Der İslam dergisinde yayımlanan 112. el-İhlas suresiyle ilgili makaleler örnekliğinde oryantalistik Kur'an çalışmalarının değerlendirilmesi
Abstract
The thesis aims to scrutinize the orientalist tradition, which has a wide range of interest, in the particular context of the Qur?anic studies. Its scope, therefore, is restricted to the articles regarding the surah al-Ikhlas published in the journal, Der Islam. For the journal, which has been published since 1910 and therefore has an indispensable place in the orientalist tradition, is one of the most important sources for a student of Orientalism. The thesis consists of two chapters. The first chapter provides a definition of Orientalism together with its development, interest areas, various perceptions and implications on Turkey, and finally it deals with the impact of the declaration entitled Nostra Aetate, published by the Vatican in 1965, on Orientalism. The second chapter gives, first of all, a bibliography of the articles that are published in the journal Der Islam on the Qur?an. The number of the articles published by the journal regarding the Qur?an only is above sixty. Inasmuch as it was not possible to study all these articles, only a sample of five articles on the surah al-Ikhlas is examined. The articles by Rudi Paret, Montgomery Watt, Claus Schedl, Uri Rubin, and Arne A. Ambros, who meticulously conducted a critical examination of the previous works, are tackled in order of their publication date. The relevant arguments of the authors are considered in great detail and at the end of each article an assessment is made. The common point made by all these articles is that the Qur?an has a Semitic cultural background by reference to the sample of the surah al-Ikhlas. In the conclusion, it is pointed out that although it is a fact that Orientalism is at times notorious in understanding and characterization of Islamic history and culture in a deconstructive manner which needs to be referred to its ideological stance, it is emphasized that this should not be an excuse for Muslims and Theologians in particular to ignore the orientalist scholarly achievements. It is thus proposed that a culture based on a ?self-confident and critical scientific attitude?, instead of an attitude of ?ignoring? and ?simple admiration? which is dominant, needs to be advanced vis-à-vis Orientalism in the Muslim world.