Debating Sufi Knowledge in the Eighteenth-Century Ottoman Though: An Analysis of the Sacaklizade-Alami Debate on Divine Inspiration ('ilm al-ladunn)

Abstract

At the beginning of the eighteenth century, two Ottoman scholars named Sacaklizade and 'Alami Ahmad Efendi wrote treatises and engaged in a scientific debate about divine inspiration (al-'ilm al-ladunni). Sacaklizade's Risalat al-jawab is available in the Suleymaniye Library; however, 'Alami's treatise does not appear in the catalogue of Turkey's manuscript libraries. According to our review, Sacaklizade's treatise includes a considerable part of both scholars' opinions. One can, therefore, examine this debate through this treatise. Given that the matter in question led to a dispute, especially between the Sufis and the theologians, in terms of source of knowledge in the history of Islamic thought, examining it via this treatise would help researchers obtain some information about the characteristics of Ottoman scholarly and intellectual life, as well as the mentalities of Sacaklizade and Alami.