The Relation of Awwal, Ākhar, Ẓāhir, and Bāṭin to the Perfect Human Being

Document Type : علمی پژوهشی

Authors

• Sayyid Murtaḍā Ḥusaynī Shāhrūdī
• Vaḥīda Fakhkhār Nowghānī

10.22067/philosophy.v41i2.3953

Abstract

In theoretical mysticism, many of the mystical issues are attributed to the Qur'ānīc verses, among which is the noble verse "He is the First, He is the Last, He is the Manifest, He is the Unmanifest." The mystics have mostly regarded the names mentioned in this verse as the description of the station of essence and the absolute unknown identity, and some view the understanding and intuition of these names as a basis for understanding the unity of being and see no plurality in the world
of being. In this article, the above theory is critically reviewed and with provision of various reasons it is state that the four names mentioned in this verse do not describe the station of essence, hence there is no reason for the unity of being; rather, this verse is somehow a description of "perfect human being" or "Muḥammadan reality."
Keywords: al-Awwal, al-Ākhir, al-Ẓāhir, al-Bāṭin, unknown identity, perfect human being, Muḥammadan reality.

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