Râgıb el-İsfahânî’de Neshin İnşâsı: Bedâya Karşı Maslahat Temelli Bir Yaklaşım
Abstract
Râgıb el-İsfahânî’nin nesih konusuna yaklaşımı hem müfessir hem de dilci kimliğini yansıtan teorik bir bütünlük arz etmektedir. Bu çalışma Râgıb el-İsfahânî’nin neshe yaklaşımını çeşitli eserleri üzerinden ortaya koymayı ve müellifin nesih anlayışını sistematik bir biçimde yeniden konumlandırmayı amaçlamaktadır. Araştırma üç aşamalı bir yöntemle yürütülmüştür. İlk aşamada kavram analiziyle, Râgıb el-İsfahânî’nin nesih tanımında yer alan “misl”, “hüküm” ve “terâhî” kayıtlarının işlevleri tespit edilmiştir. İkinci aşamada söylem analiziyle, onun nesih-bedâ ilişkisine dair kelâmî argümanları çözümlenmiştir. Üçüncü aşamada ise içerik analiziyle, söz konusu teorik çerçevenin müellifin tefsir pratiğinde nasıl karşılık bulduğu değerlendirilmiştir. Elde edilen bulgular, el-İsfahânî’nin nesih tanımında “izâle” yüklemiyle birlikte “misl” kaydını bilinçli bir şekilde kullandığını göstermektedir. Bu kayıt, neshin Allah’ın ilminde değişikliği îmâ eden bedâ düşüncesine bir cevap niteliği taşımaktadır. “Hüküm” kaydıyla neshin yalnızca şer‘î amelî hükümler alanında gerçekleştiği, haberlerde neshin geçerli olmadığı; “terâhî” kaydıyla ise neshin tahsîsten ayrıldığı açıkça vurgulanmaktadır. Müellifin bu vurgusu, selefin nesih kullanımındaki çok anlamlılığı kategorize etme ve mensûh âyetlerin sayısını azaltma eğilimi olarak değerlendirilebilir. Bu bağlamda Râgıb el-İsfahânî, neshin Allah’ın ilminde bir değişiklik anlamına gelmediğine; bilakis kulların maslahatına bağlı olarak gerçekleşen ilâhî bir düzenleme olduğuna dikkatleri çekmektedir.
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The Conceptual Construction of Naskh in Rāghib al-Iṣfahānī: A Maṣlaḥah-Oriented Approach in Response to the Doctrine of Badā
Abstract
Naskh has been a subject of sustained interest among Muslim scholars from the earliest periods onward, largely due to its position at the intersection of multiple Islamic disciplines. Although various definitions of naskh appear in the works of uṣūl al-fiqh scholars, these definitions fundamentally revolve around the notions of “izālah” and “bayān”. Although Rāghib al-Iṣfahānī (d. early 5th/11th century) offers a definition centered on “izālah” he articulates a distinctive position within the traditional framework by introducing precautionary qualifications (iḥtirāzī qayds) into his definition. A review of the existing literature reveals that studies on Rāghib al-Iṣfahānī’s understanding of naskh generally remain at a descriptive level and do not sufficiently address the epistemological and theological functions of the qualifiers embedded in his definition. This study aims to fill that gap by systematically repositioning al-Iṣfahānī’s theory of naskh and examining his approach within the broader context of his works.
al-Iṣfahānī’s treatment of naskh reflects a theoretical coherence that mirrors both his exegetical and linguistic expertise. The “Muqaddima of his Jāmiʿ al-Tafāsīr” and his “al-Mufradāt fī Gharīb al-Qurʾān” are employed to determine the theoretical dimension of his approach, while his exegetical remarks on verses believed to relate to naskh are analyzed to evaluate how this theoretical framework is reflected in practice. The research proceeds in three stages. First, through conceptual analysis, the study investigates the functions of the qualifiers mithl, ḥukm, and tarākhī found in his definition of naskh. In the second stage, discourse analysis is used to examine al-Iṣfahānī’s theological arguments concerning the relationship between naskh and badāʾ. In the third stage, content analysis is conducted to assess how this theoretical structure manifests itself in the author’s exegetical practice.
The findings show that al-Iṣfahānī employs the qualifier mithl alongside the predicate “izālah” in his definition of naskh in a deliberate manner. This qualifier functions as a response to the doctrine of badāʾ, which implies the possibility of change in the divine knowledge. The qualifier “ḥukm” indicates that naskh operates exclusively within the realm of practical legal rulings, thus excluding reports and narrative statements, while the term tarākhī distinguishes naskh from takhṣīṣ. al-Iṣfahānī’s emphasis on these points may be understood as an attempt to categorize the multivalence and breadth found in the usage of naskh among the early generations and to reduce the number of verses considered abrogated. al-Iṣfahānī’s approach to naskh rests on the view that abrogation does not signify a change in God’s knowledge but rather a regulative adjustment tied to the evolving maṣlaḥah of human beings.
al-Iṣfahānī’s practical application of naskh in Jāmiʿ al-Tafāsīr is consistent with the theoretical framework he establishes. In some verses he explicitly identifies the nāsikh and mansūkh, while in others he interprets the relationship as takhṣīṣ or bayān; thus he narrows the scope of naskh and situates it within a systematic conceptual structure. In conclusion, Rāghib al-Iṣfahānī constructed his theory of naskh as a distinctive model grounded in the approach of rafʿ/izālah. While he rejects the doctrine of badāʾ on the grounds that it contradicts the eternality of divine knowledge, he accepts that legal rulings may vary in accordance with temporal changes and shifting maṣlaḥah. Within his thought, therefore, naskh functions as a principle that expresses both the dynamic structure of the Qurʾān and the immutability of divine knowledge.
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