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807
THE CONCEPT OF THE IDEAL HUMAN IN ISLAMIC LITERATURE: A
MULTIDISCIPLINARY ANALYSIS
Turakhanov Rustam Baxramovich
University lecturer
Economics and Pedagogy
Samarkand Campus
Departments of Pedagogy and Social Sciences
Abstract:
This article examines the ontological and ethical dimensions of the perfect human
archetype (
al-insān al-kāmil
) across Islamic literary traditions. Through textual analysis of
Quranic exegesis, Sufi poetry, and contemporary didactic works (8th-21st centuries), we identify
three constitutive elements of Islamic perfection: (1) divine vicegerency (
khilāfa
), (2) prophetic
imitation (
ittibāʿ al-nabī
), and (3) aesthetic-ethical equilibrium (
iʿtidāl
). The study reveals how
literary representations evolve from Quranic parables to modern pedagogical narratives while
maintaining core metaphysical principles.
Since its inception, Islamic literature has sought to reflect the spiritual and moral ideals
embodied in the image of a perfect man, al—Insan al-Kamil (Arabic: ناسنلإ لماكلإ).This concept
has been developed both in classical religious texts and in Sufi poetry, philosophical treatises and
didactic prose. An ideal person is not just a model of righteousness, but also the personification
of divine harmony, reason, justice and humility.
Keywords
: Islamic humanism, prophetic ethics, Sufi anthropology, moral perfection, literary
archetypes
Introduction
The Islamic ideal of human perfection has been articulated through:
Quranic narratives
(Q18:65-82, Q33:21)
Prophetic hagiography
(
shamāʾil
literature)
Sufi psychocosmology
(Ibn ʿArabī's
Fuṣūṣ al-Ḥikam
)
Modern reformist tracts
(al-Ghazālī's
Iḥyāʾ
adaptations)
The basis of the image of an ideal person is the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)
himself, about whom the Quran says: "Indeed, you have in the Messenger of Allah a wonderful
example for those who hope in Allah and the Last Day..." (Quran, 33:21)1. The verses and hadith
indicate the most important qualities: piety (taqwa), sincerity (ikhlas), mercy (rahma), humility
(tawadu‘), the pursuit of knowledge and justice.
Theoretical
Framework
1
Textual Sources
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Primary: 47 Quranic verses on human excellence
Secondary: 12 classical Arabic/Persian treatises
The concept of the "perfect man" (al-insan al-kamil) in philosophy and literature
The concept of al-insan al-Kamil has especially developed in the Sufi tradition. The great
Islamic thinkers Ibn Arabi, al-Ghazali and Jalal al-Din Rumi built an image of a man who could
reflect the qualities of the Creator through philosophical prose and poetry. Ibn Arabi, in his work
Fusus al-Hikam (Gems of Wisdom), states that the ideal person is a "mirror" in which the Divine
is reflected.2 Al-Ghazali, in The Revival of Religious Sciences, emphasizes the importance of
ethical and spiritual self-improvement.
The image of an ideal person in classical Islamic poetry
1. Jalal al-Din Rumi in the poem "Masnavi" forms the image of an internally free, loving and
God-knowing man: "You are not a drop in the ocean. You're the whole ocean in a drop."
2. Alisher Navoi in his works ("Lison ut-tair", "Farhad and Shirin") portrays a hero who
combines faith, morality, dedication and devotion to God. His man is not a warrior, but a sage
and in love with the Truth.
3. Saadi and Hafiz raise the same themes in Persian poetry.: humility, renunciation of pride,
constant spiritual ascent to Allah through love.
The functions of the image of an ideal person in literature
A model for education.
The ideal person becomes a model for the formation of a Muslim's personality, especially in
didactic literature, such as in Ahmad Yasawi's Nasihatnam.
The bridge between God and man.
The ideal person combines the earthly and the divine, making the reader more aware of the
meaning of existence and their purpose.
The artistic embodiment of Islamic philosophy.
Literature becomes a means of conveying deep Sufi and theological ideas through allegories,
symbols, and metaphors.
2
Analytical Method
Thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke 2006)
Intertextual tracing (Kristeva 1980)
Historical Development
1 Classical Formulations
Period Concept
Exemplar Text
8-10c
Zuhd
asceticism
Al-Muḥāsibī's
Riʿāya
(Cairo: Dār al-Kutub, 2003. 320p)
11-13c Sufi perfection
Rūmī's
Mathnawī
(Book II: 120-145)
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Period Concept
Exemplar Text
14-15c Philosophical
synthesis
Dawānī's
Akhlāq al-Jalālī
(Tehran: Mīrāth-e Maktūb, 2001.
417p)
Modern Reinterpretations
Islamist: Sayyid Qutb's
Khasaʾis al-Tasawwur al-Islami
(Beirut: Dar al-Shuruq, 2000.
183p)
Feminist: Wadud's
Quran and Woman
(Oxford UP, 1999. 118p)
Core Characteristics
1 Cognitive-Perfective Traits
ʿAql
(intellect): Balanced judgment (Q2:269)
Qalb
(heart): Purified intentionality (Ghazālī's
Kīmiyā-yi Saʿādat
)
2 Behavioral Manifestations
Worship and Ritual Compliance
.
Daily prayers (ṣalāh)
: 5x/day observance (Pew Research:
63% in MENA, 42% in SE Asia).
Fasting (ṣawm)
: Ramadan participation (92% in Egypt, 88%
in Indonesia).
Charity (zakāh)
: Formal vs. informal giving (e.g.,
sadaqah jariyah
)
2 Moral Self-Regulation
Avoiding haram
: Alcohol prohibition (legal in only 7 Muslim-majority countries).
Modesty
(ḥayāʾ)
: Dress codes (hijab, niqab, cultural variations).
Self-accountability (muḥāsabah)
:
Spiritual journaling trends
3. Social Behavioral Norms
1 Family and Gender Roles: Marriage customs
: Arranged vs. love marriages (Saudi Arabia:
60% arranged).
Parenting styles
: Authoritative discipline with
tarbiyah
(Islamic upbringing).
Gender interactions
: Segregation in conservative societies vs. mixed environments (e.g.,
Turkey, Indonesia)
2 Community and Hospitality: Umma solidarity
: Donations for Palestine, Syria, etc.
Hospitality (ḍiyāfa)
: Cultural obligations (e.g., Arab
majlis
, South Asian
dawat
).
Conflict
resolution (ṣulḥ)
: Mediation by elders/imams
Adab
: Scriptural etiquette (Bukhārī's
Al-Adab al-Mufrad
)
Iḥsān
: Aestheticized worship (Hadith of Gabriel)
Contemporary
Pedagogical
Applications
1
Children's Literature
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volume 4, issue 4, 2025
810
Islamic Foundation UK's
Prophets Series
(Leicester, 2010-2019)
2
Self-Help Genre
Al-ʿAydarūs's
40 Steps to Perfection
(Jeddah: Dar al-Minhaj, 2015. 240p) Islamic self-help
literature bridges:
Classical disciplines
:
ʿIlm al-nafs
(soul science),
Aḍab al-murīd
(seeker's
etiquette)
Modern influences
: Positive psychology (Seligman), CBT (Beck)
Market forces
:
$3.8 billion Muslim wellness industry (DinarStandard 2023)
Conclusion
The image of an ideal person in Islamic literature is not a utopian figure, but a practical,
achievable guideline. It is based on the Prophet Muhammad, but enriched by the culture,
philosophy, and spiritual pursuits of Muslim poets and thinkers. This is the image that every
believer strives for — through goodness, self-knowledge, and love of God.
The Islamic literary tradition maintains a dynamic yet coherent ideal of human perfection that:
1.
Synthesizes revelation and reason
2.
Adapts to socio-historical contexts
3.
Provides actionable ethical models
References
Primary Sources:
1.
Quran.
Al-Nūr
24:35. Madinah: King Fahd Complex, 1985. 604p
2.
Ibn ʿArabī.
Fuṣūṣ al-Ḥikam
. Ed. A. ʿAfīfī. Beirut: Dār al-Kitāb al-ʿArabī, 1946. 227p
3. The Quran. Translated by Smyslov E. R. Kuliyev. Moscow: Umma, 2019. 608 p.
4. Ibn Arabi. Fus al-Hikam (Gems of Wisdom). — St. Petersburg,: ABC, 2008. - 352 p.
5. Al-Ghazali. The Revival of religious Sciences. Vol. 1. Moscow: Ladomir, 2003.
416 p.
6. Rumi Jalal al-Din. Masnavi. Translated by A. K. Aristov. Moscow: Oriental Literature, 2016.
472 p.
7. Navoi A. Lisan ut-Tair. - Tashkent: Uzbekistan, 1992. - 312 p.
8. Hafiz. Sofa. Translated by I. Teherani. - Tehran: Sohan, 2007. -290 P.
9. Saadi. Gulistan. Translated by M. Rybnikov. Moscow: Nauka Publ., 1986. 384 p
