SAIN AL-DIN IBN TURKA’S TAMHÎD AL-QAWAÎD AND ITS VALUE IN METAPHYSICS OF MYSTICISM -A Comparison Between Ibn Turka, Sadr al-Din al-Qunawî, Dâwûd al-Qaysarî and Mulla Fanârî-

SÂİNÜDDİN İBN TÜRKE’NİN TEMHÎDÜ’L-KAVÂİD ADLI ESERİ VE TASAVVUF METAFİZİĞİNDEKİ YERİ -Sadreddin Konevî, Davud Kayserî ve Molla Fenarî Bağlamında Bir Karşılaştırma-

Abstract

This article will examine the work of Tamhîd al-Qawaîd of Sain al-Din Ibn Turka (1432), a significant follower of the tradition of Ibn al-Arabi thought in the fifteenth century. Tamhîd al-Qawaîd is a commentary on the work Qawâid al-Tawhîd which written by Sadr al-Din Abu Hamid Turka () who is grandfather of Sain al-Din Ibn Turka. In this article, Tamhîd al-Qawaîd is considered and compared with the works of Sadr al-Din al-Qunawî (673/1274), Dâwûd al-Qaysarî (751/1350) and Mulla Fanârî (834/1431). Tamhîd al-Qawaîd, like Sadr al-Din al-Qunawî’s Miftâh al-Ghayb, Dâwûd al-Qaysarî's al-Mukaddima and Mulla Fanârî’s Misbâh al-Uns, is also an important opus in the mystical (irfân) tradition. In this work Sain al-Din Ibn Turka is trying to build metaphysics of mysticism (tasawwuf) as an upper metaphysic. In the beginning of the work, Ibn Turka aims to determine the subject of the metaphysics of mysticism, because according to him, all sciences have subjects and their distinction from each other is according to their subjects. For Ibn Turka, the subject of the metaphysics of mysticism is the existence of Hâqq as al-Qunawî accepted. However, Ibn Turka expresses this subject as al-Wujud al-Mutlaq/Being. Since the subject of the metaphysics of mysticism is al-Wujud al- Mutlaq, according to al-Qunawî and Ibn Turka, sufi metaphysics is superior to other sciences and even metaphysics expressed by philosophy. Mulla Fanârî considers the subject of Sufi metaphysics as the interaction of the Haqq with the universe, not the existence of the Haqq, in the commentary of al-Qunawî’s Miftâh al-Ghayb. For Mulla Fanârî because the essence of Haqq cannot be known, it cannot be the subject of Sufi metaphysics. On the contrary to Mulla Fanârî, Ibn Turka, as we have stated, identifies Sufi metaphysics as al-Wujud al-Mutlaq. On the other hand, Ibn Turka tries to abolish the philosophical and theological understanding of being in Tamhîd al-Qawaîd with a rational (istidlâlî) method and tries to reveal it with the evidence that existence is real and one in the external world. According to him, being is not a concept and it cannot be predicated to something. On the contrary, being (wujud) is something that individuates (tashahhus) in the external world. In this work, Sain al-Din Ibn Turka aims to solve the supposed doubts that can arise when he carries out criticisms of philosophical and theological understandings of existence. Ibn Turka advanced what al-Qunawî, al-Qaysarî and Mulla Fanârî did in his work. Ibn Turka’s arguments about existence as an absolute, wajib, and single entity overlaps with the arguments that Davud al-Qaysarî and Mulla Fanârî had presented. Davud al-Qaysarî has dedicated to this problem the first chapter of Şarhu Fusus al-hikem which is a commentary on Ibn Arabi’s work. Here al-Qaysarî try to prove that wujûd is the wujûd of Haqq. According to him, the wujûd is itself necessary and does not accept none-existence (adam). Mulla Fanârî also mentions the five arguments that the being is absolute, wajip and one in his commentary Misbâh al-Uns. Fanârî, here expresses that the being must be absolute and necessary. Like other thinkers, the basic movement point of Ibn Turka is that non-existence cannot be against being. Because existence is necessary and absolute. What is the most important thing which differ Ibn Turka from other mystics like al-Qunawî, al-Qaysarî and Mulla Fanârî? The most important point that differ Ibn Turka from the abovementioned mystics can be expressed as follows: Ibn Turka is a systematic critic on philosophers’ idea. He also advanced what al-Qunawî, al-Qaysarî and Mulla Fanârî critics of philosophy and theology (kalam). According to philosophers, being can be divided into necessary and possible. Ibn Turka tries to explain the dilemmas of this distinction in rational way. In my opinion, Sain al-Din Ibn Turka is a mystic who is ignored for a long time in Islamic thought. But in recent times, it can be seen some commentaries, and glossaries (hashiya) written on Tamhīd al-Qawaîd. However, it should be noted that Ibn Turka’s work which called Tamhîd al-Qawaîd can be considered the reporter of the synthesis which Mulla Sadra did. Mulla Sadra tried to make a synthesis between Mashhāi, Isrākī and Irfanī tradition. On the other hand, Tamhîd al-Qawaîd was taught in Iranian schools by Sayyid Riza Larijani as an introductory to Irfan readings. The first study on Tamhîd al-Qawaîd is Muhammad Rīzhā Kumshēī’s commentary. Then Mirza Muhammad Kummî continued this tradition. The tradition of reading Tamhîd al-Qawaîd is continuing in our times.

Özet

Bu makale on beşinci yüzyılda yaşamış olan ve İbnü’l-Arabî düşünce geleneğinin önemli takipçileri arasında yer alan Sâinüddin İbn Türke’nin, dedesi Sadreddin Ebû Hamîd Türke’ye ait olan Kavâidü’t-tevhîd adlı esere yazmış olduğu Temhîdü’l-kavâid adlı şerhini ele almaktadır. Temhîdü’l-kavâid, Sadreddin Konevî’nin Miftâhu’l-gayb’ı, Dâvûd Kayserî’nin Mukaddime’si ve Molla Fenârî’nin Misbâhu’l-üns’ü gibi nazarî irfân çizgisindeki önemli metinler arasında yer almaktadır. Sâinüddin İbn Türke, bu eserinde tasavvuf metafiziğini üst bir metafizik olarak inşa etmektedir. Bu doğrultuda felsefî ve kelamî varlık anlayışlarını istidlâli bir yöntemle iptal etmeye çalışmakta ve “varlık”ın dış dünyada teşahhus etmiş gerçek ve tek olduğunu delilleriyle ortaya koymaya çalışmaktadır. Ona göre varlık, bir kavram veya bir nesneye yüklem olacak bir şey değildir. Aksine dış dünyada gerçekliği olan bir şeydir. Bu eserde Sâinüddin İbn Türke, mezkûr eserlerdeki felsefî ve kelamî varlık anlayışı eleştirilerini ileri düzeylere taşımakta ve aynı zamanda sûfî varlık anlayışını ele alırken ortaya çıkabilecek aklî şüpheleri gidermeye çalışmaktadır.Sâinüddin İbn Türke, İslam düşüncesinde uzun bir süre göz ardı edilen bir sûfîdir. Bundan dolayı onun Temhîdü’l-kavâid adlı eseri üzerine yapılan şerh, haşiye ve talîkat gibi çalışmaların da geç dönemlerde olduğunu görmekteyiz. Temhîdü’l-kavâid, ilk olarak İran medreselerinde irfân düşüncesine bir giriş olarak okutulmuş ve daha sonra da üzerine şerh ve haşiye gibi çalışmalar başlamıştır. Böylece Sâinüddin İbn Türke İslam dünyasında daha fazla tanınır olmaya başlamıştır.