On the Approach of Ibn Khaldun to the History of the People of Israel: The Application of the Concept of Asabiyyah to the Idea of Chosenness

Year 2017, Volume: 19 Issue: 35, 103 - 119, 15.06.2017

Salime Leyla Gürkan

https://doi.org/10.17335/sakaifd.298032

Cited By: 1

Abstract

Ibn Khaldun, in his
famous Muqaddimah, an “Introduction to History”, explained the stages of
the rise and fall of nations through his comprehensive theory of history and
society, underpinned by the concept of ‘asabiyyah
or “group feeling”. Ibn Khaldun applied his theory to the main topics of the
pre-Islamic religions as well, especially the Jewish religion. This paper aims
to look at Ibn Khaldun’s interpretation of the history of the people of Israel
through his concept of ‘asabiyyah,
and to highlight some possible implications of it as regards the idea of the
election of Israel, emphasis being made on parallels with Baruch Spinoza’s
interpretation of the idea.

Keywords

Ibn Khaldun, Muqaddimah, asabiyyah, the people of Israel, election/chosenness

İBN HALDUN'UN İSRAİLOĞULLARI TARİHİNE YÖNELİK YAKLAŞIMI: ASABİYYE KAVRAMININ SEÇİLMİŞLİK FİKRİNE UYGULANMASI

Abstract

İbn Haldun, meşhur Mukaddime’sinde, toplumların yükseliş ve gerileyiş/çöküş evrelerini, merkezinde “asabiyye” kavramının yer aldığı kendi kapsamlı tarih ve toplum teorisiyle açıklamaktadır. Bu teorisini İslam öncesi dinlerin, özellikle de Yahudi dininin temel konularına da uygulamaktadır. Bu makale İbn Haldun’un, asabiyye kavramı aracılığıyla İsrailoğulları tarihine yönelik yorumunu ele almayı ve bu yorumun, İsrailoğulları’nın seçilmişliği fikriyle bağlantılı görünen bazı çağrışımlarını gün ışığına çıkarmayı amaçlamaktadır. Bunu yaparken İbn Haldun’un İsrailoğulları’na yönelik açıklamaları ve bu bağlamda kullandığı asabiyye kavramı ile Baruch Spinoza’nın seçilmişlik yorumu arasındaki bazı benzerliklere de dikkat çekilmektedir.  

Keywords

İbn Haldun, Mukaddime, asabiyye, İsrailoğulları, seçilmişlik, Spinoza

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