The prophecy in Islamic theology and mysticism: al-Razi and Ibn Arabi as an exemplification

Using Fahreddin al-Razi and Ibn Arabi as an exemplification, this thesis aims at showing, within a theological system, the Muslim theologians? and Sufis? approach to the matter of prophecy.The thesis consists of three chapters. First chapter points out, without going into detail, the socio-cultural context prevailing at their times and its impact on them. In addition, with the intention of being able to view comprehensively the inheritence of knowledge on prophecy in theological and mystical works, accumulated from early times to their period, it examines the conceptions of prophecy asserted before Razi and Ibn Arabi. It is thus set a background revealing the historical and religious circumstances of that period.The second chapter constitutes the conceptual framework of the thesis. It tries to indicate how such concepts and issues as prophet, prophecy, the messenger, Saint (wali), sainthood (walayat), miracle and marvel were construed by Razi and Ibn Arabi and the differencies between their conceptions.In the third chapter, views of both thinkers were given, in a systematic manner, in line with the headings in theological works on prophecy. In this context, the chapter adverts to such matters as the possibility and need of prophecy, the problem of whether prophecy is gifted or deserved and the attributes of prophets, and disscuss in detail the proplem of innocence to which a great importance has been ascribed by both disciplines, theology and sufism. In the chapter, however, a particular place was given to the most controversial matter, that is, superiority amongst creatures. One of the most crucial matters in the chapter is certainly the part regarding the relation between prophecy and sainthood in which various issues such as hakîkat-i Muhammediyye (the Mohammadian truth) etc., so that Ibn Arabi had based his theory of prophecy on it, have been taken up. Under the heading mentioned here, we have found the opportunity of disscussing a matter negligence of which is, though unlikely to be given a place in the systematics of theology, admittedly a critical defect. When treating each matter under the headings, we have tried to point out different assessments and interpretations about what the position of the theories of prophecy belonging to the two different traditions of thought compared with the teaching of prophect in Qoran is.