Explanation of Some of the Elements in the Work entitled Mazhar al-Anwār wa Kashf- al-Asrār in Terms of Sufi Perspectıve

Abstract

In this study, some of the elements in the work Mazhar al-Anwār wa Kashf- al-Asrār, which is registered in Topkapı Palace Library, number EH1294, and which has a wide range of Sufi concepts and on which no study has been identified, have been analyzed and explained from a Sufi perspective. In al-Qushayrī's al-Risāla, which is considered one of the basic sources of Sufism, Sufism is defined as "the efforts of the elite of the Ahl al-Sunnah to be with Allah at all times and to avoid heedlessness against the bid'ahs that emerged over time by the group who paid great attention to the provisions of the religion after the period of Tābiʿū al-Tābʿīn." It would be appropriate to define this method as an effort to fulfill the manners of the Shari'ah in zāhir (outer) and bātin (essence), to act in moderation without excess in matters related to the world, to increase the quality of servitude and to purify the soul instead of multiplying one's worship. Sufism, an important field for researchers in Old Turkish Literature and has many aspects such as morality, worship, marifah, knowledge, and philosophy, has made a significant contribution to the literature. The expansion of Sufi works in the nature of sources in this field over time has led to an increase in the number of works waiting to be studied in the manuscript sections of our libraries, waiting to be discovered. There is no information about the author of Mazhar al-Anwār wa Kashf- al-Asrār, which is one of these works and which we have studied, and it has been determined that it was presented to Mawlānv İsmail Pasha in the 18th century. Consisting of 50 folios, the work in question is a prose work consisting of an introduction, two chapters and an epilogue, containing Sufi subjects, but its literary nature was strengthened by supporting it with verse pieces. The message given in the last chapter of the work, which is quoted as the last chapter, is that these worlds are the truth and if this subject is understood, the importance of the place where Sufism is built can be expressed more concretely. When we started the evaluation of the work, we thought that we would be walking within the framework of a reflection of the issues accepted by the zahiri sciences. As we progressed in the review, we realized that the Sufi doctrine aims at a doctrine that has the concepts of being closer to the Creator as well as the doctrine of going beyond by breaking down the walls of reason, and we tried to make this mysterious source more understandable by revising our study in this direction. Although the scope of our study has a very wide literature, due to the fact that it exceeds the limits of a paper, the general content of the work is revealed and the most prominent Sufi elements; the four worlds, namely lāhūt, jabārūt and mithāl, are discussed by comparing them with their definitions and examples in the work and in Old Turkish Literature. In addition, it is important in terms of bringing a new perspective to the field of Sufism and the reader because it is viewed from a different perspective during the evaluation phase of the work. With its prose and verse sections, the work is of a nature that will give a different impetus to the studies on Sufism today. We believe that it will be an achievement for Turkish literature in terms of its style and content.