The Result of Maʿrifa in Ibn ʿAjība’s Understanding of Ma’rifa

Salih Emre; Ali Tenik

Makale detayları

The Result of Maʿrifa in Ibn ʿAjība’s Understanding of Ma’rifa

Yazarlar:

Salih Emre | Ali Tenik

Yayıncı:

Inonu University

Ana Başlıklar:

Tasavvuf

Dergi:

Mesned İlahiyat Araştırmaları Dergisi Vol.16 Issue 1, pp.80-97

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

6/2025

Belge Dili:

Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.):

2001352042

pISSN:

2667-7075

Anahtar kelimeler:

Özet:

 Ibn ʿAjība was a Sufi scholar of high order ahl al-tahqīq who lived in Morocco between 11611748 and 12241809. Until his encounter with the Shādhilī sheikh Sīdī Muḥammad al-Būzīdī in 1209, he remained engaged in both studying and teaching the religious sciences. After affi-liation to al-Būzīdīi and the subsequent completion of his spiritual journey sulūk, he established his own zāwiya to embark on Sufi activities of quidance irshād. While continuing his spiritual gui-dance, he also authored works on Sufism. He is particularly renowned in Sufi circles for his com-mentary Īqāẓ al-Himam on Ibn ʿAṭāʾillāh al-Iskandarīs al-Ḥikam al-ʿAṭāʾiyya and for his Sufi exege-sis al-Baḥr al-Madīd fī Tafsīr al-Qurʾān al-Majīd. Maintaining a balanced and moderate approach within the framework of Ahl al-Sunna, Ibn ʿAjība placed maʿrifa spiritual knowledge at the core of his perception of Sufism. Another distinguishing aspect of his persona is that he was not merely a scholar but also a spiritual guide who completed his training within the institutional framework of a Sufi order ṭarīqa and continued training Sufi disciples along the same path. Ibn ʿAjības understan-ding of maʿrifa is not limited to esoteric interpretations but rather represents a holistic perception of existence and events. This perspective stems from his conceptualization of the human faculties of reason ʿaql, heart qalb, and soul rūḥ not as separate entities but as different manifestations of the same essence. Throughout history, humanity has engaged in philosophical inquiry regarding the nature of knowledge and its acquisition, integrating these reflections into practical life. Generally, knowledge has been regarded as a faculty of reason and sensory perception. With the emergence of divine religions in human history, revelation waḥy was added as a source of knowledge, particu-larly in matters beyond the sensory domain, where it represents absolute truth. This epistemological approach has been adopted by in the Islamic world, where classical works has explicitly outlined divine revelation among the sources of knowledge. Following the institutionalization of Sufism, Sufi scholars expanded the nature of knowledge by introducing and refining the concept of maʿrifa, thus contributing to the intellectual history of humanity. Maʿrifa holds a central place both in Ibn ʿAjības understanding of Sufism and within the broader Sufi tradition. It is the concept that distinguishes Sufism from other disciplines. Although generally referred to as knowledge, maʿrifa also denotes a methodological approach. For Sufis, the process of acquiring knowledge is as significant as the knowledge itself. In this context, true knowledge is not an independent phenomenon separate from its subject, the knower. Since authentic knowledge is both a sign of spiritual perfection and a sublime goal, it can only be attained through a disciplined spiritual journey known as sulūk. Through this discipline, an individual attains the status of an ʿārif gnostic and becomes a person who embodies maʿrifa. Ibn ʿAjība not only elucidated the concept of maʿrifa but also explained, through the termino-logy of Sufism, the characteristics it imparts to an individual. In his works, he dedicated a distinct section to this topic under the title The Result of Maʿrifa Thamarāt al-Maʿrifa. The concepts he selected to illustrate this theme represent a certain hierarchy, and understanding these concepts serves as a key reference for comprehending Sufism itself. This study focuses on the section where Ibn ʿAjība explicitly discusses the result of maʿrifa and aims to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the Sufi concepts he associates with the outcomes of maʿrifa. Additionally, it examines how these concepts have been understood throughout Sufi history and their connection to maʿrifa, which cons-titutes Sufi epistemology. Alongside Ibn ʿAjības works, other widely recognized authoritative texts in Sufi literature that elucidate these concepts have also been utilized. By doing so, different aspects of these concepts have been highlighted. Furthermore, rather than limiting the analysis to the rele-vant sections of his works, Ibn ʿAjības discussions of these concepts in his other writings have also been incorporated, providing a holistic view of his approach. As a result, this study concludes that Ibn ʿAjība was a consistent and tradition-rooted Sufi scholar of high order ahl al-tahqīq, who pla-ced maʿrifa at the core of his understanding of Sufism.

 İbn Acîbe, 11611748-12241809 yılları arasında Fasda yaşamış tahkik ehli bir sûfîdir. 1209 yılında Şâzelî şeyhi Sîdî Muhammed el-Bûzîdî öl. 12291814 ile tanışana kadar dini ilimleri öğrenmeye ve okutmaya devam etmiştir. Bûzîdîye intisap edip seyrüsülûkünü tamamladıktan sonra kurduğu zâviyede irşad faaliyetlerine başladı. İrşad faaliyetlerine devam ederken aynı zamanda tasavvufa dair eserler kaleme aldı. Tasavvufî çevrelerde Şâzelî şeyhi İbn Atâullah el-İskenderînin öl. 7091309 el-Hikemül-Atâiyyesine yazdığı Îkâzül-himem adlı şerhi ve el-Bahrul-medîd fî tefsîril-Kurânil-mecîd adlı tasavvufî tefsiri ile haklı bir şöhrete sahiptir. Ehl-i sünnet çizgisinde, mutedil bir tavır sergileyen İbn Acîbe, tasavvuf anlayışının merkezine marifeti yerleştirmiştir. Kendisini öne çıkaran bir diğer husus ise, sadece ilim ehli bir zat olmayıp aynı zamanda tasavvufun mektebi sayılan tekkede irşadını tamamlamış ve aynı minval üzere sûfi yetiştirmeye devam etmiş olmasıdır. İbn Acîbenin marifet anlayışı sadece bâtınî bir yorum olmaktan ziyade, eşya ve hadiselere bütüncül bir bakışı temsil eder. İbn Acîbenin bu bakışı, insanın sahip olduğu idrak merkezleri olan akıl, kalp ve ruhu farklı şeyler olarak görmekten ziyade aynı cevherin farklı tavırları olarak konumlandırmasının bir neticesidir. İnsanlık, tarih boyunca bilginin ne olduğu ve nasıl elde edileceği hususunda düşünce üretmiş, bu üretilen düşünceleri pratik ayata adapte etmiştir. Genel olarak bilgi, aklın ve duyu organlarının bir yetisi olarak görülmüş, ilahi dinlerin insanlık tarihinde belirmeye başladığından beri, bilginin kaynağına vahiy de eklenmiştir. Özellikle duyusal alanın dışındaki konularda vahiy kesin bilgiyi temsil etmektedir. İslam âleminde bu metoda uyulmuş ve bilginin sebepleri olarak muhalled eserlerde açıkça zikredilmiştir. Tasavvufun kurumsallaşmasından sonra sûfiler, bilginin mahiyetine farklı bir boyut kazandırıp genişleterek marifet kavramını insanlık tarihine kazandırmışlardır. Marifet gerek İbn Acîbenin tasavvuf anlayışında gerekse bütüncül olarak tasavvuf geleneğinde önemli bir yere sahiptir. Tasavvufu sair ilimlerden ayıran marifet kavramıdır. Genel itibariyle bilgi olarak isimlendirilse de aynı zamanda bir yöntemi de ifade etmektedir. Sûfiler nazarında bilginin elde edilmesi yani yöntemi bilgi kadar mühimdir. Bu bağlamda, sahih bilgi, öznesinden yani bilenden bağımsız bir olgu değildir. Hakiki bilgi, kemâlin bir işareti ve yüce bir gaye olmasından dolayı, bu gayeye, ancak belli bir disiplin olan seyrüsülûk ile ulaşmak mümkündür. Bu disiplin ile kişi ârif ismini kazanır ve marifete uygun bir insan haline gelir. İbn Acîbe, sadece marifet kavramını izah etmekle kalmayıp aynı zamanda marifet sayesinde kişinin sahip olduğu hususiyetleri yine tasavvufun kendi kavramları ile izah etmiş ve eserlerinde müstakil bir bölümde, marifetin semereleri başlığıyla ele almıştır. İbn Acîbenin bu konuyu açıklamak kastıyla seçtiği kavramlar, belli bir hiyerarşiyi temsil etmekte olup, netice olarak zikredilen bu kavramların anlaşılması aynı zamanda tasavvufun anlaşılması için önemli birer referans olma niteliği de taşımaktadır. İbn Acîbenin müstakil olarak zikrettiği marifetin semereleri bölümünü konu alan bu çalışmayla, onun marifetin neticesi olarak zikrettiği tasavvufî kavramların kapsamlı bir şekilde incelenmesi ve bu kavramların tasavvuf tarihinde nasıl anlaşıldığı, tasavvufî bilgi olan marifet ile irtibatının detaylı bir şekilde ele alınması ve daha önce yeterince işlenmemiş yönlerini ortaya koyarak literatüre yeni bir katkı sunmak amaçlanmıştır. İbn Acîbenin kendi eserlerinin kaynak olarak kullanılmasının yanında, tasavvuf literatüründe kavramları izah eden ve tasavvuf araştırmacıları nezdinde haklı bir şöhrete sahip eserlerden de istifade edilmiştir. Bu vesileyle zikredilen kavramların farklı yönlerine işaret edilmiştir. Ayrıca, İbn Acîbenin sadece ilgili bölümlerdeki izahlarıyla yetinilmeyip diğer eserlerinde bu kavramlara dair yapmış olduğu açıklamalar da bu çalışmaya dâhil edilerek, müellifin yaklaşımı bütüncül olarak bu çalışmaya dâhil edilip, klasik tasavvuf literatürüyle karşılaştırılmıştır. Bu sayede İbn Acîbenin, kendi içinde tutarlı, geleneğe bağlı, tahkik ehli bir sûfi olduğunun yanı sıra, tasavvuf anlayışında marifeti merkezi bir yerde konumlandırdığı sonucuna ulaşılmıştır.

 Ibn ʿAjība was a Sufi scholar of high order ahl al-tahqīq who lived in Morocco between 11611748 and 12241809. Until his encounter with the Shādhilī sheikh Sīdī Muḥammad al-Būzīdī in 1209, he remained engaged in both studying and teaching the religious sciences. After affi-liation to al-Būzīdīi and the subsequent completion of his spiritual journey sulūk, he established his own zāwiya to embark on Sufi activities of quidance irshād. While continuing his spiritual gui-dance, he also authored works on Sufism. He is particularly renowned in Sufi circles for his com-mentary Īqāẓ al-Himam on Ibn ʿAṭāʾillāh al-Iskandarīs al-Ḥikam al-ʿAṭāʾiyya and for his Sufi exege-sis al-Baḥr al-Madīd fī Tafsīr al-Qurʾān al-Majīd. Maintaining a balanced and moderate approach within the framework of Ahl al-Sunna, Ibn ʿAjība placed maʿrifa spiritual knowledge at the core of his perception of Sufism. Another distinguishing aspect of his persona is that he was not merely a scholar but also a spiritual guide who completed his training within the institutional framework of a Sufi order ṭarīqa and continued training Sufi disciples along the same path. Ibn ʿAjības understan-ding of maʿrifa is not limited to esoteric interpretations but rather represents a holistic perception of existence and events. This perspective stems from his conceptualization of the human faculties of reason ʿaql, heart qalb, and soul rūḥ not as separate entities but as different manifestations of the same essence. Throughout history, humanity has engaged in philosophical inquiry regarding the nature of knowledge and its acquisition, integrating these reflections into practical life. Generally, knowledge has been regarded as a faculty of reason and sensory perception. With the emergence of divine religions in human history, revelation waḥy was added as a source of knowledge, particu-larly in matters beyond the sensory domain, where it represents absolute truth. This epistemological approach has been adopted by in the Islamic world, where classical works has explicitly outlined divine revelation among the sources of knowledge. Following the institutionalization of Sufism, Sufi scholars expanded the nature of knowledge by introducing and refining the concept of maʿrifa, thus contributing to the intellectual history of humanity. Maʿrifa holds a central place both in Ibn ʿAjības understanding of Sufism and within the broader Sufi tradition. It is the concept that distinguishes Sufism from other disciplines. Although generally referred to as knowledge, maʿrifa also denotes a methodological approach. For Sufis, the process of acquiring knowledge is as significant as the knowledge itself. In this context, true knowledge is not an independent phenomenon separate from its subject, the knower. Since authentic knowledge is both a sign of spiritual perfection and a sublime goal, it can only be attained through a disciplined spiritual journey known as sulūk. Through this discipline, an individual attains the status of an ʿārif gnostic and becomes a person who embodies maʿrifa. Ibn ʿAjība not only elucidated the concept of maʿrifa but also explained, through the termino-logy of Sufism, the characteristics it imparts to an individual. In his works, he dedicated a distinct section to this topic under the title The Result of Maʿrifa Thamarāt al-Maʿrifa. The concepts he selected to illustrate this theme represent a certain hierarchy, and understanding these concepts serves as a key reference for comprehending Sufism itself. This study focuses on the section where Ibn ʿAjība explicitly discusses the result of maʿrifa and aims to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the Sufi concepts he associates with the outcomes of maʿrifa. Additionally, it examines how these concepts have been understood throughout Sufi history and their connection to maʿrifa, which cons-titutes Sufi epistemology. Alongside Ibn ʿAjības works, other widely recognized authoritative texts in Sufi literature that elucidate these concepts have also been utilized. By doing so, different aspects of these concepts have been highlighted. Furthermore, rather than limiting the analysis to the rele-vant sections of his works, Ibn ʿAjības discussions of these concepts in his other writings have also been incorporated, providing a holistic view of his approach. As a result, this study concludes that Ibn ʿAjība was a consistent and tradition-rooted Sufi scholar of high order ahl al-tahqīq, who pla-ced maʿrifa at the core of his understanding of Sufism.

 Ibn ʿAjība was a Sufi scholar of high order ahl al-tahqīq who lived in Morocco between 11611748 and 12241809. Until his encounter with the Shādhilī sheikh Sīdī Muḥammad al-Būzīdī in 1209, he remained engaged in both studying and teaching the religious sciences. After affi-liation to al-Būzīdīi and the subsequent completion of his spiritual journey sulūk, he established his own zāwiya to embark on Sufi activities of quidance irshād. While continuing his spiritual gui-dance, he also authored works on Sufism. He is particularly renowned in Sufi circles for his com-mentary Īqāẓ al-Himam on Ibn ʿAṭāʾillāh al-Iskandarīs al-Ḥikam al-ʿAṭāʾiyya and for his Sufi exege-sis al-Baḥr al-Madīd fī Tafsīr al-Qurʾān al-Majīd. Maintaining a balanced and moderate approach within the framework of Ahl al-Sunna, Ibn ʿAjība placed maʿrifa spiritual knowledge at the core of his perception of Sufism. Another distinguishing aspect of his persona is that he was not merely a scholar but also a spiritual guide who completed his training within the institutional framework of a Sufi order ṭarīqa and continued training Sufi disciples along the same path. Ibn ʿAjības understan-ding of maʿrifa is not limited to esoteric interpretations but rather represents a holistic perception of existence and events. This perspective stems from his conceptualization of the human faculties of reason ʿaql, heart qalb, and soul rūḥ not as separate entities but as different manifestations of the same essence. Throughout history, humanity has engaged in philosophical inquiry regarding the nature of knowledge and its acquisition, integrating these reflections into practical life. Generally, knowledge has been regarded as a faculty of reason and sensory perception. With the emergence of divine religions in human history, revelation waḥy was added as a source of knowledge, particu-larly in matters beyond the sensory domain, where it represents absolute truth. This epistemological approach has been adopted by in the Islamic world, where classical works has explicitly outlined divine revelation among the sources of knowledge. Following the institutionalization of Sufism, Sufi scholars expanded the nature of knowledge by introducing and refining the concept of maʿrifa, thus contributing to the intellectual history of humanity. Maʿrifa holds a central place both in Ibn ʿAjības understanding of Sufism and within the broader Sufi tradition. It is the concept that distinguishes Sufism from other disciplines. Although generally referred to as knowledge, maʿrifa also denotes a methodological approach. For Sufis, the process of acquiring knowledge is as significant as the knowledge itself. In this context, true knowledge is not an independent phenomenon separate from its subject, the knower. Since authentic knowledge is both a sign of spiritual perfection and a sublime goal, it can only be attained through a disciplined spiritual journey known as sulūk. Through this discipline, an individual attains the status of an ʿārif gnostic and becomes a person who embodies maʿrifa. Ibn ʿAjība not only elucidated the concept of maʿrifa but also explained, through the termino-logy of Sufism, the characteristics it imparts to an individual. In his works, he dedicated a distinct section to this topic under the title The Result of Maʿrifa Thamarāt al-Maʿrifa. The concepts he selected to illustrate this theme represent a certain hierarchy, and understanding these concepts serves as a key reference for comprehending Sufism itself. This study focuses on the section where Ibn ʿAjība explicitly discusses the result of maʿrifa and aims to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the Sufi concepts he associates with the outcomes of maʿrifa. Additionally, it examines how these concepts have been understood throughout Sufi history and their connection to maʿrifa, which cons-titutes Sufi epistemology. Alongside Ibn ʿAjības works, other widely recognized authoritative texts in Sufi literature that elucidate these concepts have also been utilized. By doing so, different aspects of these concepts have been highlighted. Furthermore, rather than limiting the analysis to the rele-vant sections of his works, Ibn ʿAjības discussions of these concepts in his other writings have also been incorporated, providing a holistic view of his approach. As a result, this study concludes that Ibn ʿAjība was a consistent and tradition-rooted Sufi scholar of high order ahl al-tahqīq, who pla-ced maʿrifa at the core of his understanding of Sufism.

Makale detayları

The Result of Maʿrifa in Ibn ʿAjība’s Understanding of Ma’rifa

Yazarlar:

Salih Emre | Ali Tenik

Yayıncı:

Inonu University

Ana Başlıklar:

Tasavvuf

Dergi:

Mesned İlahiyat Araştırmaları Dergisi Vol.16 Issue 1, pp.80-97

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

6/2025

Belge Dili:

Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.):

2001352042

pISSN:

2667-7075

Sufism

Ibn ʿAjība

Maʿrifa

Science

Heart

ReasonTasavvuf

İbn Acîbe

Marifet

İlim

Kalp

Akıl

Sayı

Makale detayları

Yazarlar: Salih Emre | Ali Tenik

Yayıncı: Inonu University

Ana Başlıklar: Tasavvuf

Dergi: Mesned İlahiyat Araştırmaları Dergisi Vol.16 Issue 1, pp.80-97

Belge Tipi: Makale

Yayın Tarihi: 6/2025

Belge Dili: Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.): 2001352042

pISSN: 2667-7075

Sayı

Yazarlar:

Salih Emre | Ali Tenik

Yayıncı:

Inonu University

Ana Başlıklar:

Tasavvuf

Dergi:

Mesned İlahiyat Araştırmaları Dergisi Vol.16 Issue 1, pp.80-97

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

6/2025

Belge Dili:

Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.):

2001352042

pISSN:

2667-7075