The life, works, and sufi views of Sheikh Ahmed Fethullah Al-Jami

Sheikh Ahmed Fethullah al-Jami was born in 1921 in the Muş province of the eastern region of Turkey, and he was a prominent author of the early Republican era. Having lost much of his family during the First World War, Sheikh Ahmed Fethullah al-Jami, from a young age, struggled with the hardships of life alongside his brother, and embarked on scholarly journeys to various regions to pursue education, learning from leading scholars of the time. He emerged as a significant figure known for his piety, devotion, and scholarly pursuits. As a prolific author, Sheikh Ahmed Fethullah al-Jami wrote eight works covering various aspects of religious sciences. Among his most important works on Sufism are "Sevânihü Kalbiyye," "ed-Dürerü'l-behiyye fî'l-vesâyâ'l-Câmiyye," and "Tenzîhu'l-kulûb li Nazari Allâmi'l-ğuyûb." Additionally, his works "Min Sifâti'l-mü'minîn fî'l-Kur'âni'l-Kerîm" and "Nidâu'l-mü'minîn fî'l-Kur'âni'l-Mubîn" contain significant information about the qualities of believers. Furthermore, his work "el-Mücerredu'l-muhtasar min Tefsîri'l-Kâdî el-Beydâvî" focusing on the commentary of Kadı el-Baydawi is an important contribution to the field of exegesis. This study aims to thoroughly explore Sheikh Ahmed Fethullah al-Jami's views and thoughts on Sufism, as well as his scholarly and Sufi personality, based on the aforementioned works. Moreover, it highlights that Sheikh Ahmed Fethullah al-Jami advocated a Sufi understanding based on the Quran and Sunnah, and was deeply influenced by the Sufi tradition within the Shadhiliyya order, being one of its most significant followers and pioneers among the scholars of the eastern regions.