The critical edition and analysis of Al-i Imran Surah in Jami al-Tanzil Wa al-Ta'wil by Husam al-Din Ali al-Bitlisi

Husam al-Din Ali al-Bitlisi (d. 909/1504) was a scholar who lived in the period of Aq Qoyunlu State and pursued his preaching and pastoral e activities in the vicinity of Rayy and Tabriz as a caliph (mentor) of Nurbakhshiyya sufi order. His works which he left behind as an inheritance to the history of Islamic studies are philosophical and mystical in their context. The most remarkable work of Bitlisi, who may be considered as an unknown but a very close follower of Muhy al-Din b. al-Arabi is Jami al-Tanzil wa al-Ta'wil. In this work, Qur'anic verses are categorized in two different groups. Bitlisi first interpretes the verses from the perspectives of Sunnih-Ash'ari exegetical tradition. And then he comments the verses from mystical perspective. Bitlisi's mystical (ishari) interpretation can be considered as bringing together the notion of nazar (doctrinaire) and kashf (discovering the inner meanings of the verses). In this study, primarily Chapter Al Imran Jami al-Tanzil wa al-Ta'wil edited critically. In this edited part, we compare two different manuscripts of the commentary and make some necessary changes regarding various scriptural errors. In the critical analysis part, we primarily focus on the differences between exegesis and hermeneutic (tafsir and ta'wil) in the work of Bitlisi. After this introduction, we deal with Bitlisi's exegetical activities from his own categorization. Firstly, literal interpretative (tafsir) method of Bitlisi and his arguments are analyzed in the context of his exegetical approaches. At this juncture, we question the relationship between Bitlisi's commentary and Sunni-Ash'ari mainstream exegetical tradition. Here main focus is to show the similarities and differences between his exegesis and his predecessors' works. Exegetical examples are chosen from Chapter Al Imran. The philosophical foundations of Bitlisi's mystical interpretation is based on his perception of the concept of existence. Ontological background of Bitlisi's doctrinairian-mystical interpretation system is determined and it is studied deeply in order to show that what kind of existential perception lies behind this exegetical product. Subsequently, we try to analyse how Bitlisi attempts to bring evidence to support and strengthen his arguments. In this way, it is aimed to enlighten the Bitlisi's way of thinking and it is studied how he merges different disciplines without creating any conflict in his exegesis. One other aspect of this study is to point out that how Bitlisi's association of the notions of shari'ah-tariqa-haqiqa with the Qur'anic interpretation can be reflected in his exegesis.