Abstract

This article seeks to clarify the perspective of Rumi , who is oneof the greatest Persian and Muslim Sufi poets of all time, on some of thedimensions of ‘Perfect Man’. These include: 1) ‘his position in existence’; 2)‘his attributes’ and; 3) ‘the mutual relations between Perfect Man and thespiritual wayfarer’.One of the most important concepts of Rumi’s spiritual thought is that ofPerfect Man, which is in relation to God, existence, spiritual wayfarer andguidance.The Perfect Man is the vicegerent of Allah and is the reflection of HisEssence. He is the ‘alchemist’, ‘elixir’, ‘spiritualist’, ‘the antidote ofseparation’, ‘the door of Divine mercy’, ‘the shadow of God’ and ‘the lion ofTruth’.All of the different dimensions of Perfect Man are in the state of perfection;these dimensions include ‘good speech’, ‘good acts’, ‘good ethics’ and‘unique and exalted intuitive knowledge’. He has annihilated in Allah andhas gained subsistence in Him. He is the symbol of patience, bravery,chivalry, generosity and justice.Perfect Man is responsible for leading and guiding humanity. The spiritualwayfarer must heed to the commands and teachings of Perfect Man, andmust be ‘observant of manners’. Five spiritual manners that the spiritualwayfarer must observe in relation to the sheikh or pir or Perfect Man are: 1)Purity of intention in relation to the pir; 2) Accepting the speech of the pirwith desire and certainty; 3) Concealing the secrets of the pir; 4) Submittingto and having patience towards the commands of the pir; 5) Not objecting tothe speech, acts and states of the pir. The Perfect Man cares about thespiritual wayfarers and guides them to the straight path.Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, Muhammad, ‘Ali, Hassan, Hussainand the Mahdi of Fatima are evident examples of Perfect Man. In each era,one Perfect Man must exist for leading and guiding humanity; the rest of theDivine Saints are his vicegerents in different places and societies