Basic principles of al-ghaz?l??s method of exegesis

Abstract

The allusive (ishari) method of exegesis is the name given to the process of interpreting the Qur'an depending on the particular type of knowledge called maMODIFIER LETTER LEFT HALF RINGrifah, which is accepted to be based on spiritual experience. In the ishari exegesis, the meanings of the verses of the Qur'an are revealed to the Sufi's mind, and then, the Sufi expresses those senses through symbols and signs by employing an implicit style. Comprehensive and advanced works have been written over time in the field of ishari exegesis, whose first examples were Ghazali (d. 505/1111) wrote works in various fields such as fiqh (Islamic law), theology, philosophy, and Sufism. Although he did not have any complete book in the field of ishari exegesis, his vast corpus is overflowing with his ishari interpretations of verses of the Qur'an. For this reason, he is recognized as one of the most influential figures in the field of ishari exegesis. This article aims to determine the basic principles on which al-Ghazali's ishari interpretations of the Qur'an in his various works are built in the context of the basic principles of his understanding of the Qur'an. The article firstly gives al-Ghazali's approach to the Qur'an and then attempts to determine the basic principles of the method of his ishari exegesis. It also analyzes some ishari interpretations of al-Ghazali in his various works to better understand these principles.