Yolların Ayrılış Noktasında Bir İsim: Ülgener’in Çalışmalarında Mevlana
A Figure at the Point of Divergence: Mevlana in Ülgener’s Studies

Summary/Abstract: Mevlânâ appears in many aspects of life. His works, especially the Masnavi, are significant both as a means of teaching and as sources that provide insights into the religious, social, and economic conditions of his time. Mevlânâ and his works serve as a reference for many researchers, among whom Ülgener is one. Mevlânâ is one of the most frequently cited figures in Ülgener's studies. His works, particularly the Masnavi, constitute an important source for Ülgener’s books. The aim of this article is to compile and present a general portrait of Mevlânâ's economic understanding, which is scattered throughout Ülgener’s works and extensively referenced. In this research, Ülgener’s books were reviewed, and the fragments related to Mevlânâ were gathered. The study follows a deductive method; accordingly, it first addresses the economic ethics found in the early or original Islamic understanding, then discusses the economic approach of Sufism, particularly Melâmîsm, and finally examines Mevlânâ’s views at the point where these paths diverge. In Ülgener’s works, Mevlânâ’s economic understanding becomes distinctly visible. Mevlânâ appears as a figure at the point of divergence in the struggle between Melâmîsm and Bâtınîsm. His goal is to prevent the partially opened door from being further widened. Mevlânâ sided with effort and labor, criticizing a passive understanding of reliance on God (tawakkul). He condemned those who sought to gain wealth easily and emphasized earning through lawful and rightful means instead of taking shortcuts. Moreover, he did not separate worship from labor; rather, he considered work as a part of worship. All these principles bring Mevlânâ closer to the early Islamic understanding.

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