grant proposal

The goal of my research is to investigate the philosophical development of the al-Insan al-Kamil, the Perfect Individual, leading to its conceptualization within Ibn al-’Arabi’s thought. Although the long-term goal of my research is to forward the development of the al-Insan al-Kamil as a philosophical concept, this large project has to begin with a basic understanding of what the al-Insan al-Kamil is and where it originated. Thus, my research at this stage will be focused solely on the conceptual origins leading up to its solidification in the thought of Ibn al-’Arabi.

Little to no Western scholarship has focused on the topic of the al-Insan al-Kamil, yet it is acknowledged as one of the key elements in the thought of Ibn al-‘Arabi, one of the most influential Sufi thinkers. What does exist on the topic consists of paragraphs and footnotes, or at the very most, a chapter or two interspersed in major scholarly works. For instance in, the foremost North American Ibn al-‘Arabi scholar, William Chittick’s recently published book he explains: “The underlying theme of Ibn ‘Arabi’s writings is not, as many would have it, wahdat al-wujud, ‘the Oneness of Being,’ but rather the achievement of human perfection.” ( Chittick, p 49) But despite saying this Chittick has produced no substantial scholarship on this concept, choosing only to discuss it in footnotes and brief paragraphs.

An example of a more substantial discussion is Toshihiko Izutsu’s "A Comparative Study of The Key Philosophical Concepts in Sufism and Taoism", which devotes one part of the three part work to the thought of Ibn al-‘Arabi. He tells us: “Ibn ‘Arabi’s philosophy is, in brief, a theoretical description of the entire world of being and existence as it is reflected in the eye of the Perfect Man.” (Izutsu, p 14) And unlike most other scholars he devotes nearly fifty pages of the two hundred and seventy-two to a discussion of the concept. But if this concept is such a vital component of Ibn al-‘Arabi’s system why has it received such little treatment by current scholarship?

One exception to this brevity is Masataka Takeshita’s published doctoral dissertation, "Ibn ‘Arabi’s Theory of the Perfect Man and its Place in the History of Islamic Thought", which he claims is a historical examination of Ibn al-‘Arabi’s concept:

I limit myself to one of Ibn ‘Arabi’s most celebrated theories, that is, the theory of the Perfect Man, I try to examine Ibn ‘Arabi’s thought in historical perspective. Although he is in many ways an original figure in the intellectual history of Islam, his thought is, nevertheless, firmly rooted in Islamic traditions. (Takeshita, p 4)

This is a critical step in the development of Ibn ‘Arabi scholarship. However, William Chittick, in a book review, criticizes this work for being overly ambitious and falling short of actually analyzing the concept itself. This being a caution to future scholars, my research will be more analytic and smaller in scope.

My project is divided into two parts. The first part will analyze how Greek Aristotelian and NeoPlatonic thought influenced the concept of individual/human perfection in Islamic philosophy. Already having a background in philosophy, this allows me to situate Ibn al-‘Arabi within the discipline of philosophy and to draw on the body of my academic knowledge. The second part will analyze how the idea of human perfection within the body of Islamic philosophy is linked to Ibn al-‘Arabi’s concept of the al-Insan al-Kamil.

My previous research MA in philosophy at Brock University analyzed the concept of the al-Insan al-Kamil within Ibn al-‘Arabi’s thought. Having no formal background in Sufism or Ibn al-‘Arabi it centered on analyzing various questions within the concept pertaining to the philosophy of the self, such as: what type of being does the Perfect Individual have, who can be a Perfect Individual, how does the Perfect Individual behave. Thus, while I have a strong background in the philosophical questions pertaining to this concept, I lack the background in Islamic studies, specifically in the broader historical development of Islamic and Sufi thought and in the Arabic language. The purpose of this second MA in Religion at the University of Toronto is to full those lacks so I can continue my larger research goals. Therefore I am focusing on acquiring a strong reading knowledge of Arabic and a solid understanding of the development of philosophical/religious thought in Classical Islamic philosophy and early Sufism. Taking classes on Arabic, classical Islamic philosophy, and mystical Persian Poetry this academic year is fulfilling this. The final research project outlined above, undertaken in the second year of my MA will be the culmination of my previous research and the research done at the University of Toronto, and will be the foundation for more extensive research at the PhD level and at the post-doctoral level.