A reading attempt of Bayramī Melāmi Sheikh Huseyn-i Lāmeāknī's A Criticized Couplet About Tawhid With Tracts

Abstract

Ṣūfī people, as well as the ulema (‘ulemā), discussed the issue of how God (Hakk) surrounds the universe (ālem) and where the ‘arş (arsh / the ninth heaven) in which God ensconces himself exists. The Şūfī people supporting the unity of existence (Wahdat al-wu-jud) concept claim that God surrounds the universe by his own being and so that the ‘arş (arsh) is all the creation / created beings by God moreover they argued that people who rejected this idea could attribute weakness or impotence to the power of God. On the other hand, commentators and scholastic theologians acknowledge the idea that God surrounds the universe not by his own being as Şūfīs claimed but God surrounds the universe by his knowledge (‘ilm) and power (kudret). They claimed that there was no physical connection of God with the universe. Therefore, this article discusses a couplet (beyit) written by Huseyn-i Lāmekānī from Bayramī-Melāmī group in light of four different tracts (risāle). One of the four tracts was written by the author of the couplet Huseyn-i Lāmekānī himself. The title of his tract is Wahdat-nameh ( Vahdet-nāme). The other tract was written by Munikcrī-yi Belgradî and the title of it is Şarh-i Qasīda-i Suleymān. The other two tracts analyzed in this article were written by Şalāh al-dīn-i ‘Uşşākī. These two tracts try to explain how God surrounds the universe from the unity of existence (Wahdat al-wujud) perspective. Therefore, they may help in understanding the mentioned couplet written by Lāmekānī. The outline of the article is as follows: the introduction has the text of the ghazal including the mentioned couplet and discusses how the characteristics of Bayramī-Melāmī people were reflected in their poems. This part also tries to determine who wrote the mentioned ghazal as there were two different pen manes / pseudonyms (mahlas) for the same ghazal in various resources. To determine the original writer of the ghazal is crucial for proper interpretation of the texts. The next part of the article discusses the accusation that Lâmekânî was an heretic in the Şarh-i Qasīda-i Su-leymān tract by Munīrī-yi Belgradī. This part also tries to outline Munīrī-yi Belgradî's mode of thought to discuss the background of his criticism about the couplets. According to his way of thinking, though Munīrī had some tolerance to Şüfî people believing fenā fillāh, he ironically harshly criticized the Şūfī group supporting Wahdat al-wujud entitled as Fusūsī. In the second section, based on his work named Wahdat-nameh (Vahdet-nāme), it is aimed to create a general portrait of Huseyn-i Lāmekānī. In this context, it discusses how Wahdat al-wujud and Hurufism, which are generally big issues for Bayramī-Melāmī, influenced Lāmekānī. Therefore, the comparison between Oglan Sheikh İsmâ‘il-i Ma‘şükî who was clearly influenced by Wahdat al-mavjud (vahdet-i mevcūd) and Hurufism, and Huseyn-i Lāmekānī is realized in this part. It was figured out that adoration of Fusūs al-Hikem (Fusūslīik) was more influential in Bayramī-Melāmī Sheikh's mode of thinking through the analysis of the effect of Fusüs al-Hikem in Wahdat-nameh (Vahdet-nâme). It was suggested that the reason behind the allocation of Munîrî-yi Belgradî for Huseyn-i Lâmekânî was the effect of Fusüs al-Hikem which was salient for Melâmî Sheikh Lâmekânî. The final part of the article is about two tracts Miftâh al-vucüd and Zayl al-kitâb written by Şalâh al-dîn-i ‘Uşşâkî. The criticized couplet was read under the light of these tracts. These two tracts are significant as they explain how God surrounds the universe and where the ‘arş (arsh) is located by referring to the verses of Quran al-Fussilet 41/54, al-Nisâ 4/126 and el-Tâhâ 20/5 mentioned in the couplet by Huseyn-i Lâmekânî. Şalâh al-dîn-i ‘Uşşâkî proposed a new argument about how God surrounds the universe in Zayl al-kitâb. According to this argument, in Miftâh al-vucüd Şalâh al-dîn-i ‘Uşşâkî tries to explain God's surrounding potent through the orders/grades of the existence. In Zayl al-kitâb, he claims that there must be a center for God's surroundings of the universe and this center must be Hakîkat al-Muhammediyye. Şalâh al-dîn-i ‘Uşşâkî stated that he did not acknowledge this information by himself but he acquired it from Ibn Arabî when he had a dream. Lastly, this part of the article discusses what Rahman settles in ‘arş (arsh) means in terms of circle (devir) theory. It was suggested that according to Şüfî people believing Wahdat (vahdetçi) God's ‘arş (arsh) is the human being himself by drawing on the Kasf al-Gıtâ (Keşfu'l-Gıtâ) qasida written by Sun‘ullâh-ı Gaybî who was a successor of Huseyn-i Lâmekânî from the second generation.