A Sira Scholar Overshadowed by Allegations of Shi’ism: Yunus İbn Bukayr

Ahmet Kuray

Makale detayları

A Sira Scholar Overshadowed by Allegations of Shi’ism: Yunus İbn Bukayr

Yazarlar:

Ahmet Kuray

Yayıncı:

Eskişehir Osmangazi University

Ana Başlıklar:

İslam Tarihi

Dergi:

Eskişehir Osmangazi Üniversitesi İlahiyat Fakültesi Dergisi Vol.12 Issue 2, pp.965-986

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

9/2025

Belge Dili:

Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.):

2001357948

pISSN:

2147-8171

Anahtar kelimeler:

Özet:

 Yunus ibn Bukayr is considered one of the prominent figures of early sira historiography. As one of the most significant transmitters of Ibn Ishaq, Yunus played a pivotal role in the transmission of maghazi narratives. He compiled the reports he collected from various scholars and authored his work titled Ziyadatul-Maghazi. This work played a significant role in the transmission of Ibn Ishaqs sira narratives to subsequent generations and in their dissemination across different regions. For this reason, Yunus constitutes a noteworthy subject of study in many respects. Accordingly, this research first examines his lineage, family background, places of residence, scholarly journeys, teachers from whom he received instruction, students who transmitted reports from him, and his authored work. Subsequently, the study investigates his political affiliations, the assessments of hadith scholars regarding him, and the claims of Shiism tendencies attributed to him. Yunus b. Bukayr, a Persian-born mawla, began his scholarly pursuits in Kufa and continued them in various regions such as Rayy, Zaranj, and al-Jazira. His engagement with maghazi traditions, especially the accounts he transmitted from Ibn Ishaq during his time in Rayy or Kufa, significantly enriched his intellectual formation and earned him a reputation as a historian of the sira. In addition to his scholarly endeavors, Yunus maintained favorable relations with the Abbasid court. After serving for a period in administrative roles in Baghdad, he eventually returned to Kufa, where he passed away. The aim of this study is to examine the impact of the allegations of Shiism inclination directed particularly at Yunus on the assessments made about him. In this context, the available evidence suggests that the evaluations of Yunus by critical hadith scholars were motivated more by political and theological considerations than by purely scholarly concerns. The close relationship Yunus established with the Barmakids, a family of Persian origin who held vizierial positions in the Abbasid state, had a direct influence on the evaluations of his scholarly status and reliability. Yunus held a position in the mazalim courts in the Abbasid capital, Baghdad, through the patronage of Jafar ibn Yahya, one of the most prominent figures of the Barmakids. Following the fall of the Barmakids, he left the capital and returned to Kufa, where he spent the remainder of his life. Due to this political background, he was later openly criticized by hadith scholars. One of these hadith scholars, Yahya ibn Main, acknowledged the reliability of Yunus but criticized his close association with the Barmakids. Moreover, while recommending Ziyad al-Bakkai for the transmission of Ibn Ishaqs maghazi reports, he did not mention Yunus b. Bukayr. Another point of criticism pertains to his sectarian inclination. His narration of reports concerning the guardianship of Ali, a highly disputed issue in Islamic history and central to Shii doctrine, as well as his use of the term my lord in reference to Ali al-Rida, led to his criticism and portrayal as a transmitter inclined toward Shiism. As a result of such criticisms, those seeking to study the maghazi reports of Ibn Ishaq were directed to Ziyad al-Bakkai, Abdallah ibn Idris, Abda ibn Sulayman, or Salama ibn Fadl, with no mention of Yunus. Despite this marginalization, his work Ziyadat al-Maghaza, based on the Kufa recension and preserved through his student Ahmad b. Abd al-Jabbar al-Utaridi, was frequently cited by major scholars such as Ibn Asakir, Ibn al-Athir, Ibn Kathir, and Ibn Hajar. Though often overlooked, Yunus b. Bukayr remains a significant transmitter of Ibn Ishaqs maghaza tradition.

 Yunus ibn Bukayr is considered one of the prominent figures of early sira historiography. As one of the most significant transmitters of Ibn Ishaq, Yunus played a pivotal role in the transmission of maghazi narratives. He compiled the reports he collected from various scholars and authored his work titled Ziyadatul-Maghazi. This work played a significant role in the transmission of Ibn Ishaqs sira narratives to subsequent generations and in their dissemination across different regions. For this reason, Yunus constitutes a noteworthy subject of study in many respects. Accordingly, this research first examines his lineage, family background, places of residence, scholarly journeys, teachers from whom he received instruction, students who transmitted reports from him, and his authored work. Subsequently, the study investigates his political affiliations, the assessments of hadith scholars regarding him, and the claims of Shiism tendencies attributed to him. Yunus b. Bukayr, a Persian-born mawla, began his scholarly pursuits in Kufa and continued them in various regions such as Rayy, Zaranj, and al-Jazira. His engagement with maghazi traditions, especially the accounts he transmitted from Ibn Ishaq during his time in Rayy or Kufa, significantly enriched his intellectual formation and earned him a reputation as a historian of the sira. In addition to his scholarly endeavors, Yunus maintained favorable relations with the Abbasid court. After serving for a period in administrative roles in Baghdad, he eventually returned to Kufa, where he passed away. The aim of this study is to examine the impact of the allegations of Shiism inclination directed particularly at Yunus on the assessments made about him. In this context, the available evidence suggests that the evaluations of Yunus by critical hadith scholars were motivated more by political and theological considerations than by purely scholarly concerns. The close relationship Yunus established with the Barmakids, a family of Persian origin who held vizierial positions in the Abbasid state, had a direct influence on the evaluations of his scholarly status and reliability. Yunus held a position in the mazalim courts in the Abbasid capital, Baghdad, through the patronage of Jafar ibn Yahya, one of the most prominent figures of the Barmakids. Following the fall of the Barmakids, he left the capital and returned to Kufa, where he spent the remainder of his life. Due to this political background, he was later openly criticized by hadith scholars. One of these hadith scholars, Yahya ibn Main, acknowledged the reliability of Yunus but criticized his close association with the Barmakids. Moreover, while recommending Ziyad al-Bakkai for the transmission of Ibn Ishaqs maghazi reports, he did not mention Yunus b. Bukayr. Another point of criticism pertains to his sectarian inclination. His narration of reports concerning the guardianship of Ali, a highly disputed issue in Islamic history and central to Shii doctrine, as well as his use of the term my lord in reference to Ali al-Rida, led to his criticism and portrayal as a transmitter inclined toward Shiism. As a result of such criticisms, those seeking to study the maghazi reports of Ibn Ishaq were directed to Ziyad al-Bakkai, Abdallah ibn Idris, Abda ibn Sulayman, or Salama ibn Fadl, with no mention of Yunus. Despite this marginalization, his work Ziyadat al-Maghaza, based on the Kufa recension and preserved through his student Ahmad b. Abd al-Jabbar al-Utaridi, was frequently cited by major scholars such as Ibn Asakir, Ibn al-Athir, Ibn Kathir, and Ibn Hajar. Though often overlooked, Yunus b. Bukayr remains a significant transmitter of Ibn Ishaqs maghaza tradition.

 Yunus ibn Bukayr is considered one of the prominent figures of early sira historiography. As one of the most significant transmitters of Ibn Ishaq, Yunus played a pivotal role in the transmission of maghazi narratives. He compiled the reports he collected from various scholars and authored his work titled Ziyadatul-Maghazi. This work played a significant role in the transmission of Ibn Ishaqs sira narratives to subsequent generations and in their dissemination across different regions. For this reason, Yunus constitutes a noteworthy subject of study in many respects. Accordingly, this research first examines his lineage, family background, places of residence, scholarly journeys, teachers from whom he received instruction, students who transmitted reports from him, and his authored work. Subsequently, the study investigates his political affiliations, the assessments of hadith scholars regarding him, and the claims of Shiism tendencies attributed to him. Yunus b. Bukayr, a Persian-born mawla, began his scholarly pursuits in Kufa and continued them in various regions such as Rayy, Zaranj, and al-Jazira. His engagement with maghazi traditions, especially the accounts he transmitted from Ibn Ishaq during his time in Rayy or Kufa, significantly enriched his intellectual formation and earned him a reputation as a historian of the sira. In addition to his scholarly endeavors, Yunus maintained favorable relations with the Abbasid court. After serving for a period in administrative roles in Baghdad, he eventually returned to Kufa, where he passed away. The aim of this study is to examine the impact of the allegations of Shiism inclination directed particularly at Yunus on the assessments made about him. In this context, the available evidence suggests that the evaluations of Yunus by critical hadith scholars were motivated more by political and theological considerations than by purely scholarly concerns. The close relationship Yunus established with the Barmakids, a family of Persian origin who held vizierial positions in the Abbasid state, had a direct influence on the evaluations of his scholarly status and reliability. Yunus held a position in the mazalim courts in the Abbasid capital, Baghdad, through the patronage of Jafar ibn Yahya, one of the most prominent figures of the Barmakids. Following the fall of the Barmakids, he left the capital and returned to Kufa, where he spent the remainder of his life. Due to this political background, he was later openly criticized by hadith scholars. One of these hadith scholars, Yahya ibn Main, acknowledged the reliability of Yunus but criticized his close association with the Barmakids. Moreover, while recommending Ziyad al-Bakkai for the transmission of Ibn Ishaqs maghazi reports, he did not mention Yunus b. Bukayr. Another point of criticism pertains to his sectarian inclination. His narration of reports concerning the guardianship of Ali, a highly disputed issue in Islamic history and central to Shii doctrine, as well as his use of the term my lord in reference to Ali al-Rida, led to his criticism and portrayal as a transmitter inclined toward Shiism. As a result of such criticisms, those seeking to study the maghazi reports of Ibn Ishaq were directed to Ziyad al-Bakkai, Abdallah ibn Idris, Abda ibn Sulayman, or Salama ibn Fadl, with no mention of Yunus. Despite this marginalization, his work Ziyadat al-Maghaza, based on the Kufa recension and preserved through his student Ahmad b. Abd al-Jabbar al-Utaridi, was frequently cited by major scholars such as Ibn Asakir, Ibn al-Athir, Ibn Kathir, and Ibn Hajar. Though often overlooked, Yunus b. Bukayr remains a significant transmitter of Ibn Ishaqs maghaza tradition.

 Yûnus b. Bükeyr, erken dönem siyer yazıcılığının önemli temsilcilerinden biridir. İbn İshâkın en önemli râvilerinden biri olan Yûnus b. Bükeyr, siyermeğâzî rivâyetlerinin aktarımında kritik bir rol üstlenmiştir. Farklı hocalarından topladığı rivâyetleri bir araya getirerek Ziyâdâtül-Meğâzî isimli eserini yazmıştır. Bu eser, özellikle İbn İshâkın siyer rivâyetlerinin sonraki nesillere ulaşmasında ve farklı coğrafyalara yayılmasında etkili olmuştur. Bu yüzden Yûnus b. Bükeyr, her yönüyle dikkate değer bir araştırma konusudur. Nitekim bu çalışmada öncelikle Yûnus b. Bükeyrin nesebi, ailesi, yaşadığı yerler, ilim yolculuğu, ders aldığı hocaları, ondan rivâyet alan öğrencileri ve eseri ele alınmıştır. Daha sonra siyasi bağlantıları, muhaddislerin ona dair yorumları ve kendisine yönelik Şiîlik iddiaları incelenmiştir. Fars kökenli bir mevâlî olan Yûnus b. Bükeyr, Kûfede başladığı ilim yolculuğuna Rey, Zerenc ve Cezîre gibi farklı bölgelerde devam etmiştir. Özellikle Rey veya Kûfede İbn İshâktan dinlediği meğâzî rivâyetleri, ilmî birikimini artırmış ve kendisine siyerci kimliğini kazandırmıştır. İlimle meşgul olmasının yanı sıra Abbâsî sarayıyla iyi ilişkilere sahip olan Yûnus b. Bükeyr, bir süre Bağdâtta devlet kademelerinde çalıştıktan sonra Kûfeye geri dönmüş ve burada hayatını kaybetmiştir. Çalışmanın amacı, özellikle Yûnus b. Bükeyre yönelik Şiîlik iddialarının, onun hakkında yapılan değerlendirmeler üzerindeki etkisini ortaya koymaktır. Bu bağlamda eldeki veriler, münekkit muhaddislerin, Yûnus b. Bükeyr hakkındaki değerlendirmelerinin ilmî kaygılardan ziyade siyasi ve itikadî sebeplere dayandığını göstermektedir. Yûnusun, kendisi gibi Fars kökenli bir aileden gelen ve Abbâsîler Devletinde vezirlik görevini yürüten Bermekîlerle kurduğu yakın ilişkiler, onun ilmî statüsüyle ve güvenirliğiyle ilgili yorumları doğrudan etkilemiştir. Yûnus, Bermekîlerin en önemli isimlerinden olan Cafer b. Yahya el-Bermekî vasıtasıyla devletin merkezi Bağdâtta mezâlim mahkemelerinde görev almıştır. Bermekîlerin tasfiyesiyle birlikte başkenti terk edip Kûfeye dönen ve hayatının sonuna kadar burada yaşayan Yûnus b. Bükeyr, daha sonra bu siyasi geçmişinden dolayı muhaddisler tarafından açıkça eleştirilmiştir. Bu muhaddislerden biri olan Yahyâ b. Maîn, Yûnus b. Bükeyrin güvenilir olduğunu kabul etmekle birlikte, Bermekîlerle yakınlığını eleştirmiş, ayrıca İbn İshâkın meğâzî rivâyetleri konusunda Ziyâd el-Bekkâîyi tavsiye ederken, Yûnus b. Bükeyri zikretmemiştir. Bir diğer eleştiri konusu, mezhebî eğilimiyle ilgilidir. İslâm tarihinin en tartışmalı meselelerinden ve Şiî doktrininde önemli bir yeri olan Hz. Alinin vesayetiyle ilgili rivâyetleri veya Şiâ için büyük bir figür olan İmâm Alî er-Rızâ için efendim ifadesini kullanması gibi durumlar, eleştirilmesine ve Şiîliğe meyleden bir râvi olarak tanıtılmasına sebep olmuştur. Bu eleştirilerin bir sonucu olarak İbn İshâkın meğâzî rivâyetlerini öğrenmek isteyenlere Ziyâd el-Bekkâî, Abdullah b. İdrîs, Abde b. Süleymân veya Seleme b. Fadl önerilirken, Yûnus b. Bükeyrden hiç bahsedilmemiştir. Tüm bu olumsuzluklara rağmen, Yûnus b. Bükeyrin Kûfe nüshasına dayanan ve öğrencisi Ahmed b. Abdülcabbâr el-Utâridînin çabalarıyla devamlılığını koruyan Ziyâdâtül-Meğâzî adlı eserindeki rivâyetler, çeşitli tariklerle İbn Asâkir, İbnül-Esîr, İbn Kesîr ve İbn Hacer gibi önemli âlimler tarafından sıklıkla kullanılmıştır. Sonuç olarak, Yûnus b. Bükeyr kendisine yönelik eleştirilerden dolayı ikinci planda kalmış bir siyerci olarak değerlendirilse de özellikle İbn İshâkın meğâzî rivâyetlerine ulaşma hususunda yadsınamaz bir öneme sahiptir.

Makale detayları

A Sira Scholar Overshadowed by Allegations of Shi’ism: Yunus İbn Bukayr

Yazarlar:

Ahmet Kuray

Yayıncı:

Eskişehir Osmangazi University

Ana Başlıklar:

İslam Tarihi

Dergi:

Eskişehir Osmangazi Üniversitesi İlahiyat Fakültesi Dergisi Vol.12 Issue 2, pp.965-986

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

9/2025

Belge Dili:

Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.):

2001357948

pISSN:

2147-8171

History of Islam

Yunus b. Bukayr

Ibn Ishaq

Kufa

Barmakids

Shi’smİslam Tarihi

Yûnus b. Bükeyr

İbn İshâk

Kûfe

Bermekîler

Şiîlik

Sayı

Makale detayları

Yazarlar: Ahmet Kuray

Yayıncı: Eskişehir Osmangazi University

Ana Başlıklar: İslam Tarihi

Dergi: Eskişehir Osmangazi Üniversitesi İlahiyat Fakültesi Dergisi Vol.12 Issue 2, pp.965-986

Belge Tipi: Makale

Yayın Tarihi: 9/2025

Belge Dili: Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.): 2001357948

pISSN: 2147-8171

Sayı

Yazarlar:

Ahmet Kuray

Yayıncı:

Eskişehir Osmangazi University

Ana Başlıklar:

İslam Tarihi

Dergi:

Eskişehir Osmangazi Üniversitesi İlahiyat Fakültesi Dergisi Vol.12 Issue 2, pp.965-986

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

9/2025

Belge Dili:

Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.):

2001357948

pISSN:

2147-8171