Universal man

The texts from which we offer this translation are extracts from the celebrated book al-insdn al-kamil ('Universal Man') by the Sufi 'Abd al-Karfm al-Jili. They refer to some of the fundamental aspects of the Sufi doctrine. "Abd al~Karim ibn Ibrahim al-Jili, who was bom in 1366 (the year 767 of the Hegira) at Jil in the Baghdad district and whose master was the Sheikh Sharaf ad-din Ismail ibn Ibrahim alJabarti, is one of those who continue the metaphysical teaching of the 'Very Great Master' (ash-sheikh al-akbar), Muhyi-d-din ibn 'Arabi. If sometimes he contradicts the latter, it is only in the form, not fundamentally; he himself, moreover, reminds us that "all the contradictory truths are united in the Truth" (One, alhaqq). Compared to the teaching of Ibn 'Arabi, that of Jill is in certain respects more systematic; he contains a more apparent dialectical architecture, which is rather an advantage for the reader who is unfamiliar with this aspect of Sufism. We reproduce here the first chapters of al-insan al-kamil, leaving aside, however, certain parts which digress from the principal theme and which would necessitate commentaries too lengthy. These chapters represent only a quarter of the entire work, but they contain the quintessence, in respect both of the doctrine and the spiritual applications. It seems to us justifiable to call Sufism 'Muslim Mysticism', on condition, however, that the expression 'mysticism' is given its original and precise meaning.