The Tariq of Istanbul-The Maslak of Shmad as-Sufi in our qiraah tradition: Its usool, preferences and its comparison with schools

This doctoral dissertation aims to comprehensively examine the methodology, historical background, and preferences of the Sūfī maslak, which is a representative school of the Ottoman-Anatolian Qirā'āt teaching tradition. The study analyzes the scholarly profile of Reīsülkurrā Ahmad as-Sūfī (d. 1172/1758), after whom the tradition is named, the unbroken isnād chain of the tradition extending from Ibn al-Jazarī to the present day, its geographical spread, and its relationship with other tahrīrāt schools. The main finding of the research is that the Sūfī maslak adopts a synthesizing and multi-factor methodology for determining Qirā'āt preferences. This method blends the approaches of azīmah and rukhṣah. The rukhṣah principle primarily involves adherence to the authority of Ibn al-Jazarī within the ashru'l-kubrā path. The azīmah principle, on the other hand, requires meticulous scrutiny of the reliability of narrations in the ashru's-sughrā path, necessitating the elimination of wujūh involving infirād or weakness, and prioritizing the preference of the Jumhūr. The Sūfī maslak simultaneously utilized multiple criteria when determining the order of recitation, such as short/ chain of narration, being considered the original form in the Arabic language, conformity to the Rasm al-Uthmānī, consideration of waqf/waṣl states, and compliance with general principles. These preferences have been preserved and transmitted through kurrāsahs and qawā'id daftars, notably in the work 'Umdatu'l-khullān by Mollā Amīn Effendi.Comparative analyses revealed that the Sūfī maslak shows considerable congruence with the I'tilāf and Mutkin maslaks in its preferences, yet distinctly diverges from the Shaykh 'Aṭā'ullah maslak and the Cairo school. While no variants of infirād were found in the ashru's-sughrā path, certain unique preferences were identified in the taḳrīb path that distinguish it from other traditions. The study clarifies that the preferences of the Sūfī maslak are categorized under tahrīrāt al-ẓanniyyah/iḥtimāliyyah, meaning their binding nature is not absolute but is conditional upon aḫdh. Furthermore, by establishing the tenure of Ahmad as-Sūfī as Reīsülkurrā and detailing the socio-scholarly reasons for the uninterrupted continuity of the tradition to the present day, the study offers significant contributions to the literature on Ottoman Qirā'āt History.