Ahmad Diyā' al-Dīn al-Gumushkhānawī in the Context of Historiography of Itikadi Islamic Sects

During the transition from the Ottoman Empire to the Republic of Turkey, a considerable body of literature emerged, consisting of original works and comprehensive classifications aimed at defining, understanding, and shedding light on various denominations and their respective perspectives. It is well-known that there are major traditions of maqālat and firaq in classical sectarian historiography. The prevailing tradition within the Ottoman Empire was the Hanafī-Māturīdī and Ash'arī doctrinal tradition. However, during the Tanzimat period, which coincided with the life of al-Gumushkhānawī (1813-1893), the discipline of Islamic Sect History had not yet gained independent status; instead, it was often regarded as a subfield of Kalam science. In this study, we dedicated a comprehensive section to examine data related to the history of denominations from the Tanzimat era to the Republic era. We carefully examined the works of a limited number of authors who explored sect history either independently or within the framework of Kalam. Subsequently, we conducted a descriptive and comprehensive analysis of al-Gumushkhānawī's approach to writing the history of Islamic sects, his method of classifying sects, and his perspective on factions other than the widely accepted "fırka-i nāciye" (the saved sect). The primary sources for our research included two key works authored by al-Gumushkhānawī himself. The first, titled "al-Natā'ij al-i'tiqādiyya (The Outcomes of Doctrinal Sects), specifically focused on sects, while the second was a theological book named "Jāmiʿ al-mutūn" that also discussed doctrinal sects. Through meticulous examination, we established that both of these works were rooted in the Ash'arī doctrinal tradition and thus subjected them to a comparative analysis with other works within the same tradition. Finally, our study aimed to make a meaningful contribution to scholars and researchers interested in delving into al-Gumushkhānawī's History of Sects. We accomplished this by drawing upon classical works on denomination history as well as contemporary articles and research, thereby enriching the discourse surrounding al-Gumushkhānawī's insights on Islamic sects.