The Typology of Damascene Institutions of Learning (11th-16th Centuries): Conventional Definitions and Changing Functions

Muhammet Enes Midilli

Makale detayları

The Typology of Damascene Institutions of Learning (11th-16th Centuries): Conventional Definitions and Changing Functions

Yazarlar:

Muhammet Enes Midilli

Yayıncı:

Marmara University

Ana Başlıklar:

İslam Tarihi | İslam Araştırmaları (Diğer)

Dergi:

Marmara Üniversitesi İlahiyat Fakültesi Dergisi Vol.68 Issue 68, pp.103-135

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

6/2025

Belge Dili:

Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.):

2001350907

pISSN:

1302-4973

Anahtar kelimeler:

Özet:

 From the 5th11th to 10th16th centuries, over two hundred institutions of learning supported by endowments were established in Damascus. The extensive opportunities provided to scholars within these institutions contributed to the citys emergence as one of the foremost centers of learning in the Islamic world. Throughout this period, alongside or subsequent to the establishment of madrasas, a diverse network of endowed institutionsincluding dār al-ḥadīths, dār al-Qurʾāns, khānqāhs, zāwiyas, ribāṭs, mosques, and tombsemerged in Damascus. These institutions, while sharing certain educational functions, also maintained distinct roles within the broader intellectual and religious landscape of the city. Classical sources and modern scholarship on the history of Islamic education have proposed various classifications to conceptualize and present these institutions within a systematic framework. This study aims to re-evaluate the definitions and classifications of pre-modern institutions of learning in both classical sources and modern scholarship, with a particular focus on the city of Damascus. ʿAbd al-Qādir al-Nuʿaymī d. 9271521, a Damascene scholar and historian who lived during the Mamluk-Ottoman transition period, dedicated his work al-Dāris fī Tārīkh al-Madāris to the history of institutions of learning established in Damascus up to the 10th 16th century. The extensive chronological scope of al-Dāris allows for a diachronic analysis of the changes and transformations in the functions of educational institutions in Damascus until the end of Mamluk rule. This paper examines al-Nuʿaymīs definitions and taxonomy of institutions, including dār al-Qurʾān, dār al-ḥadīth, dār al-Qurʾān-dār al-ḥadīth madrasa, khānqāh, zāwiya, ribāṭ masjid, mosque, and tombs. However, it argues that the content of lessons and the scholarly positions within these institutions diversified over time, leading to changes in their functions and scope. For this reason, traditional nomenclature and conceptual frameworks may be insufficient for comprehending the functions, curricula, and scholarly positions within these institutions. Drawing on the preceding discussion and background, the first part of the paper analyzes the traditional nomenclature and taxonomy presented in al-Dāris and seeks to reveal al-Nuʿaymīs typology of Damascene institutions of learning. The given names of these institutions reflect the disciplines they primarily focus on. However, throughout the study, it was observed that a madrasa, typically centered on Islamic law fiqh, might also offer lessons in hadith and various modes of Quranic recitation qirāʿāt; a dār al-Qurʾān, primarily focused on qirāʾāt, might include hadith lessons; and a dār al-ḥadīth might host Sufi sessions. Acknowledging this significant nuance, the study not only establishes a typology based on the nomenclature and taxonomy of Damascene institutions of learning outlined in al-Dāris, but also seeks to develop an alternative typology based on their functions, as well as the scope of the lessons and scholarly positions they provided. The second part of the article, in this regard, proposes a twofold alternative typologynarrow and comprehensiveby considering their functions, the range of lessons offered, and the scope of scholarly positions within these institutions. Based on the information provided by al-Nuʿaymī in al-Dāris, institutions that specialize in a single discipline are characterized as narrow in scope, whereas those offering instruction in multiple disciplines, fulfilling diverse functions, and accommodating various scholarly positions are defined as comprehensive. Additionally, the locations of these institutions, as detailed in al-Dāris, were mapped using Geographic Information Systems GIS software. The spatial analysis identifies the Umayyad Mosque and the Ṣāliḥiyya district as the principal centers of learning in Damascus during the period under study and reveals the spatial distribution of different types of institutions across the city. These two regions are followed, respectively, by Sharafayn, which experienced significant urban development during the Mamluk period; Maʿādhinat al-Shaḥm, located just south of the Umayyad Mosque; the area east of the Walled City and the Umayyad Mosque, where non-Muslim communities were concentrated; al-Farādīs, situated north of the city walls; and Shāghūr, located to the south of the city walls. While the Umayyad Mosque and its surroundings, the citys most important center of learning, hosted almost all types of institutions, the Ṣāliḥiyya, Sharafayn, and Shāghūr districts emerged as areas with a high concentration of institutions such as zāwiyas and khānqāhs, which were particularly endowed for Sufis.

 5.11. ve 10.16. yüzyıllar arasında Dımaşkta vakıfla desteklenen iki yüzü aşkın eğitim kurumu inşa edilmiş, bu kurumlarda alimlere sunulan geniş imkânlarla şehir İslam dünyasının önemli ilim merkezlerinden birine dönüşmüştür. Bu zaman aralığında Dımaşkta medreseyle birlikte veya onu takiben eğitimle ilgili müşterek veya kendine has işlevleri olan dârülhadis, dârülkurân, hankâh, zaviye, ribât, cami, mektep ve türbe gibi vakıflarla desteklenen geniş bir kurumlar ağı oluşmuştur. Gerek klasik eserlerde gerekse İslam eğitim tarihine odaklanan modern araştırmalarda bu eğitim kurumlarını belirli bir sistematik içerisinde sunabilmek için çeşitli tasnifler geliştirilmiştir. Modern öncesi dönemde hıtat türü eserlerde veya şehirlerin tarihine odaklanan metinlerde müellifler eğitim kurumlarını çoğunlukla medrese, dârülkurân, dârülhadis, hankâh ve zaviye gibi belirli isimler üzerinden tasnif etmişler, bu tasnifi izleyen modern araştırmacılar da İslam tarihinde gelişen eğitim kurumları için çeşitli tasnifler ve tipolojiler ortaya koymuşlardır. Bu çalışmanın amacı, eğitim kurumları hakkında gerek klasik kaynaklarda var olan gerekse modern literatürde geliştirilen tanım ve tasnifleri Dımaşkı merkeze alarak yeniden değerlendirmektir. Memlük-Osmanlı geçiş döneminde yaşayan Abdülkâdir en-Nuaymî ö. 9271521, ed-Dâris fî târîhil-medâris adlı eserini 10.16. yüzyıla kadar Dımaşkta kurulan eğitim kurumlarının tarihine hasretmiştir. Eserin kronolojik kapsamı Memlüklerin hakimiyetinin sonlarına kadar Dımaşk eğitim kurumlarının işlevlerindeki değişim ve dönüşümleri diyakronik olarak izlemeyi mümkün kılmaktadır. Makalede Nuaymînin dârülkurân, dârülhadis, medrese, hankâh, zaviye, mescit, cami ve türbe gibi kurumlara dair sunduğu tanımlar ve tasnif dikkate alınmış, ancak bu kurumlarda yer alan derslerin muhtevasının ve ilmî kadroların zaman içerisinde çeşitlendiği, dolayısıyla kurumların işlevlerinin ve kapsamlarının değişkenlik arz ettiği tespit edilmiştir. Bu sebeple geleneksel isimlendirme ve tanımların bu kurumlardaki işleyişi, dersleri ve mansıpları anlamak için yetersiz kalabildiği görülmüştür. Buradan yola çıkarak çalışmanın ilk bölümünde ed-Dâriste sunulan geleneksel isimlendirme ve tasnif incelenmiş, Nuaymînin Dımaşk eğitim kurumlarına dair sunduğu tipoloji ortaya konulmaya çalışılmıştır. İkinci bölümde ise kurumlarının işlevleri, sundukları derslerin ve ilmî kadroların kapsamı dikkate alınarak dar kapsamlı ve geniş kapsamlı eğitim kurumları olmak üzere ikili bir alternatif tipoloji teklif edilmiştir. Ayrıca ed-Dâristen elde edilen kurumların konumlarına dair veriler bir Coğrafi Bilgi Sistemleri yazılımı aracılığıyla haritaya aktarılmış, yapılan mekânsal analiz sonucunda incelenen dönemde Dımaşkın en önemli ilim merkezlerinin Emeviyye Camii ve Sâlihiyye bölgeleri olduğu tespit edilmiş, kurum tiplerinin şehirdeki mekânsal dağılımı ortaya konulmuştur.

 From the 5th11th to 10th16th centuries, over two hundred institutions of learning supported by endowments were established in Damascus. The extensive opportunities provided to scholars within these institutions contributed to the citys emergence as one of the foremost centers of learning in the Islamic world. Throughout this period, alongside or subsequent to the establishment of madrasas, a diverse network of endowed institutionsincluding dār al-ḥadīths, dār al-Qurʾāns, khānqāhs, zāwiyas, ribāṭs, mosques, and tombsemerged in Damascus. These institutions, while sharing certain educational functions, also maintained distinct roles within the broader intellectual and religious landscape of the city. Classical sources and modern scholarship on the history of Islamic education have proposed various classifications to conceptualize and present these institutions within a systematic framework. This study aims to re-evaluate the definitions and classifications of pre-modern institutions of learning in both classical sources and modern scholarship, with a particular focus on the city of Damascus. ʿAbd al-Qādir al-Nuʿaymī d. 9271521, a Damascene scholar and historian who lived during the Mamluk-Ottoman transition period, dedicated his work al-Dāris fī Tārīkh al-Madāris to the history of institutions of learning established in Damascus up to the 10th 16th century. The extensive chronological scope of al-Dāris allows for a diachronic analysis of the changes and transformations in the functions of educational institutions in Damascus until the end of Mamluk rule. This paper examines al-Nuʿaymīs definitions and taxonomy of institutions, including dār al-Qurʾān, dār al-ḥadīth, dār al-Qurʾān-dār al-ḥadīth madrasa, khānqāh, zāwiya, ribāṭ masjid, mosque, and tombs. However, it argues that the content of lessons and the scholarly positions within these institutions diversified over time, leading to changes in their functions and scope. For this reason, traditional nomenclature and conceptual frameworks may be insufficient for comprehending the functions, curricula, and scholarly positions within these institutions. Drawing on the preceding discussion and background, the first part of the paper analyzes the traditional nomenclature and taxonomy presented in al-Dāris and seeks to reveal al-Nuʿaymīs typology of Damascene institutions of learning. The given names of these institutions reflect the disciplines they primarily focus on. However, throughout the study, it was observed that a madrasa, typically centered on Islamic law fiqh, might also offer lessons in hadith and various modes of Quranic recitation qirāʿāt; a dār al-Qurʾān, primarily focused on qirāʾāt, might include hadith lessons; and a dār al-ḥadīth might host Sufi sessions. Acknowledging this significant nuance, the study not only establishes a typology based on the nomenclature and taxonomy of Damascene institutions of learning outlined in al-Dāris, but also seeks to develop an alternative typology based on their functions, as well as the scope of the lessons and scholarly positions they provided. The second part of the article, in this regard, proposes a twofold alternative typologynarrow and comprehensiveby considering their functions, the range of lessons offered, and the scope of scholarly positions within these institutions. Based on the information provided by al-Nuʿaymī in al-Dāris, institutions that specialize in a single discipline are characterized as narrow in scope, whereas those offering instruction in multiple disciplines, fulfilling diverse functions, and accommodating various scholarly positions are defined as comprehensive. Additionally, the locations of these institutions, as detailed in al-Dāris, were mapped using Geographic Information Systems GIS software. The spatial analysis identifies the Umayyad Mosque and the Ṣāliḥiyya district as the principal centers of learning in Damascus during the period under study and reveals the spatial distribution of different types of institutions across the city. These two regions are followed, respectively, by Sharafayn, which experienced significant urban development during the Mamluk period; Maʿādhinat al-Shaḥm, located just south of the Umayyad Mosque; the area east of the Walled City and the Umayyad Mosque, where non-Muslim communities were concentrated; al-Farādīs, situated north of the city walls; and Shāghūr, located to the south of the city walls. While the Umayyad Mosque and its surroundings, the citys most important center of learning, hosted almost all types of institutions, the Ṣāliḥiyya, Sharafayn, and Shāghūr districts emerged as areas with a high concentration of institutions such as zāwiyas and khānqāhs, which were particularly endowed for Sufis.

 From the 5th11th to 10th16th centuries, over two hundred institutions of learning supported by endowments were established in Damascus. The extensive opportunities provided to scholars within these institutions contributed to the citys emergence as one of the foremost centers of learning in the Islamic world. Throughout this period, alongside or subsequent to the establishment of madrasas, a diverse network of endowed institutionsincluding dār al-ḥadīths, dār al-Qurʾāns, khānqāhs, zāwiyas, ribāṭs, mosques, and tombsemerged in Damascus. These institutions, while sharing certain educational functions, also maintained distinct roles within the broader intellectual and religious landscape of the city. Classical sources and modern scholarship on the history of Islamic education have proposed various classifications to conceptualize and present these institutions within a systematic framework. This study aims to re-evaluate the definitions and classifications of pre-modern institutions of learning in both classical sources and modern scholarship, with a particular focus on the city of Damascus. ʿAbd al-Qādir al-Nuʿaymī d. 9271521, a Damascene scholar and historian who lived during the Mamluk-Ottoman transition period, dedicated his work al-Dāris fī Tārīkh al-Madāris to the history of institutions of learning established in Damascus up to the 10th 16th century. The extensive chronological scope of al-Dāris allows for a diachronic analysis of the changes and transformations in the functions of educational institutions in Damascus until the end of Mamluk rule. This paper examines al-Nuʿaymīs definitions and taxonomy of institutions, including dār al-Qurʾān, dār al-ḥadīth, dār al-Qurʾān-dār al-ḥadīth madrasa, khānqāh, zāwiya, ribāṭ masjid, mosque, and tombs. However, it argues that the content of lessons and the scholarly positions within these institutions diversified over time, leading to changes in their functions and scope. For this reason, traditional nomenclature and conceptual frameworks may be insufficient for comprehending the functions, curricula, and scholarly positions within these institutions. Drawing on the preceding discussion and background, the first part of the paper analyzes the traditional nomenclature and taxonomy presented in al-Dāris and seeks to reveal al-Nuʿaymīs typology of Damascene institutions of learning. The given names of these institutions reflect the disciplines they primarily focus on. However, throughout the study, it was observed that a madrasa, typically centered on Islamic law fiqh, might also offer lessons in hadith and various modes of Quranic recitation qirāʿāt; a dār al-Qurʾān, primarily focused on qirāʾāt, might include hadith lessons; and a dār al-ḥadīth might host Sufi sessions. Acknowledging this significant nuance, the study not only establishes a typology based on the nomenclature and taxonomy of Damascene institutions of learning outlined in al-Dāris, but also seeks to develop an alternative typology based on their functions, as well as the scope of the lessons and scholarly positions they provided. The second part of the article, in this regard, proposes a twofold alternative typologynarrow and comprehensiveby considering their functions, the range of lessons offered, and the scope of scholarly positions within these institutions. Based on the information provided by al-Nuʿaymī in al-Dāris, institutions that specialize in a single discipline are characterized as narrow in scope, whereas those offering instruction in multiple disciplines, fulfilling diverse functions, and accommodating various scholarly positions are defined as comprehensive. Additionally, the locations of these institutions, as detailed in al-Dāris, were mapped using Geographic Information Systems GIS software. The spatial analysis identifies the Umayyad Mosque and the Ṣāliḥiyya district as the principal centers of learning in Damascus during the period under study and reveals the spatial distribution of different types of institutions across the city. These two regions are followed, respectively, by Sharafayn, which experienced significant urban development during the Mamluk period; Maʿādhinat al-Shaḥm, located just south of the Umayyad Mosque; the area east of the Walled City and the Umayyad Mosque, where non-Muslim communities were concentrated; al-Farādīs, situated north of the city walls; and Shāghūr, located to the south of the city walls. While the Umayyad Mosque and its surroundings, the citys most important center of learning, hosted almost all types of institutions, the Ṣāliḥiyya, Sharafayn, and Shāghūr districts emerged as areas with a high concentration of institutions such as zāwiyas and khānqāhs, which were particularly endowed for Sufis.

Makale detayları

The Typology of Damascene Institutions of Learning (11th-16th Centuries): Conventional Definitions and Changing Functions

Yazarlar:

Muhammet Enes Midilli

Yayıncı:

Marmara University

Ana Başlıklar:

İslam Tarihi | İslam Araştırmaları (Diğer)

Dergi:

Marmara Üniversitesi İlahiyat Fakültesi Dergisi Vol.68 Issue 68, pp.103-135

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

6/2025

Belge Dili:

Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.):

2001350907

pISSN:

1302-4973

Damascus

Madrasa

Dār al-Qurʾān

Dār al-ḥadīth

Khanqāh

Zāwiya

Mosque

Spatial AnalysisDımaşk

medrese

dârülkur’ân

dârülhadis

hankah

zâviye

cami

mekânsal analiz

Sayı

Makale detayları

Yazarlar: Muhammet Enes Midilli

Yayıncı: Marmara University

Ana Başlıklar: İslam Tarihi | İslam Araştırmaları (Diğer)

Dergi: Marmara Üniversitesi İlahiyat Fakültesi Dergisi Vol.68 Issue 68, pp.103-135

Belge Tipi: Makale

Yayın Tarihi: 6/2025

Belge Dili: Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.): 2001350907

pISSN: 1302-4973

Sayı

Yazarlar:

Muhammet Enes Midilli

Yayıncı:

Marmara University

Ana Başlıklar:

İslam Tarihi | İslam Araştırmaları (Diğer)

Dergi:

Marmara Üniversitesi İlahiyat Fakültesi Dergisi Vol.68 Issue 68, pp.103-135

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

6/2025

Belge Dili:

Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.):

2001350907

pISSN:

1302-4973