ABU MANSUR AL-MATURIDI'S UNIVERSALIST INTERPRETATION OF ISLAM

Abstract

This article, composed of three main sections, analyzes the views ofthe founder of the Maturidi school of Islamic Sunni theology, AbuMansur al-Maturidi (d. 333/944), that directly concern or can belegitimately associated with nationalism. The first part will discuss alMaturidi's theoretical framework concerning the relation ofsuperiority among the Muslim nations by examining his argumentsabout the superiority of man over the angels and that of Adam overSatan/the Devil (Iblis). It will also discuss the Arab-?Ajam (non-Arab)relationship, a context in which the Imam intensifies his discussion ofnationalism, and I will unpack his perspective on the relationshipbetween the Arabs and the non-Arabs in terms of superiority. Thesecond part will examine relationship between the Qur?an and Arabicqua the language of the Qur?an as well as the possibility andprobability of the Qur?an being revealed in any language other thanArabic. The third part will focus on the relationship between thewording and meaning in the Qur?an as well as between translations ofthe Qur?an and its Arabic original. In the conclusion, I will suggest therelevance of al-Maturidi's Qur?anic hermeneutics to the presentsituation of the Turks as a non-Arab Muslim nation vis-à-vis thequestion of better understanding the meaning and essence of theQur?an.