The problem of tafseer's nature: Its definition, function and sciences which it's related to

It was given importance to describe each sciences in the classical period. Definition of a science demonstrates that what the subject of it is and from which aspects it investigates the subject. In this way a definition presents especially an idea about what someone can learn from it and what kind of research that he can make. From another point of view, definition, because of reflecting the boundaries of the science too, it also reveals how the science is separated from the other sciences. Thus it is seen that some definitions and therefore debates of Tafseer arised in the classical period. At the same time the debates raise some issues about the nature of Tafseer. In other words, approaches about the nature of Tafseer shapes its definition. Therefore, in the first chapter of the thesis, it is shown that what kind of definitions for Tafseer and debates had been made in the classical and contemporary period. It is determined that what kind of issues these discussions reveal about the nature of Tafseer. In the first section, we argued basic problems that we had found out from the definitions. The first problem is whether the term 'ilm/science' can be used for Tafseer in its real meaning or not. The second is that what is the significance of research in terms of accuracy which Tafseer makes. The third of these problems is the extensity of 'intention' according to exegetes and that 'intention' is limited to a human effort. There are basically two titles in the second chapter. The first one is about the fact that in which aspects Tafseer investigates the Qur'an. According to some definitions, relationship between Tafseer and Qur'an is established in terms of only 'intention/meaning'. Yet, it had been mentioned that there are to two kinds of relationships in some other definitions. In this chapter, evaluations about both aspects that Tafseer investigates the Qur'an are made. According to the majority of definitions, Tafseer researches the Qur'an in terms of the intention of Allah. In this part, we draw attention to two dimensions of investigating 'intention' and especially deal with debates in the contemporary period. In some approaches, it is asserted that Tafseer discovers only the meaning in the revelation (nüzûl) period and this meaning is interpreted by other sharʽî seciences. There are evaluations of some exegetes in the classical period, which support this approach. Second dimension of investigating 'intention' is re-interpretating of this meaning in every new period. When the function of interpreting is given to Tafseer, a confusion between Tafseer and sharʽî sciences is occurs. But some scholars in the contemporary period claims that Tafseer has this function. To support this case, we find out that verses are interpreted in the light of matters and new informations arised in the following periods. This case demonstrates that Tafseer has a function of interpretation. Interpretation process carried out by Tafseer by benefiting from the data of other sciences, does not correspond to compilation and transfer of the data of other sciences to the tafseer literature. It is shown with examples that exegetes effectively interprets the verses. The research of intetion requirs that Tafseer benefits from other sciences. Scholars in the classical and modern period mentioned these sciences and made some evaluations about them. In the classical period, relationship of Tafseer with sciences is expressed with the word of 'istimdât'. In this process, while the studies of language and narration are adopted in common; that Law (Fıqh), Theology (Kalam), Sufism (Tasavvuf), Logic, Innate Science (Mavhiba), natural and social sciences regarded in the scope of istimdât varies from exegetes to exegetes.