The trans-literation of Barakatzâda İsmail Hakki's "Matâlib-i Aliya" and its analysis in the context of teleological argument

Barakatzâda Ismail Hakkı (1851-1918) has written an 'Isbat al-Wajib' book, "Matâlib-i Âliya". Our thesis has taken its name from this valuable book, which is not well-known today. "Matâlib-i Âliya" bases the existence of God on rational grounds, by analysing the universe, living beings, the human being, soul and mental abilities. Not only does the book draw inspirations of earlier attempts by referencing the standpoint of Ancient Greece, Islamic thought, and Enlightenment philosophy, but also it contributes to this domain with a deep philosophical understanding. In our thesis, primarily "Matâlib-i Âliya" was trans-literated and there-after it was analyzed in the context of 'teleological argument'. The ideas put forward in the book, were studied in comparison with 'providence and creation', 'analogical teleological argument', 'intelligent design' and 'anthropic principle'. Some criticisms of teleological argument such as 'causality' and 'problem of evil' were viewed with the explications of the "Matâlib-i Âliya", and the groundings of the book were exposed. Furthermore, other evidences of the existence of God; 'ontological', 'cosmological', 'moral', 'religious experience' arguments, and the conceptions of 'consciousness', 'will', 'aesthetic' and so forth, were also briefly discussed and evaluated in the context of the book. With this thesis, it is aimed to contribute to the literature of contemporary philosophy of religion with the arguments of a classical book.