Tawhīd and prophethood in Ahmadī's Dīwān

Tawhid (the oneness of God) and prophethood are fundamental principles of Islamic belief. Tawhid represents the foundation of faith, while prophethood is the pillar that completes and rises upon this foundation. In all divine religions, tawhid and prophethood are accepted as two inseparable values. Throughout the history of Islamic thought, these two principles have been addressed in numerous sources, either summarily or in detail. Ahmedî's Dîwân, a literary work from the late 14th to early 15th century, also contains discussions on tawhid and prophethood. This study identifies and presents Ahmedî's views on these two essential principles, particularly as highlighted in his Dîwân. This study is structured into three main sections. The first section examines Ahmedî's life and scholarly personality. In the second section, after providing a general overview of tawhid within the context of theology (kalam) and Classical Turkish literature, Ahmedî's understanding of tawhid is elucidated. Additionally, the theological arguments used by Ahmedî, particularly the teleological (gaye-nizam) and mutual exclusion (temanu) proofs, are analyzed. The events and phenomena in the inner (anfus) and outer (afaq) realms, mentioned by the poet to substantiate tawhid, are also evaluated. The third section delves into Ahmedî's understanding of prophethood. In this context, the necessity of prophethood is discussed both generally and specifically in relation to the proof of the prophethood of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). The attributes of the prophets are examined through the example of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Furthermore, the rational, sensory, and reported miracles of the major prophets, particularly Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), are evaluated. The section also covers topics related to prophethood, such as the Night Journey (Isra), the Ascension (Miraj), intercession (Shafa'ah), and the ascension of Jesus (PBUH). Ultimately, Ahmedî's perspectives on the relevant subjects have been thoroughly identified and a series of evaluations have been conducted.