Bingöl Üniversitesi İlahiyat Fakültesi Dergisi

Abstract

Ibn al-Ḥājj, renowned for his Madkhal, a work written in Mamluk Cairo during the 8th century hijrī, focuses on the revival of the sunnahs that were at risk of being lost and the opposition to the bid'ahs that were seen as their replacements.In this context, his work is a significant component of the anti-bid'ah literature, although it is predominantly the subject of studies in the field of education. The present study aspires to illuminate the bid'ah debates of the era through the lens of the author, drawing upon the comprehensive content of the work within the scope of the revival of sunnahs and the abolition of bid'ahs.The impetus for this study stems from the author's provision of exhaustive illustrations of the applications of bid'ah in daily life under nearly every category. In this regard, Madkhal emerges as a highly favourable source for constructing a social history narrative of the period. In this study, the testimonies embedded within the text have been identified and analysed, with a focus on topics related to bid'ah. Given the comprehensive nature of the author's four-volume work, which encompasses numerous topics related to bid'at, a selection of those more readily associated with the historical context of the author's era has been made. In this direction, in addition to unveiling the author's perspectives on the selected subjects, the historical underpinnings in Ibn al-Ḥājj's meticulous accounts have been scrutinised to ascertain the basis upon which they became the focal point of bid'ah discourses in the first century of the Mamluks. It has been determined that the political, doctrinal (madhhabī), geographical, etc. conjuncture of his time played a significant role in shaping Ibn al-Ḥājj's understanding of bid'ah. Madkhal not only reflects the views of its author but also contains historical data that can shed light on the bid'ah debates of his time. In this context, it is noteworthy that Ibn al- Ḥājj's stricter stance on the observance of the Mawlid and the prayer of Raghā'ib, in comparison to his predecessors, was influenced by the fact that these days were celebrated with great opulence in the Mamluk Cairo where he resided. Indeed, the details he provides offer insight into the extent of this opulence. The most original part of Ibn al- Ḥājj's work is arguably the chapters devoted to women, in which the author, expressing concern over women's increased visibility and consequent impact on society, seeks to justify this phenomenon from various perspectives. The author's detailed narratives on the subject reveal a sensitivity among the ulama, particularly himself, towards the increased visibility of women in his period. Madkhal also provides data on the reasons for the increased sensitivity during this period.