The Mu'tazila's perception of the Qur'an in the framework of Hakim al-Jushami's Work, al-Tahzib fi' al-Tafsir

Mu'tazila is one of the most important schools of Islamic thought. The fact that al-Jushamī, one of the representatives of this school, is not well known in the academia and that his work al-tahzīb fi al-tafsīr is the most comprehensive tafsīr that has survived to the present day based on Mu'tazilite principles makes it necessary to conduct an academic study on him. In this study, it is aimed to contribute to the studies on Mu'tazila, the missing link of Islamic thought. It is aimed to review the claims about al-Jushamī, who is in an important position in reaching the information on Mu'tazila to the present day, to investigate the Mu'tazili understanding through an intra-sectarian work, and to determine the Qur'anic foundations of its basic principles. In the study, Mu'tazila was researched by taking into account al-Jushamī's own works, and some conclusions were reached by comparing the findings with the information in other sources. In the study, firstly, the general attitude of Mu'tazila regarding the interpretation of the Qur'an was examined, and al-Jushamī's position within the school was determined. The claim that he left Hanafism and became a Zaydī has been criticised, and it has been understood that he was a Mu'tazilī to the degree of religious fanaticism. The claim that his book is being the Mukhtasar of Tabari's tafsīr was found to be erroneous. Based on the information provided by alJushamī, Mu'tazilites' conception of the Qur'an is analysed. Accordingly, it has been determined that there are serious problems in the sources on important issues such as ṣārfa theory, the issue of foreign words in the Qur'an, and their understanding of qiraat. Finally, al-Jushamī's interpretations of the verses within the framework of Mu'tazilite principles and theories have been analysed and the bases of the principles have been pointed out. KEYWORDS: Theology, Tafsir, Mu'tazila, al-Jushamī, al-Tahzîb