Abu’l-Leys al-Samarqandi and His Approach to the Verses on Jihad

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Harun ŞAHİN

Maveraünnehir (Transoxiana) has been one of the important scientific, intellectual, and cultural centers of Islamic culture and civilization throughout history. Cities such as Bukhara, Samarkand, Nasaf, and Tirmiz have been the main centers hosting these studies. These centers have been the regions where scholars who left a worldwide mark and influence in understanding and interpreting the Qur’an were trained. Qur’anic studies in these regions have generally been studies that combine both transmitted knowledge and reason in interpretation. In this context, they have made extensive explanations and interpretations by looking at the verses from the perspective of language, logic, theology, and jurisprudence. Abu Mansur al-Maturidi (d. 333/944) with his “Ta’wilat al-Qur’an”; Abu al-Layth al-Samarqandi) with his work “Tafsir al-Qur’an al-Karim” (Tafsir and Abu al-Layth al-Samarqandi (d. 373/983); Abu al-Barakat al-Nasafi (d. 710/1310) with “Madarik al-Tanzil wa Haqaiq al-Ta’wil” and and Zamakhshari with “al-Kashshaf” (d. 538/1144) became the leading Qur’an and tafsir authorities of this region. This region also served as a center for the Mâturidi school of Kalam and the Hanafi school of Fiqh. Our author, al-Samarqandi, as his name suggests, was born in the city of Samarkand, which is now located within the borders of Uzbekistan. He was a jurist, hadith scholar, and commentator belonging to the Hanafi school of thought. In this study, we will examine the subject mentioned in the title through the lens of his main work, Tafsir al-Qur’an al-Karim (Tafsir Abi al-Layth al-Samarqandi). According to the DİA Islam Ansiklopedisi, although the name of the work is recorded as Bahr al-Ulum in modern editions (Baghdad 1405-1406/1985-1986; Beirut 1413/1993, 1418/1997), the original author of the tafsir titled Bahr al-Ulum is Alaeddin Ali b. Yahya al-Samarqandi (d. 860/1456). Although Abu al-Layth’s commentary is called an allegorical commentary due to its Sufi interpretations, it employs a Sufi-legal methodology. The work is one of the first comprehensive commentaries written in the region. In this study, using qualitative research methods, specifically textual analysis and the interpretations of the aforementioned commentator, we will examine the verses related to Jihad within the context of this commentary, considering their reasons for revelation, the context and conditions of their descent, and attempting to determine the commentator’s approach and conclusions on the subject.

 Keywords: Qur’an, Commentary, Maveraünnehir (Transoxiana), Abu al-Layth al-Samarqandi, Jihad.