Ebû İshak es-Saffâr’ın Esmâ-i Hüsnâ Yorumu Çerçevesinde Kelâmî Görüşleri
Abū Isḥāq al-Ṣaffār’s Kalām Views in the Framework of the alAsma al-Husna

Summary/Abstract: This study discusses the theological views of Abū Isḥāq al-Ṣaffār within the framework of his interpretation of al-Asma al-Husna. Abū Isḥāq al-Ṣaffār (d. 534/1139), one of the 6th/12th century Ḥanafī- Māturīdite scholars, includes his theological interpretations while explaining the meaning of Allah’s names in his work titled Talkhīṣ al-adilla li-qawāʿid al-tawḥīd. This study aims to determine whether Ṣaffār used a kalām method based on alAsma al-Husna. In this context, this study will initially introduce, and examine the al-Asma al-Husna section of Talkhīṣ al-adilla. Then, the study will mention the similarities, and differences of Talkhīṣ al-adilla compared to the al-Asma al-Husna works written before the 6th/12th century. Comparing Ṣaffār’s book with the works related to al-Asma al-Husna written before him carries great importance since this comparison will reveal the significance of his work among these works. Afterwards, the study will mention the method the researcher used. Finally, the current study will present the results of the study. About one-third of Talkhīṣ al-adilla, which was published in two volumes, deals with the subject of al-Asma al-Husna. Examination of this section concludes that Ṣaffār firstly explains the concepts of name, tasmiya, musamma, attribute, and qualification,, and touches on issues such as the number, the number, and iḥṣaʾand tawkîfî of al-Asma alHusna. In this section, he also states his principles on how he interprets the al-Asma alHusna. Then, he explains 175 names of Allah in alphabetical order, and touches on many theological issues such as knowledge, existence,, and divinity. He mentions some names that he does not include in the al-Asma al-Husna section under separate headings. For example, he includes the name al-Ḳadim within the scope of Ḥudūth, which is one of the proofs of wajib in the "universe" section of his work. When these names are included in the list, the number of names he explains reaches 178. In this case, it can be concluded that the subject of al-Asma al-Husna constitutes half of the work. Furthermore, the study concludes that Ṣaffār follows a commentary order while dealing with names in this section. Accordingly, he first explains the names in terms of their semantic aspects. Afterwards, he explains the divine name, which he evaluates first with a theological perspective by connecting it with a theological subject. Considering these aspects of Talkhīṣ al-adilla, the study has compared his work with the works dealing with the al-Asma al-Husna written before the 6th century. As a result of this comparison, the current study can conclude that no detailed work has been written on the use of al-Asma al-Husna as evidence on theological issues or that there is no work including the aspects of Talkhīṣ al-adilla among the works that have survived to the present day. Therefore, this result strengthens the idea that the al-Asma al-Husna section of Ṣaffār’s work constitutes an original aspect of Talkhīṣ al-adilla. In addition, there is no other work that deals with al-Asma al-Husna so comprehensively in the pre-Saffar Ḥanafī-Māturīdite kalām literature. Since the current study is explicitly conducted for Ṣaffār, the researcher uses the method of "deepening on the person". Due to the historical aspect of the subject, it also requires to be conducted based on documentation, and literature review. The researcher tried to reflect the results in the study abiding by the descriptive method, and the principle of "transferring the thing as it is". In addition, the current study presents a table comparing the 178 divine names included in Ṣaffār’s work, and the lists of divine names narrated by Tirmidhī, and Ibn Maze. The researcher has tried to enrich the study with tables containing the evidence of the alAsma al-Husna, and numerical data on the religions, and sects that Ṣaffār criticized in these names. The current research has determined that the basis of his kalām method is the correct understanding of Allah’s names. In his statements about the names of Allah, his efforts to defend Islamic beliefs, and to reject the views of opposing religions, and sects draw attention.

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