The Formation of the Concept of the Believer: A Philosophical and Critical Study of Bayazid Ansari’s Muqṣad al-Mu'minīn

Abstract

This research offers a philosophical and critical examination of Muqṣad al-Mu'minīn (The Objective of the Believers), the seminal work of the 16th-century Sufi philosopher Bayazid Ansari, also known as Pīr Roshan. The study interprets this text as the culmination of Ansari’s intellectual and spiritual development, reflecting a mature synthesis of his earlier works, Sirat al-Tawhid and Khayr al-Bayan. The paper argues that Ansari envisions Iman (faith) not as a fixed creed but as an evolving process of inner transformation and spiritual realization leading toward Divine proximity. Within this framework, the Mu’min (believer) is one who progresses through a disciplined spiritual path under the guidance of a Murshid Kamil (Perfect Guide), attaining purity of heart and unity with Divine truth. His system integrates Shari‘ah, Tariqah, and Ma‘rifah within a coherent vision of human perfection, where the heart, intellect, and soul harmoniously contribute to the realization of Tawhid (Divine Oneness). The study concludes that Muqṣad al-Mu'minīn is not merely a devotional manual but a comprehensive ethical and philosophical treatise. It presents a sophisticated model of the “Perfect Believer” grounded in sincerity, self-knowledge, and spiritual balance—an approach that remains profoundly relevant in addressing modern crises of faith, morality, and existential purpose.