About The Book

Unearthing a hidden treasure from the golden age of Ottoman scholarship, this examination presents original, expert Arabic observations on the light verse of the Quran. Presented in English for the first time, the study reveals profound insights into this famous and mysterious content along with a detailed account of the original author’s life and works, an analysis of his featured commentary, and a critical edition of the Arabic text.

The investigation constitutes an exemplary bilingual resource for the study of Quranic exegesis, making it an ideal companion for students and teachers of Islamic studies as well as those interested in Islamic philosophy, mysticism, and the Quranic disciplines. Shedding light on the nature of philosophical and mystical discourse in the Ottoman world, this well-researched volume brings greater depth to an enigmatic aspect of Islam’s central religious text.

About The Author

Isma’il Anqarawi was a devoted follower of Rumi and Ibn 'Arabi and a highly influential figure in the 17th-century Ottoman world. He was renowned as an author, as well as a charismatic and beloved shaykh of the Sufi Mawlawi order. Bilal Kuspinar is the author of 'Ibn Sina’da Bilgi Teorisi' and 'Isma'Il Ankaravi on the Illuminative Philosophy'.

He is a professor in history of philosophy in the College of Arts, Science, and Education as well as director of the Center for Accreditation and Quality Assurance at Ahlia University, Bahrain. He specializes in medieval Islamic philosophy and mysticism, especially within the context of Ottoman intellectual history. He lives in Montreal, Quebec.

About The Translator

Professor Bilal Kuspinar is Chair of the Department of Philosophy and Director of the International Rumi Centre for the Study of Civilization at the Necmettin Erbakan University. He was previously Professor at the Ahlia University in Bahrain. He received his B.A. in Theology from Selcuk University, Konya, Turkey (1983); an M.Sc. in History of Science, Philosophy and Logic from the Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey (1987); and two Ph.D. degrees, one from Selcuk University (1991), the other from McGill University, Montreal, Canada (1995).

He taught many graduate and undergraduate courses and supervised theses and dissertations at various academic institutions, such as Selcuk University, the International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilization (ISTAC), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, McGill University and Concordia University, Montreal, Canada. Prof. Kuspinar has participated in more than 30 international symposiums and conferences and presented more than 20 papers. He is the member of the Advisory Board of several academic journals.

Prof. Kuspinar has contributed to his field with more than 30 publications. He is the author of two books: Isma‘il Ankaravi on the Illuminative Philosophy (1996) and Ibn Sina’da Bilgi Teorisi (Avicenna’s Theory of Knowledge) 2nd ed. (2001).