Insan-i Kamil

Insan-i Kamil, loosely translated as the "Perfect Man" or "Perfect Human Being", is derived from the Arabic "Al-Insān al-Kāmil" (الاسان الكام), which is rendered as Insan-i Kamil(انسانِ كامل) in Persian and Turkish. It is an important concept in Islamic theology, and especially various forms of Islamic piety. For a more complete discussion of the term, see the related entry Al-Insān al-Kāmil.

"Insan-i Kamil" is an important Alevi concept of the prototype human being, pure consciousness, our true identity, to be contrasted with the material human who is bound by its senses and materialism. A human task is to fully realize this state while still in material human form and thus become liberated from sin.

Somewhat comparable to the Purusha of Samkhya Hinduism and the Adam Kadmon of Lurianic Kabbalah, it also has similarities with the Anthropos of Gnosticism and Manichaeism.

Today's Alevis would define the perfect human in practical terms as one who is in full moral control of his or her hands, tongue and loins ("eline diline beline sahip"), treats all kinds of people equally ("yetmiş iki millete aynı gözle bakar"), and serves the interests of others. It is the goal of all Alevis to achieve the moral standards of the perfect human being. One who has achieved this kind of enlightenment is also named "Eren" or "Munavver".

This concept is often explained as the esoteric meaning behind practicing the Sharia, as well as explaining the Qur'anic concept of human beings not having original sin, because the centre of consciousness is pure and perfect. However, esoteric explanations (known as Batini Ta'wil) are commonplace and varied among Alevis due to the plurality of meanings.

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