Seyfeddin el-Âmidî Düşüncesinde Bilgi ve Nazar

<jats:p>Knowledge and Naẓar in the Thought of Sayf al-Dīn al-Āmidī This study aims to examine Sayf al-Dīn al-Āmidīs understanding of knowledge (maʿrifah) and rational inquiry (naẓar), as he stands among the significant figures in the history of Islamic thought. In this research, al-Āmidīs views on knowledge and naẓar are identified primarily through his works, especially Abkār al-Afkār, and are examined comparatively in relation to the classical kalām tradition, particularly Ashʿarism, Islamic philosophy, and other theological schools. The study demonstrates that the political and intellectual conditions of the period in which al-Āmidī lived played an important role in shaping his system of thought. Having a profound command of philosophy, logic, kalām, and legal theory, al-Āmidī belonged to the Ashʿarite tradition, yet he developed original views on many issues. His distinctive position becomes especially apparent in his definitions of knowledge and naẓar, his evaluation of the sources of knowledge, and his understanding of the function of reason. The research shows that al-Āmidī assigns an important role to reason in the acquisition of knowledge, while not considering it an absolute and independent authority. According to him, naẓar is one of the fundamental ways of attaining knowledge and has an indispensable function in enabling human beings to comprehend God, the universe, and the reality of existence. Nevertheless, knowledge is not acquired solely through naẓar; it may also be obtained through various means such as the senses, report, revelation, and divine inspiration. In conclusion, al-Āmidī may be regarded as an original thinker who reinterpreted the classical kalām tradition by making use of logic and philosophy, and who made significant contributions to the formation of later kalām thought through his theories of knowledge and naẓar. Keywords: Sayf al-Dīn al-Āmidī; Kalām; Knowledge; Rational Inquiry; Epistemology; Reason; Demonstration</jats:p>