ISMAIL HAQQI BURSEVI AND HIS SUFI EXEGETICAL COMMENTARY “RUH AL-BAYAN”
Keywords:
Ruh al-Bayan, tafsir, Sufism, ishari exegesis, Bursevi, Qur’an, ẓahir and baṭin, ma‘rifa, ‘irfan, Islamic sciencesAbstract
This article provides a scholarly and Sufi-oriented analysis of Ismail Haqqi
Bursevi and his mystical Qur’anic exegesis entitled Ruh al-Bayan. The general structure
of the work, its sources, and its distinctive features are thoroughly examined. Particular
attention is given to the manner in which both the outward (zahir) and inward (batin)
meanings of Qur’anic verses are elucidated in this tafsir. Furthermore, the study analyzes
the symbolic (ishari) interpretative approach employed in the work and its place within
Sufi teachings. The article also considers the strengths of the tafsir as well as certain
critical perspectives. As a result, the significance of “Ruḥ al-Bayan” within the science
of Qur’anic exegesis is clearly demonstrated1.
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