Reality in his time and continues to hold that station. When the Perfect Human Being by essence is no longer present in the World of Witnessing, the great universal upheaval (Qiyāmat Kubrā) will occur.

The Perfect Human Being by Accident (Insān Kāmil bil-'Arad): In every era, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) represents the most complete station. He is the mirror of all the Divine Names and Attributes — to know his true nature, to grasp the full reality of his station, is the work of the human being alone. His acts, his attributes, and his essence were all annihilated in the Divine Acts, Divine Attributes, and the Divine Essence — and he remains truly human. The task of the human being is to be a human being and nothing else.

The Reality: Only the individual attributes (dhāt) of Habib Allah Muhammad Mustafa (peace be upon him) correspond to the truth (al-haqq). That is to say, the Perfect Human Being by Essence consists only of Hazrat (the Prophet) himself.

The Master of Wahi, Nabi, and Rasul (Sāhib Wahi — Nabī — Rasūl): Every noble station — the bountiful gift of the Benefactor — the acknowledgment of gratitude for His blessing — is obligatory. A king — obedience to him is considered obligatory. Why? Because he is the one who raises, nurtures, feeds, and protects. So is Allah the Lord of all worlds not obligatory to obey? He sustains us and at every moment we are in need of Him, and all that we have belongs to Him.

Can any person obtain the commands of a king directly, without an intermediary? Never — between them there must be a person who is close to the king. Similarly, Prophets are close to Allah and convey His love and society to the servants — they receive Wahi from Allah and convey it to the servants.

Prophet (Payghambar / Nabī): The Prophet or Messenger is the human being of the highest Divine constitution — he is sinless, protected (ma'sūm), truthful, and trustworthy — so that the Divine message may be conveyed to creation and to the community, and that the community may be established so that the Prophet's call (da'wat) and its acceptance and empowerment may be facilitated. Allah Most High grants him miracles.

What is the difference between a Rasul and a Nabī? A Rasul is a Prophet who brings a new Shari'a (law); a Nabī follows an existing Shari'a. Both, however, are possessors of Wahi (prophetic inspiration).

Wali, Muslih, Sāhir (Saint, Reformer, Sorcerer): A Muslih (Reformer) differs from a Prophet — a Prophet has Wahi, while a Muslih has only inspiration (ilhām). Wahi is definitively and certainly from Allah; ilhām is not definitively certain — it can be refused. A Nabī claims to be a Prophet and warns that those who do not believe in him are unbelievers. The Muslih is mindful of the worldly welfare of his community.

What is the difference between a Nabī and a Wali? A Nabī is a possessor of Wahi — a matter that is definitive and certain. A Wali has ilhām — which is not necessarily definitive and certain; ilhām on the part of others is not hujja (proof), and denying ilhām as a principle is kufr. A Nabī claims to be a Nabī — but a Wali has no obligation to claim sainthood.

What is the difference between a Nabī and a Sāhir (Sorcerer)? Both Prophets and sorcerers manifest extraordinary events. But what is the distinguishing criterion? A Prophet's qualities (sifāt tayyibat wa fadā'il khasā'il) are noble — he is a guide to God and a benefactor of the community, with no personal agenda. A sorcerer's character, on the other hand, is dedicated to his own personal purpose.

فَلَعَلَّكَ بَٰخِعٞ نَّفۡسَكَ عَلَىٰٓ ءَاثَٰرِهِمۡ إِن لَّمۡ يُؤۡمِنُواْ بِهَٰذَا ٱلۡحَدِيثِ أَسَفًا

"Then perhaps you would kill yourself with grief over them, [O Muhammad], if they do not believe in this message." (Sūrat al-Kahf, 18:6) — A Prophet and Messenger are commissioned by Allah — they are completely oriented toward Allah and their character shines from Allah. Even enemies acknowledge this — but they say 'this is a great lie.' Enemies too know that Prophets display supernatural events — the miracle is the work of Allah Most High and a manifestation of His Power in the hand of the Prophet — the Prophet himself has done nothing.

Contrary to the Sāhir: The sorcerer's purpose is dedicated to personal aims, not the rectification and improvement of his community — not to God is any purpose; the purpose of the afterlife — what does he mean by it? Mostly the sorcerer presents a kind of illusion before people and inside himself the nafs al-ammāra changes — his original disposition remains the same: a miracle changes reality; a sorcery is purely an act of the nafs al-ammāra.

فَإِذَا حِبَالُهُمۡ وَعِصِيُّهُمۡ يُخَيَّلُ إِلَيۡهِ مِن سِحۡرِهِمۡ أَنَّهَا تَسۡعَىٰ

"And suddenly their ropes and staffs seemed to him from their magic that they were moving." (Sūrat Ṭā Hā, 20:66)

فَأَلۡقَاهَا فَإِذَا هِيَ حَيَّةٌ تَسۡعَىٰ

"And [Moses] threw it, and suddenly it was a serpent moving swiftly." (Sūrat Ṭā Hā, 20:20) — Look there: sorcery is merely illusion. Look here: the miracle is transformation of reality. The act of the nafs al-ammāra is sorcery.