Ottoman Sects Historiography Through The Literature of Firaq: 15-16th Centuries*

Furkan Ramazan Öğe

Makale detayları

Ottoman Sects Historiography Through The Literature of Firaq: 15-16th Centuries*

Yazarlar:

Furkan Ramazan Öğe

Yayıncı:

Hitit University

Ana Başlıklar:

İslam Mezhepleri

Dergi:

Hitit İlahiyat Dergisi Vol.23 Issue 1, pp.8-46

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

6/2024

Belge Dili:

Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.):

2001322110

pISSN:

2757-6949

Anahtar kelimeler:

Özet:

 The primary sources of the history of Islamic sects are the maqāla, fıraq and milal-nihal. The maqāla were written earlier than the other two, but the majority of maqāla writings have not survived. For this reason, firaq, which emerged after the maqāla, became a prevalent type of writing in the history of Islamic sects. In this type of writing, influenced by the hadith of iftiraq, the authors classified the Islamic sects based on the number 73. Interestingly, the early writers of firaq did not consider the divisions that would occur in Islamic society in the coming centuries. Furthermore, it is more interesting that Ottoman scholars did not revise their classification of the sects. Although new sects emerged over the intervening centuries, they were not included in the classification of sects. However, sects attributed to a single person or whose existence was not even certain remained in the classifications. Some authors even criticized in their books the groups of their time but did not include them in their classification of sects. This situation is worthy of questioning, and the present study results from this questioning. From this perspective, the author examines the historiography of Islamic sects in the Ottoman period. The objective of this study, which deals with the historiography of Islamic sects in the Ottoman Empire through the literature of firaq, is to reveal the literature by identifying the classification of sects written by Ottoman scholars in the 15th and 16th centuries, to make preferences by addressing the problem of authenticity in the classifications, to compare the classifications with the tradition of firaq they follow, and to reveal the nature of the historiography of sects in the Ottoman Empire by discussing the existence of this historiography. Although the narrative of the early period of the history of Islamic sects has been formed, it is interrupted in the Ottoman period and directly relates to the history of sects in the Republican period. The principal reason for this is the lack of sufficient studies in the literature on the history of sects in the Ottoman period. The present study aims to fill this gap and determine the status of the history of sects in the Ottoman period. The initial section of the article, comprising two chapters, is an analytical review of the pertinent literature. I divided this part of the article, in which I examined thirteen different classifications of sect, into two sections: the Eastern Hanafite and Asharī traditions in Ottoman period. I then examined eight classifications in the first section and five in the second. One of the most significant challenges in the period under examination is the issue of authenticity. Because the authorship of six of the thirteen classifications is doubtful. It should be noted that five of the six doubtful classifications originate from the Eastern Hanafite tradition. Another noteworthy issue in this section is the discovery of two of Lutfi Pashas works in which he classified Islamic sects. Although studies on Lutfi Pashas historiography of sects have focused on his Fıraḳ-ı ḍālla, it has been demonstrated that he also made a classification of sects in two of his works, namely Ḥayāt-ı Ebedī in Turkish and Zubdatul-masāil in Arabic. Furthermore, it has been proposed that the risāla, entitled Fıraḳ-ı ḍālla, is a transcription of the first chapter of Ḥayāt-ı Ebedī. The work Zubdatul-masāil presents one of this periods most original classifications in terms of content and structure. Furthermore, the available evidence indicates that the writing of the Turkish firaq and milal-nihal began in this period. In the initial chapter, it is evident that the most frequently referenced names in the Eastern Hanafite firaq tradition within the Ottoman Empire were Abū Mutī and, in the Asharī firaq tradition, al-Āmidī. The second section of this study concerns the existence of Ottoman sectarian historiography. As far as can be determined, no independent works on firaq or milal-nihal were written by Ottoman scholars in the 15th and 16th centuries. In addition, the available classifications do not mention the groups of the authors periods. For this reason, although it is accepted that there was some writing in Ottoman sectarian history, it does not seem easy to speak of a strong writing similar to that of the early period.

 The primary sources of the history of Islamic sects are the maqāla, fıraq and milal-nihal. The maqāla were written earlier than the other two, but the majority of maqāla writings have not survived. For this reason, firaq, which emerged after the maqāla, became a prevalent type of writing in the history of Islamic sects. In this type of writing, influenced by the hadith of iftiraq, the authors classified the Islamic sects based on the number 73. Interestingly, the early writers of firaq did not consider the divisions that would occur in Islamic society in the coming centuries. Furthermore, it is more interesting that Ottoman scholars did not revise their classification of the sects. Although new sects emerged over the intervening centuries, they were not included in the classification of sects. However, sects attributed to a single person or whose existence was not even certain remained in the classifications. Some authors even criticized in their books the groups of their time but did not include them in their classification of sects. This situation is worthy of questioning, and the present study results from this questioning. From this perspective, the author examines the historiography of Islamic sects in the Ottoman period. The objective of this study, which deals with the historiography of Islamic sects in the Ottoman Empire through the literature of firaq, is to reveal the literature by identifying the classification of sects written by Ottoman scholars in the 15th and 16th centuries, to make preferences by addressing the problem of authenticity in the classifications, to compare the classifications with the tradition of firaq they follow, and to reveal the nature of the historiography of sects in the Ottoman Empire by discussing the existence of this historiography. Although the narrative of the early period of the history of Islamic sects has been formed, it is interrupted in the Ottoman period and directly relates to the history of sects in the Republican period. The principal reason for this is the lack of sufficient studies in the literature on the history of sects in the Ottoman period. The present study aims to fill this gap and determine the status of the history of sects in the Ottoman period. The initial section of the article, comprising two chapters, is an analytical review of the pertinent literature. I divided this part of the article, in which I examined thirteen different classifications of sect, into two sections: the Eastern Hanafite and Asharī traditions in Ottoman period. I then examined eight classifications in the first section and five in the second. One of the most significant challenges in the period under examination is the issue of authenticity. Because the authorship of six of the thirteen classifications is doubtful. It should be noted that five of the six doubtful classifications originate from the Eastern Hanafite tradition. Another noteworthy issue in this section is the discovery of two of Lutfi Pashas works in which he classified Islamic sects. Although studies on Lutfi Pashas historiography of sects have focused on his Fıraḳ-ı ḍālla, it has been demonstrated that he also made a classification of sects in two of his works, namely Ḥayāt-ı Ebedī in Turkish and Zubdatul-masāil in Arabic. Furthermore, it has been proposed that the risāla, entitled Fıraḳ-ı ḍālla, is a transcription of the first chapter of Ḥayāt-ı Ebedī. The work Zubdatul-masāil presents one of this periods most original classifications in terms of content and structure. Furthermore, the available evidence indicates that the writing of the Turkish firaq and milal-nihal began in this period. In the initial chapter, it is evident that the most frequently referenced names in the Eastern Hanafite firaq tradition within the Ottoman Empire were Abū Mutī and, in the Asharī firaq tradition, al-Āmidī. The second section of this study concerns the existence of Ottoman sectarian historiography. As far as can be determined, no independent works on firaq or milal-nihal were written by Ottoman scholars in the 15th and 16th centuries. In addition, the available classifications do not mention the groups of the authors periods. For this reason, although it is accepted that there was some writing in Ottoman sectarian history, it does not seem easy to speak of a strong writing similar to that of the early period.

 The primary sources of the history of Islamic sects are the maqāla, fıraq and milal-nihal. The maqāla were written earlier than the other two, but the majority of maqāla writings have not survived. For this reason, firaq, which emerged after the maqāla, became a prevalent type of writing in the history of Islamic sects. In this type of writing, influenced by the hadith of iftiraq, the authors classified the Islamic sects based on the number 73. Interestingly, the early writers of firaq did not consider the divisions that would occur in Islamic society in the coming centuries. Furthermore, it is more interesting that Ottoman scholars did not revise their classification of the sects. Although new sects emerged over the intervening centuries, they were not included in the classification of sects. However, sects attributed to a single person or whose existence was not even certain remained in the classifications. Some authors even criticized in their books the groups of their time but did not include them in their classification of sects. This situation is worthy of questioning, and the present study results from this questioning. From this perspective, the author examines the historiography of Islamic sects in the Ottoman period. The objective of this study, which deals with the historiography of Islamic sects in the Ottoman Empire through the literature of firaq, is to reveal the literature by identifying the classification of sects written by Ottoman scholars in the 15th and 16th centuries, to make preferences by addressing the problem of authenticity in the classifications, to compare the classifications with the tradition of firaq they follow, and to reveal the nature of the historiography of sects in the Ottoman Empire by discussing the existence of this historiography. Although the narrative of the early period of the history of Islamic sects has been formed, it is interrupted in the Ottoman period and directly relates to the history of sects in the Republican period. The principal reason for this is the lack of sufficient studies in the literature on the history of sects in the Ottoman period. The present study aims to fill this gap and determine the status of the history of sects in the Ottoman period. The initial section of the article, comprising two chapters, is an analytical review of the pertinent literature. I divided this part of the article, in which I examined thirteen different classifications of sect, into two sections: the Eastern Hanafite and Asharī traditions in Ottoman period. I then examined eight classifications in the first section and five in the second. One of the most significant challenges in the period under examination is the issue of authenticity. Because the authorship of six of the thirteen classifications is doubtful. It should be noted that five of the six doubtful classifications originate from the Eastern Hanafite tradition. Another noteworthy issue in this section is the discovery of two of Lutfi Pashas works in which he classified Islamic sects. Although studies on Lutfi Pashas historiography of sects have focused on his Fıraḳ-ı ḍālla, it has been demonstrated that he also made a classification of sects in two of his works, namely Ḥayāt-ı Ebedī in Turkish and Zubdatul-masāil in Arabic. Furthermore, it has been proposed that the risāla, entitled Fıraḳ-ı ḍālla, is a transcription of the first chapter of Ḥayāt-ı Ebedī. The work Zubdatul-masāil presents one of this periods most original classifications in terms of content and structure. Furthermore, the available evidence indicates that the writing of the Turkish firaq and milal-nihal began in this period. In the initial chapter, it is evident that the most frequently referenced names in the Eastern Hanafite firaq tradition within the Ottoman Empire were Abū Mutī and, in the Asharī firaq tradition, al-Āmidī. The second section of this study concerns the existence of Ottoman sectarian historiography. As far as can be determined, no independent works on firaq or milal-nihal were written by Ottoman scholars in the 15th and 16th centuries. In addition, the available classifications do not mention the groups of the authors periods. For this reason, although it is accepted that there was some writing in Ottoman sectarian history, it does not seem easy to speak of a strong writing similar to that of the early period.

 İslâm mezhepleri tarihinin temel kaynakları makâle, fırak ve milel-nihâl türü eserlerdir. Bu metinler aracılığıyla müellifler, İslâm toplumundan neşet etmiş fırkaları ve görüşleri aktarmışlardır. Makâle türü eserler, zamansal olarak diğerlerini öncelemekle birlikte bunların çoğu bugüne ulaşmamıştır. Akabinde ortaya çıkan fırak literatürü ise mezhepler tarihinin yaygın yazım türü haline gelmiştir. İftirâk hadisinin yoğun etkisinin görüldüğü bu yazım türünde müellifler, İslâm fırkalarını hadiste geçen 73 sayısından hareketle tasnif etmişlerdir. Erken dönem fırak yazarlarının, gelecek yüzyıllarda İslâm toplumundaki ayrışma veya fırkalaşmaları hesaba katmamaları ilginç olsa da Osmanlı âlimlerinin fırka tasniflerini herhangi bir değişime gitmeksizin aynıyla devam ettirmeleri daha ilginçtir. Zira aradan geçen yüzyıllar içerisinde yeni fırkalar veya görüşler ortaya çıksa da bunlar fırka tasniflerine girmemiş; fakat tek bir kişiye nispet edilen veya varlığından bile emin olunmayan fırkalar tasniflerde kalmaya devam etmiştir. Hatta bazı müellifler kendi dönemlerindeki gruplara ilişkin reddiye yazmalarına rağmen onları fırka tasniflerine dâhil etmemişlerdir. Söz konusu durum sorgulamaya değer bir mesele olup eldeki makale bu sorgulama neticesinde ortaya çıkmış ve buradan hareketle Osmanlıdaki mezhepler tarihi yazıcılığı incelenmiştir. Fırak literatürü üzerinden Osmanlıdaki mezhepler tarihi yazıcılığını ele alan makalenin amacı; 15 ve 16. yüzyıllarda Osmanlı müellifleri tarafından telif edilmiş fırka tasniflerini tespit ederek bu dönemdeki literatürü ortaya çıkarmak, tasniflerdeki aidiyet problemini gündeme getirerek imkân ölçüsünce tercihlerde bulunmak, tasniflerin takip ettikleri fırak gelenekleriyle içerik, biçim, yöntem ve dil gibi hususlarda mukayesesini yaparak bu geleneklerle örtüştükleri ve farklılaştıkları noktaları belirlemek ve Osmanlıdaki mezhepler tarihi yazıcılığının varlığını tartışarak bu yazıcılığın keyfiyetini ortaya koymaktır. Her ne kadar İslâm mezhepleri tarihinin erken dönemine ait anlatı büyük ölçüde oluşmuş olsa da Osmanlıya gelindiğinde bu anlatı -genellikle- kesintiye uğramakta ve doğrudan mezhepler tarihinin Cumhuriyet dönemindeki durumuna geçilmektedir. Bunun başlıca nedeni mezhepler tarihinin Osmanlıdaki literatürüne dair yeterli sayıda çalışmanın olmamasıdır. Eldeki makale de alandaki bu eksikliği giderme ve mezhepler tarihinin Osmanlıdaki durumunu -en azından ilgili yüzyıllar çerçevesinde- tespit etme amacı taşımaktadır. İki başlıktan müteşekkil makalenin ilk kısmı literatür analizine ayrılmıştır. Tespit edilen on üç fırka tasnifinin incelendiği bu bölüm, Doğu Hanefî ve Eşarî fırak geleneği olmak üzere ikiye ayrılmış ve ilkinde sekiz, ikincisinde beş tasnif ele alınmıştır. Mezkûr iki geleneğin dışında bir tasnifin görülmediği bu dönemde, otantiklik önemli bir problemdir. Zira söz konusu on üç tasniften altısının müellifine aidiyeti şüphelidir. Şüpheli tasniflerden beşinin Doğu Hanefî gelenekte olması ise dikkat çekicidir. Bu bölümdeki kayda değer hususlardan biri Lütfi Paşanın fırka tasnifi yaptığı iki eserinin ortaya çıkarılmasıdır. Lütfi Paşaya dair yapılan çalışmalar onun Fırak-ı dâllesi üzerine yoğunlaşsa da onun, Hayât-ı Ebedî adında Türkçe, Zübdetül-mesâil adında Arapça kaleme aldığı iki eserinde fırka tasnifi yaptığı tespit edilmiş ve Fırak-ı dâlle başlıklı risâlenin Hayât-ı Ebedîdeki birinci faslın müstakil istinsâhı olduğu belirtilmiştir. Zübdetül-mesâil, içeriği ve yapısıyla bu dönemdeki en özgün tasniflerden birini sunmuştur. Ayrıca -eldeki bulgulardan hareketle- Türkçe fırak ve milel-nihâl yazıcılığının bu dönemde başladığı söylenebilir. Yine ilk bölümde görülmüştür ki Osmanlıda Doğu Hanefî fırak geleneğinde en sık takip edilen isim Ebû Mutî, Eşarî fırak geleneğinde ise Âmidî olmuştur. İkinci başlıkta da fırka tasniflerinin yer aldığı telif türleri göz önüne alınarak Osmanlıdaki mezhepler tarihi yazıcılığının mevcudiyeti tartışılmıştır. Buna göre -tespit edildiği kadarıyla- 15 ve 16. yüzyıllarda Osmanlı müelliflerince müstakil bir fırak yahut milel-nihâl eseri kaleme alınmamıştır. Bununla birlikte eldeki tasnifler müelliflerin kendi dönemlerindeki gruplardan bahseden metinler de değildirler. Bu sebeple Osmanlıda mezhepler tarihi özelinde -bir tür yazıcılığın olduğu kabul edilmekle birlikte- erken dönemdekine benzer şekilde güçlü bir yazıcılıktan söz etmek şu an için zor görünmektedir.

Makale detayları

Ottoman Sects Historiography Through The Literature of Firaq: 15-16th Centuries*

Yazarlar:

Furkan Ramazan Öğe

Yayıncı:

Hitit University

Ana Başlıklar:

İslam Mezhepleri

Dergi:

Hitit İlahiyat Dergisi Vol.23 Issue 1, pp.8-46

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

6/2024

Belge Dili:

Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.):

2001322110

pISSN:

2757-6949

History of Islamic Sects

Ottoman

Eastern Hanafita

Firaq

73 Fıraq

Classification of Sectsİslam Mezhepleri Tarihi

Osmanlı

Doğu Hanefi

Fırak

Fırka Tasnifi

73 Fırka

Sayı

Makale detayları

Yazarlar: Furkan Ramazan Öğe

Yayıncı: Hitit University

Ana Başlıklar: İslam Mezhepleri

Dergi: Hitit İlahiyat Dergisi Vol.23 Issue 1, pp.8-46

Belge Tipi: Makale

Yayın Tarihi: 6/2024

Belge Dili: Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.): 2001322110

pISSN: 2757-6949

Sayı

Yazarlar:

Furkan Ramazan Öğe

Yayıncı:

Hitit University

Ana Başlıklar:

İslam Mezhepleri

Dergi:

Hitit İlahiyat Dergisi Vol.23 Issue 1, pp.8-46

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

6/2024

Belge Dili:

Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.):

2001322110

pISSN:

2757-6949