Tefsir mi, Spekülatif Yorum mu? Ashâbü’l-Karye Kıssasında Geçen Mekân ve Şahıslar Hakkındaki Rivâyetlerin Sıhhat ve İçeriğine Yönelik Tenkitler
Tafsīr or Speculative Interpretation: The Criticisms Levelled at the Validity and Content of the Riwāyas about the Location and Persons Mentioned in the Parable of the Companions of the City

Summary/Abstract: The parable of the Companions of the City (Ashāb al-Qarya) was narrated in the 13rd-29th verses in Sūra Yā-sīn, yet the location and persons mentioned are left vague. In this article, the possibility of dispelling the vagueness regarding the parable of the Companions of the City will be tried, and comments and their objectivity in the tafsīr tradition will be presented. In this study, it was found that first period mufassirūn tried to elucidate the vagueness about the parable and offered a number of riwāyas. This study focuses on preferences among riwāyas made in 4th century of Hijra and criticism levelled at information regarding the parable in the 6th and 7th centuries of Hijra. Such criticism was made on the basis of literal meanings of the verses, the New Testament, historical information and Islamic theology. All the information gained from Qur'ān, hadith, the New Testament, history, geography, and archaeology until this day neither fully confirms riwāyahs about the parable nor definitely refutes them. Based on comments made about the parable and the investigation made in this article, it was found in this study that in tafsīr, trusting transmissions (riwāyas) unconditionally can be misleading. In the same extent absolute trust in elements of logical deduction, criticisms and sagacity (dirāya) without an objective foundation can also veil the truth.

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