THE MAMLUK SCHOLAR HASAN B. ABĪ BAKR AL-MAQDISĪ’S METHOD OF UNDERSTANDING RÜ'YATULLAH

Abstract

The theological scholar al-Maqdisī lived in the fifteenth century during the Mamluk period, a period of great scholarship in every aspect of scientific life.  Although two of his works have survived to the present day, his only commentary on Bahr al-Kalām, entitled Gāyat al-Marām fī Sharḥ Bahr al-Kalām, is very important in terms of providing information about his understanding of theology and that of his period. In this study, al-Maqdisī's views on the issue of rü'yatullah will be analyzed in the context of Ghāyat al-Marām. In our country, it is seen that the studies on Mamluk scholarly life and especially the understanding of theology of this period are not at a sufficient level; however, it is known that academic works have been written and symposiums have been held in recent years. For this reason, our study aims to fill the gap in the literature on this field by showing what kind of a structure theology had in the Mamluks from the perspective of al-Maqdisī. Our article will be based primarily on the commentary entitled Ghāyat al-Marām, since it contains al-Maqdisī's views.  In addition, for a better understanding of the subject, the views of the Māturīdī theological scholars who lived in the Mutaqaddimūn and Maturkhirūn periods will be included. In his commentary, al-Maqdisī explains the issue of rü'yatullah by taking the classical Māturīdī view into account; however, since he lived in the Maturahkhirūn period, it has been determined that he provided a better understanding of the subject by frequently referring to logical propositions. Especially in the subject we are studying, the verses cited as evidence are explained by logical arguments. As a result, the fact that he wrote his work with such a point of view at a time when logic and philosophy were distant reveals that he went to a different type of writing than other scholars.