Abstract
Ḥaydar al-Harawī (d. 825/after 1427) was a significant scholar from Khorasan who migrated to
the Ottoman lands. A distinguished student of al-Taftazanī, he earned high regard from Mehmed I and
received patronage from him. al-Harawī dedicated his commentary on al-Zamakhsharī’s al-Kashshāf to
Mehmed I with exaggerated expressions of praise and provided significant details about his biography
in the introduction of the work. After spending many years in Ottoman lands, al-Harawī established
contact with Shahrukh, the son of Timur. He rewrote the introduction of Sharḥ al-Kashshāf and ded-
icated the work to Shahrukh. This new patronage relationship is evident in the second version of the
introduction, where not only the dedication part but also the content was rearranged concerning the
new patron’s identity. Important biographical details not found in the first version are included in the
second version, making it a crucial source for al-Harawī’s biography. This article brings the second
version of the introduction to light for the first time, constructing al-Harawī’s biography by compiling
information from both versions. While no specific dates are provided in either version, the duration
of al-Harawi’s stay in certain cities is mentioned. Gaps in the narrative were filled based on histori-
cal events, allowing for accurate dating of approximately forty years of al-Harawī’s life, from Sarakhs
through Shiraz, Tabriz, Shirvan, Bursa, Edirne, and back to Khorasan. This comprehensive overview
sheds light on the relationship between scholars and rulers, the influence of political developments on
scholarly life, and the intellectual world of a scholar dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge.
Keywords
Ḥaydar al-Harawī al-Taftāzānī Mehmed I Timur Shahrukh Sharḥ al-KashshāfShare
Details
- Authors: M. Taha Boyalık, Assoc. Prof., Istanbul 29 Mayıs University
- DOI: dx.doi.org/10.12658/Nazariyat.10.1.M0243en
- Volume: 10 / Issue: 1
- Page: 215-239
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