Dedication to Writing: İsma’il Hakkı al-Bursevi
Absract
This article introduces the life, works and views of İsma’il Hakkı al-Bursevi, who lived in the second half of the 17th century and the first quarter of the 18th century. His impact as an Ottoman Sufi has reached the present day through his many works. Despite being raised in the Sufi tradition, he was also well educated in exoteric Islamic sciences. He lived in various parts of the Ottoman Empire such as Anatolia, Balkans, Egypt, Syria and Hijaz. He was well-known both in his life time and after his death especially as the author of “Rûh al-Bayân”, a Sufi exegesis of the Qur’an. He was a prolific author, who left behind more than a hundred large and small works. He was also a versatile Sufi, who wrote many works related to different branches of the sciences such as linguistics and literature, Qur’anic exegesis, hadith, jurisprudence (fiqh), theology (kalam) and especially Sufism. He is also recognized as the most important figure of the Celvetiyye order after Uftada and Hudayi. He was most inspired by his sheikh Osman Fazlı Efendi, Ibn al-'Arabi, Sadreddin al-Konavi and Mevlana. In his lifetime, İsma’il Hakkı tried to establish a balance between esoteric and exoteric sciences and did not refrain from criticizing people he thought were wrong.
Keywords: İsma’il Hakkı al-Bursevi, Sufism, Ruh al-Bayan, Celvetiyye, wahdat al-wujud.
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