The Role of the Perfect Man in the Survival of the World

Philosophers believe that as the existence of the possible beings needs a cause and their survival also needs a cause. One of the most important mystical and religious subjects is the role of the perfect man in the world. In the following article, by using analytical-descriptive method, the essence of the perfect man is analyzed first. It has been discussed that the perfect man is the emanation of the Divine characteristics and names and then by citation of the verses of the holy Quran and the Hadithes of the infallible Imams, this fact has been proved that the existence of the perfect man (i.e. absolute vicegerent of God) on earth has been continued since the existence of prophet Adam. Then it is pointed that the scholars of mysticism and philosophy believe that the perfect man is the cause of the survival of the world, because they believe that the perfect man protects human beings by God's permission. He is also the focal point of existence and a medium of Divine's grace, and everything was created because of the perfect man, and the world’s order is originally managed by him. He is the ultimate goal of the creatures. The necessity of the infallibility of the perfect man, as God's absolute vicegerent, is inevitable because he must be a perfect copy of Divine characteristics and names and the synthetic existence. In the current era this important duty is fulfilled by Imam Mahdi (PBUH).