Tafsir Authorities in Nishapur in the Fifth Century Hijri and Their Contributions to Tafsir

Hikmet Koçyiğit

Article Details

Tafsir Authorities in Nishapur in the Fifth Century Hijri and Their Contributions to Tafsir

Authors:

Hikmet Koçyiğit

Publisher:

Marmara University

Main Topics:

Tefsir

Journal:

Marmara Üniversitesi İlahiyat Fakültesi Dergisi Vol.67 Issue 67, pp.28-54

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

12/2024

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2001335160

pISSN:

1302-4973

Keywords:

Abstract:

 Nishapur is one of the most important science centres of the Islamic world in the Middle Ages. For this reason, it was described as the city of knowledge, the strongholds of famous Islamic scholars, and the house of knowledge. Nishapur was annexed to Islamic lands in 31652 during the time of Hz. Osmân d. 35656. It started to gain importance during the reign of Tahirids 821-873 and retained its significance during the reigns of Saffârids 861-1003, Sâmânids 819-1005 and Ghaznavids 963-1186. From 1038 onwards, it remained under the rule of the Great Seljuks 1040-1157 for most of the fifth-century Hijri. Imam Muslim d. 261875, Ibn Khuzaymah d. 311924 and Hakim al-Nishapurī d. 4051014; theologians such as Ibn Furek and Abū Ishāq al-Isferāyīnī d. 4181027, the greatest representatives of Asharī theology in Khorasan; theologians such as Imām al-Juwaynī and al-Ghazali d. 5051111; Sufis such as al-Sulamī d. 4121021 and al-Qushayrī d. 4651072; and melamis such as Abū Hafs al-Haddād al-Nishapurī d. 260874, Hamdūn Kassār d. 271884, and Abū Osmān al-Hiri d. 298910 contributed greatly to the scholarly environment of Nishapur. In addition, Karrāmī, Mutazilī, and Shiite scholars made important contributions to the exegetical environment of the city with their Qurānic commentaries. As a natural consequence of these, tafsirs of different tendencies were written in Nishapur. A review of the relevant literature reveals 71 scholars who contributed to tafsir activities in Nishapur during the first five centuries. While 47 of these names are from Nishapur, 24 of them are likely to have contributed to the tafsir activities here due to their long or short-term stay in Nishapur. The scholarly and cultural activities in Nishapur, which began in the second century of the Hijr, laid the groundwork for the writing of source works in the field of tafsīr in the fifth century of the Hijr. In this context, Sulamī, Thalabī d. 4271035, al-Qushayrī, and al-Wahidī d. 4681076, who are important authorities in the history of tafsir, became a source for later exegetes with their encyclopaedic tafsirs. These exegetes are interconnected through teacher-student relationships. Al-Sulamī and Thalabī however, were subjected to relatively harsher criticism. Because while al-Sulamīs tafsīr was considered distorted by some scholars, Thalabī has been described as a night wood collector khātbu al-leyl. Al-Qushayrī benefited especially from his teacher al-Sulamī in his tafsir Latāif al-Ishārāt. However, he tried to reconcile the sciences of truth with the sciences of Sharia. For this reason, he was not subjected to the criticisms Sulemī was subjected to. Al-Wahidī, on the other hand, gave importance to the conformity of the meaning to the Arabic language as well as the determination of the meaning with the narrations. The tafsir activities in Nishapur have been the subject of a saying, The Quran was revealed in Mecca, read in Cairo, understood in Nishapur, and written in Istanbul due to its importance. Today, terms such as Nishapur School of Tafsir and Nishapur Tafsir Circle are used. While some researchers emphasise Habīb al-Nishapurī d. 4061016, Thalabī, and Wāḥidī as the three names of the Nishapur School of Tafsīr, others include other names in the Nishapur School of Tafsīr. There is no comprehensive study that deals with all the tafsir activities in Nishapur. However, studies have been carried out at the level of exegetes. We have tried to deal with al-Sulamī, Thalabī, al-Qushayrī, and al-Wahidī, who are worthy of being mentioned as tafsir authorities, in the scale of an article. However, it seems essential to deal with the tafsir activities in Nishapur and other important cities of Khurasan such as Merv, Balkh, and Herat through detailed studies. While conducting such research, it is necessary to take into account the influence of the scholars on the scientific and intellectual movements in the Islamic world due to their scientific travels. In addition, it may be possible to make reasonable and original evaluations by adding a sociological perspective to historical knowledge.

 Nîşâbûr, orta çağda İslam dünyasının en önemli ilim merkezlerinden birisidir. Bu yüzden ilim şehri, meşhur İslam âlimlerinin kaleleri, darül-ilm ilim evi olarak nitelelendirilmiştir. Nîşâbûr, Hz. Osmân ö. 35656 zamanında, 31652 yılında İslam topraklarına katılmıştır. Tahirîler 821-873 devrinde önem kazanmaya başlamış, Saffârîler 861-1003, Sâmânîler 819-1005 ve Gazneliler 963-1186 devrinde de önemini sürdürmüştür. 1038den itibaren hicrî beşinci asırda çoğunlukla Büyük Selçukluların 1040-1157 idaresinde kalmıştır. İmam Müslim ö. 261875, İbn Huzeyme ö. 311924 ve Hâkim en-Nîsâbûrî ö. 4051014 gibi muhaddislerin; Eşarî kelamının Horasandaki en büyük temsilcilerinden İbn Furek ve Ebû İshâk el-İsferâyînî ö. 4181027 gibi kelamcıların; İmâm el-Cüveynî ve Gazzâlî ö. 5051111 gibi mütekellim-fakihlerin; Sülemî ö. 4121021 ve Kuşeyrî ö. 4651072 gibi sûfîlerin; Ebû Hafs el-Haddâd en-Nîsâbûrî ö. 260874, Hamdûn Kassâr ö. 271884 ve Ebû Osmân el-Hîrî ö. 298910 gibi melâmîlerin varlığı Nîşâbûrun ilmî ortamına büyük katkı sunmuştur. Ayrıca Kerrâmî, Mutezilî ve Şiî âlimler de yazdıkları Kurân tefsirleriyle şehrin tefsir ortamına önemli katkılarda bulunmuşlardır. Bunların doğal sonucu olarak Nîşâbûrda farklı eğilimlerde tefsirler yazılmıştır. İlgili literatür tarandığında, ilk beş asırda Nîşâbûrda tefsir faaliyetinde bulunan 71 isim tespit edilmektedir. Bu isimlerden 47 tanesi Nîşâbûrluyken, 24 tanesinin Nîşâbûrda uzun ya da kısa süreli bulunmaları itibarıyla buradaki tefsir faaliyetlerine katkı sunmuş olmaları muhtemeldir. Nîşâbûrda hicrî ikinci asırda başlayan ilmî ve kültürel faaliyetler hicrî beşinci asırda tefsir sahasında kaynak eserlerin yazılmasına bir alt yapı oluşturmuştur. Bu bağlamda tefsir tarihinin önemli otoritelerinden Sülemî, Salebî ö. 4271035, Kuşeyrî ve Vâhidî ö. 4681076 yazdıkları ansiklopedik tefsirlerle sonraki müfessirlere kaynak olmuşlardır. Bu müfessirler hoca talebe ilişkisinde birbirleriyle bağlantılıdırlar. Sülemî ve Salebî nispeten daha sert tenkide uğramışlardır. Zira Sülemînin tefsiri bazı alimler tarafından tahrif olarak değerlendirilirken; Salebî ise hâtıbul-leyl gece odun toplayıcısı olarak nitelendirilmiştir. Kuşeyrî, Letâiful-İşârât adlı tefsirinde özellikle hocası Sülemîden çok istifade etmiştir. Ancak hakikat ilimleri ile şeriat ilimlerini uzlaştırmaya çalışmıştır. Bu sebeple Sülemînin maruz kaldığı tenkitlere uğramamıştır. Vâhidî ise mananın rivayetlerle tesbit edilmesinin yanı sıra Arap diline uygunluğuna da önem vermiştir. Önemine binaen günümüzde Nîşâbûrdaki tefsir faaliyetleri için Nîşâbûr Tefsir Okulu, Nîşâbûr Tefsir Çevresi gibi tabirler kullanılmaktadır. Nîşâbûrdaki tefsir faaliyetlerinin hepsini ele alan kapsamlı bir çalışma bulunmamaktadır. Bununla birlikte müfessirler düzeyinde çalışmalar yapılmıştır. Biz de tefsir otoritesi olarak anılmaya layık olan Sülemî, Salebî, Kuşeyrî ve Vâhidîyi makale ölçeğinde ele almaya çalıştık.

 Nishapur is one of the most important science centres of the Islamic world in the Middle Ages. For this reason, it was described as the city of knowledge, the strongholds of famous Islamic scholars, and the house of knowledge. Nishapur was annexed to Islamic lands in 31652 during the time of Hz. Osmân d. 35656. It started to gain importance during the reign of Tahirids 821-873 and retained its significance during the reigns of Saffârids 861-1003, Sâmânids 819-1005 and Ghaznavids 963-1186. From 1038 onwards, it remained under the rule of the Great Seljuks 1040-1157 for most of the fifth-century Hijri. Imam Muslim d. 261875, Ibn Khuzaymah d. 311924 and Hakim al-Nishapurī d. 4051014; theologians such as Ibn Furek and Abū Ishāq al-Isferāyīnī d. 4181027, the greatest representatives of Asharī theology in Khorasan; theologians such as Imām al-Juwaynī and al-Ghazali d. 5051111; Sufis such as al-Sulamī d. 4121021 and al-Qushayrī d. 4651072; and melamis such as Abū Hafs al-Haddād al-Nishapurī d. 260874, Hamdūn Kassār d. 271884, and Abū Osmān al-Hiri d. 298910 contributed greatly to the scholarly environment of Nishapur. In addition, Karrāmī, Mutazilī, and Shiite scholars made important contributions to the exegetical environment of the city with their Qurānic commentaries. As a natural consequence of these, tafsirs of different tendencies were written in Nishapur. A review of the relevant literature reveals 71 scholars who contributed to tafsir activities in Nishapur during the first five centuries. While 47 of these names are from Nishapur, 24 of them are likely to have contributed to the tafsir activities here due to their long or short-term stay in Nishapur. The scholarly and cultural activities in Nishapur, which began in the second century of the Hijr, laid the groundwork for the writing of source works in the field of tafsīr in the fifth century of the Hijr. In this context, Sulamī, Thalabī d. 4271035, al-Qushayrī, and al-Wahidī d. 4681076, who are important authorities in the history of tafsir, became a source for later exegetes with their encyclopaedic tafsirs. These exegetes are interconnected through teacher-student relationships. Al-Sulamī and Thalabī however, were subjected to relatively harsher criticism. Because while al-Sulamīs tafsīr was considered distorted by some scholars, Thalabī has been described as a night wood collector khātbu al-leyl. Al-Qushayrī benefited especially from his teacher al-Sulamī in his tafsir Latāif al-Ishārāt. However, he tried to reconcile the sciences of truth with the sciences of Sharia. For this reason, he was not subjected to the criticisms Sulemī was subjected to. Al-Wahidī, on the other hand, gave importance to the conformity of the meaning to the Arabic language as well as the determination of the meaning with the narrations. The tafsir activities in Nishapur have been the subject of a saying, The Quran was revealed in Mecca, read in Cairo, understood in Nishapur, and written in Istanbul due to its importance. Today, terms such as Nishapur School of Tafsir and Nishapur Tafsir Circle are used. While some researchers emphasise Habīb al-Nishapurī d. 4061016, Thalabī, and Wāḥidī as the three names of the Nishapur School of Tafsīr, others include other names in the Nishapur School of Tafsīr. There is no comprehensive study that deals with all the tafsir activities in Nishapur. However, studies have been carried out at the level of exegetes. We have tried to deal with al-Sulamī, Thalabī, al-Qushayrī, and al-Wahidī, who are worthy of being mentioned as tafsir authorities, in the scale of an article. However, it seems essential to deal with the tafsir activities in Nishapur and other important cities of Khurasan such as Merv, Balkh, and Herat through detailed studies. While conducting such research, it is necessary to take into account the influence of the scholars on the scientific and intellectual movements in the Islamic world due to their scientific travels. In addition, it may be possible to make reasonable and original evaluations by adding a sociological perspective to historical knowledge.

 Nishapur is one of the most important science centres of the Islamic world in the Middle Ages. For this reason, it was described as the city of knowledge, the strongholds of famous Islamic scholars, and the house of knowledge. Nishapur was annexed to Islamic lands in 31652 during the time of Hz. Osmân d. 35656. It started to gain importance during the reign of Tahirids 821-873 and retained its significance during the reigns of Saffârids 861-1003, Sâmânids 819-1005 and Ghaznavids 963-1186. From 1038 onwards, it remained under the rule of the Great Seljuks 1040-1157 for most of the fifth-century Hijri. Imam Muslim d. 261875, Ibn Khuzaymah d. 311924 and Hakim al-Nishapurī d. 4051014; theologians such as Ibn Furek and Abū Ishāq al-Isferāyīnī d. 4181027, the greatest representatives of Asharī theology in Khorasan; theologians such as Imām al-Juwaynī and al-Ghazali d. 5051111; Sufis such as al-Sulamī d. 4121021 and al-Qushayrī d. 4651072; and melamis such as Abū Hafs al-Haddād al-Nishapurī d. 260874, Hamdūn Kassār d. 271884, and Abū Osmān al-Hiri d. 298910 contributed greatly to the scholarly environment of Nishapur. In addition, Karrāmī, Mutazilī, and Shiite scholars made important contributions to the exegetical environment of the city with their Qurānic commentaries. As a natural consequence of these, tafsirs of different tendencies were written in Nishapur. A review of the relevant literature reveals 71 scholars who contributed to tafsir activities in Nishapur during the first five centuries. While 47 of these names are from Nishapur, 24 of them are likely to have contributed to the tafsir activities here due to their long or short-term stay in Nishapur. The scholarly and cultural activities in Nishapur, which began in the second century of the Hijr, laid the groundwork for the writing of source works in the field of tafsīr in the fifth century of the Hijr. In this context, Sulamī, Thalabī d. 4271035, al-Qushayrī, and al-Wahidī d. 4681076, who are important authorities in the history of tafsir, became a source for later exegetes with their encyclopaedic tafsirs. These exegetes are interconnected through teacher-student relationships. Al-Sulamī and Thalabī however, were subjected to relatively harsher criticism. Because while al-Sulamīs tafsīr was considered distorted by some scholars, Thalabī has been described as a night wood collector khātbu al-leyl. Al-Qushayrī benefited especially from his teacher al-Sulamī in his tafsir Latāif al-Ishārāt. However, he tried to reconcile the sciences of truth with the sciences of Sharia. For this reason, he was not subjected to the criticisms Sulemī was subjected to. Al-Wahidī, on the other hand, gave importance to the conformity of the meaning to the Arabic language as well as the determination of the meaning with the narrations. The tafsir activities in Nishapur have been the subject of a saying, The Quran was revealed in Mecca, read in Cairo, understood in Nishapur, and written in Istanbul due to its importance. Today, terms such as Nishapur School of Tafsir and Nishapur Tafsir Circle are used. While some researchers emphasise Habīb al-Nishapurī d. 4061016, Thalabī, and Wāḥidī as the three names of the Nishapur School of Tafsīr, others include other names in the Nishapur School of Tafsīr. There is no comprehensive study that deals with all the tafsir activities in Nishapur. However, studies have been carried out at the level of exegetes. We have tried to deal with al-Sulamī, Thalabī, al-Qushayrī, and al-Wahidī, who are worthy of being mentioned as tafsir authorities, in the scale of an article. However, it seems essential to deal with the tafsir activities in Nishapur and other important cities of Khurasan such as Merv, Balkh, and Herat through detailed studies. While conducting such research, it is necessary to take into account the influence of the scholars on the scientific and intellectual movements in the Islamic world due to their scientific travels. In addition, it may be possible to make reasonable and original evaluations by adding a sociological perspective to historical knowledge.

Article Details

Tafsir Authorities in Nishapur in the Fifth Century Hijri and Their Contributions to Tafsir

Authors:

Hikmet Koçyiğit

Publisher:

Marmara University

Main Topics:

Tefsir

Journal:

Marmara Üniversitesi İlahiyat Fakültesi Dergisi Vol.67 Issue 67, pp.28-54

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

12/2024

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2001335160

pISSN:

1302-4973

Tafsir

Nishapur

Tafsir Activities

Tafsir Authorities

Hijrî Fifth Century

Mufassir.Tefsir

Nîşâbûr

Tefsir Faaliyetleri

Tefsir Otoriteleri

Hicrî Beşinci Asır

Müfessir.

Issues

Article Details

Authors: Hikmet Koçyiğit

Publisher: Marmara University

Main Topics: Tefsir

Journal: Marmara Üniversitesi İlahiyat Fakültesi Dergisi Vol.67 Issue 67, pp.28-54

Document Type: Article

Publication Date: 12/2024

Document Language: Turkish

Document ID (Org No.): 2001335160

pISSN: 1302-4973

Issues

Authors:

Hikmet Koçyiğit

Publisher:

Marmara University

Main Topics:

Tefsir

Journal:

Marmara Üniversitesi İlahiyat Fakültesi Dergisi Vol.67 Issue 67, pp.28-54

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

12/2024

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2001335160

pISSN:

1302-4973