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The Perfect Human in Terms of His Relationship… M. M. Khalfan et al (9


                  of  plurality  and  has  affinity  with  the   existence  and  finally  culminates  with
                  latter.  Therefore,  according  to  this       the elemental human form (see: Shīrāzī,
                  principle,  an  intermediary  is  essential    2021, Vol. 2, p. 266; Khomeini, 1996,
                  for the creation to transpire and begin.       p.  86;  Ṭabāṭabāʾī,  1970,  Vol.  11,  p.
                  In reality, God’s action is only one (The      277). Since the Imam is united with this
                  Quran,  54:  49-50),  within  which  the       extended  grace,  He  likewise  serves  as
                  different strata of existence emanate.         the intermediary of God’s grace.

                    2.2. The  Intermediary  of  Divine           • The  Holy  Quran  says,  “Indeed  We
                       Grace in the Holy Quran and the           have created everything in a measure, and
                       Sunnah                                    Our command is but a single [word], like
                  • The Holy Quran says, “He sends down          the twinkling of an eye” (The Quran, 54:

                  water from the sky whereat the valleys are     49-50). In this verse, God’s existentiating
                  flooded  to  [the  extent  of]  their          command is introduced as being one and
                  capacity…”  (The  Quran,  13:  17).            akin to the twinkling of an eye. In other
                  According to this verse, water is poured       words, it is known to be non-composite
                  down  in  abundance,  but  each  valley        and instantaneous. It is the Simple Divine
                  accepts it according to its own measure        Grace  conditioned  with  universality  and
                  and limit. Although the literal import of      Iṭlāq  (absoluteness)  that  manifests  in
                  the verse is a material phenomenon that        every entity according to the entity’s pre-

                  transpires on earth, God describes it as       eternal uncreated measure and essence. In
                  a  similitude  that  alludes  to  a  higher    this way, it serves as the Intermediary of
                  reality. Water refers to, employing the        God  in  bestowing  grace  to  all  the  other
                  mystical  jargon,  God’s  Grace  and           entities. Depending on the measure of the
                  Universal Existence which manifests in         entities, each is created and clothed with
                  the  different  entities  throughout  the      existence  (see:  Shīrāzī,  1981,  p.  583;

                  entire  cosmos  according  to  their  own      Sabzawārī, 1991, Vol. 4, p. 368).
                  capacities.  Hence  it  serves  as  an            Having  understood  that  ‘the  single
                  intermediary between God and entities          divine command’ in the verse refers to
                  of the realm of creation. The past tense       the  extended  grace,  the  verse  also
                  verb  Anzala  (‘He’  Sent  down)  in  the      refers to the Perfect Human Being who
                  verse  refers  to  God.  And  water  is  an    through  spiritual  wayfaring  can  attain
                  allusion  to  the  Single  Grace  of  God      this station. Hence the most deserving

                  which  in  mystical  terms  is  also  called   extension of the verse is the Imam who
                  the  All-Merciful  Breath  or  the             is  the  most  perfect  extension  of  the
                  Extended Grace. It commences with the          Perfect Human Being.
                  First  Self-Disclosure  of  God  flows         • The  Holy  Quran  says,  “O  you  who
                  through  the  different  realms  of            have faith! Be wary of Allah, and seek the
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