94 AN INTRODUCTION TO SUFI DOCTRINE

the same time both an immediate aspect of the Principle
and the totality of all relative and particular states of
existence. This is the Unique Prototype (al-Unmudhaj
al-farid) or “clear Prototype” spoken of in the Quran
and already mentioned above. It should also be recal-
led that from the Divine “point of view’ creation is
integrated in this prototype in which are reflected all the
Divine Qualities or “relationships’ (nisab) without their
being either confused or separated; it is only from
the point of view of the creature that the universe
appears as multiple. Now the great mediators, whose
spirit is identified with the Divine Spirit, are by this fact
related to this synthesis of the universe, the great
Prototype, which is the unique and direct “ object™ of
the Divine Act.!

It is to Universal Man, who is at the same time the
Spirit, the totality of the universe and the perfect
human symbol, that the epithets refer which are tradi-
tionally applied to the Prophet when they are taken
according to their esoteric meaning. He is *“ the Glori-
fied” (Muhammad) because he is the synthesis of the
divine radiance in the cosmos ; he is the perfect “slave”
(‘abd) because wholly passive in relation to God in as
much as he is distinct from Him in his created nature ;
he is a ‘“‘messenger’”’ (rasul) because, being in essence
the Spirit, he emanates directly from God; he is
““ unlettered” (ummi) through the fact that he receives
his knowledge directly from God without the inter-

See also my introduction to De I’ Homme Universel by ‘Abd al-Karim
al Jili (fasc. IT of the collection ““Soufisme”* Algiers and Lyons, 1953),