This thesis deals with the ideas of Zayniyya dervishes toward Ibn ‘Arabi and his
thought and traces the differences between the Central Asian and Anatolian
dervishes in this regard. The early Zayniyya sheikhs Zayn al-Din Khwafi and ‘Abd al
Latif Qudsi, the respective founders of the Zayniyya tariqa in Central Asia and
Anatolia, held a dim view of Ibn ‘Arabi’s thought, and saw the use of the science of
letters as sufficient to implicate a person as heretic. In contrast to these early
Zayniyya leaders, most prominent Anatolian Zayni dervishes later adopted a positive
attitude toward Ibn ‘Arabi, and Sheikh Vefa, one of the more prominent Anatolian
Zaynis, himself practiced the science of letters.
I follow the changes in the stances toward Ibn ‘Arabi by investigating the opinions of
different Zayni dervishes, from Central Asia and Anatolia, on five controversial topics
related to Ibn ‘Arabi: the doctrine of oneness of being (wahda al-wujud), the doctrine
of levels of existence (maratib al-wujud), and the issues of Pharaoh’s faith, the seal
of sainthood (khatm al-walaya) and comparison of sainthood with prophethood, and
the state of infidels in hell.
Demonstrating the differences in the attitudes toward Ibn ‘Arabi and, relatedly, in
the definitions of heresy in Central Asia and Anatolia, this thesis argues that in the
fifteenth century, heresy was not a universal term, but a context-bound historical
one. Its meaning changed according to different political, social, and religious concerns of various times and places. In addition, the thesis indicates that in the
fifteenth century, tariqas did not produce facsimile disciples. Disciples did not feel
themselves obliged to strictly follow their sheikhs in the tariqa, and easily adapted to
their cultural and religious environments.Abstract ....................................................................................................................... iv
Öz ................................................................................................................................ vi
Acknowledgements ................................................................................................... viii
Table of Contents ........................................................................................................ xi
List of Abbreviations .................................................................................................. xiii
Notes on Usage .......................................................................................................... xiv
CHAPTERS
1. INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................ 1
1. 1. Statement of the Problem and the Argument ................................................. 1
1. 2. Literature Review ............................................................................................. 9
1. 3. Primary Sources .............................................................................................. 17
1. 3. 1. Books of Zayni Dervishes ........................................................................ 17
1. 3. 2. Biographical Sources .............................................................................. 21
2. ZAYN AL-DIN KHWAFI AND HIS IDEAS ABOUT THE RELIGIOUS LANDSCAPE OF HIS
TIME ........................................................................................................................... 23
2. 1. The Question of the Sunnification Project of Shahrukh ................................ 23
2. 2. Zayn al-Din Khwafi (d. 1435) .......................................................................... 33
2. 3. Khwafi and Ibn ʿArabi ..................................................................................... 38
2. 4. Concluding Remarks ....................................................................................... 50
3. ‘ABD AL-LATIF QUDSI: THE TRANSITIONAL FIGURE ............................................... 54
3. 1. ‘Abd al-Latif Qudsi (d. 1452) ........................................................................... 55
3. 2. Qudsi’s Loyalty to his Sheikh Zayn al-Din Khwafi ........................................... 58
3. 2. 1. Spiritual Stations and Levels (Maqamat wa Maratib) and Cosmological
Realms (Aʿlam) for Abd al-Latif Qudsi ................................................................ 59
3. 2. 2. Hurufis in Qudsi’s Kashf al-Iʿtiqad .......................................................... 62
3. 3. ‘Abd al-Latif Qudsi and Ibn ‘Arabi .................................................................. 68
3. 4. Concluding Remarks ....................................................................................... 72
4. IBN ‘ARABI AS A POLEMICAL FIGURE ..................................................................... 77
4. 1. Polemical Clichés of Ibn ‘Arabi ....................................................................... 78
4. 1. 1. Oneness of Being (Wahda al-Wujud) ..................................................... 80
4. 1. 2. The Faith of Pharaoh .............................................................................. 95
4. 1. 3. Seal of Sainthood (Khatm al-Walaya) and Comparison of Sainthood with
Prophethood ...................................................................................................... 99
4. 1. 4. State of Infidels in Hell ......................................................................... 103
4. 1. 5. Doctrine of Levels of Existence (Maratib al-Wujud) of Akbari School . 104
4. 2. Concluding Remarks ..................................................................................... 114
5. ZAYNIYYA IN ANATOLIA: AKBARI ZAYNIS ............................................................. 120
5. 1. Early Ottoman Reception of Ibn ‘Arabi ........................................................ 121
5. 2. Şehabeddin Sivasi (d. 1455) ......................................................................... 126
5. 3. Molla Fenari (d. 1431) .................................................................................. 135
5. 4. Kutbüddinzade İzniki (d. 1480) ..................................................................... 139
5. 5. Piri Halife Hamidi (d. 1460) .......................................................................... 143
5. 6. Sheikh Vefa (d. 1491) ................................................................................... 148
5. 6. 1. An Akbari Zayni Sheikh in Istanbul: Sheikh Vefa and Ibn ‘Arabi .......... 154
5. 7. Concluding Remarks ..................................................................................... 179
6. CONCLUSION ........................................................................................................ 186
BIBLIOGRAPHY.......................................................................................................... 19
