A Mystical Approach to the Qur’anic Story of Prophet ‘Īsā (Jesus) Through the Qur’anic Exegesis Rūḥ al-bayān by Ismail Haqqi Bursawī (d. 1725)

This research is aimed at Sufi exegesis and the mystical approach to the verses on ‘Īsā/Jesus in Ismail Haqqi Bursawī’s (d. 1725) commentary of the Qur’an: Rūḥ al-bayān fī tafsīr al-Qur’ān (Spirit of Exposition in the Exegesis of the Qur’an). Sufi tafsīr always impressed readers , with outstanding commentary characteristics and a lengthy existence. Since ‘Īsā is an inspirational figure for Muslims, Christians and others, Bursawī’s commentary – ishārī (allusive) in nature and inspired by Ibn al-ʻArabī and other great Sufi scholars – rightfully deserves scholarly scrutiny. Bursawī lived in the Ottoman Empire, where remarkable contributions to Islamic science and knowledge were made, under whom Sufi tafsīr bloomed. Therefore, room is dedicated to this period and its development of exegesis. The main objectives of the thesis are investigation of the ishārī understanding of the Qur’an in Bursawī’s Rūḥ al-bayān, encapsulated in commentaries on verses about ‘Īsā; the examination of the characteristics of Sufi hermeneutics in the context of interpretive trends before the emergence of Rūḥ al-bayān, and to analyse Bursawī’s views on the theology of prophethood, focusing on ‘Īsā’s mission. The methodology engaged textual analysis, thematic and content analysis, and comparative analysis, all needed for this study. Bursawī, despite being inherently inclined towards the Akbarian school of thought, also displayed an equal interest in the Kubrawī school. Moreover, Bursawi did not overlook the importance of traditional exegesis and frequently favoured it. This traditional exegesis not only provides a deeper insight into the esoteric intentions of the Qur'anic text but also emphasises the fundamental understanding of the text itself, which Bursawi wished to impart to his readers through his Tafsīr. Thus, the research suggests, based on the analysis of his Tafsīr, that Bursawī, although greatly influenced by Akbarian and Kubrawī schools in Rūḥ al-bayān, kept his interpretation of the verses about ProphetʻĪsā mainly traditional and exoteric. Bursawī’s tafsīr shows his original contributions and trademark style: storytelling , the thoroughness in linguistical explanations of the Qur’anic expression as wellas the inclusiveness of all major interpretational views, and the perfectly maintaining the exegetical balance between exoteric and esoteric. The two principal implications of the study are making portions of Bursawī work available in English and the contribution to the intercultural and interfaith exchange between Muslims and Christians.