“Sunna” of Western Scholars on the Authenticiy of the Document of Medina: What’s So Special About it?

Abstract

The aim of this article is to focus on the views of modern Western scholars regarding the authenticity of the Document of Medina and its unity in relation to its date and preservation, rather than on the debates over its content. The focus is on their rationale for defending its authenticity despite the limited number of aḥadīth they date back to the first Islamic century. Additionally, considering the fact that many other reports with the characteristics of the document are not considered authentic, the question is raised whether it is the “sunna” of their predecessors that is actually decisive, since the testimony has been considered authentic since Julies Wellhausen on the same grounds.

Keywords

• Sīrah
• Constitution of Medina
• Principle of Dissimilarity
• Ḥadīth
• Historical Kernel

Medine Vesika’sının Sıhhati Konusunda Batılı Araştırmacıların “Sünneti”: Neden Bu Kadar Özel?

Öz

Bu makalede, Batılı araştırmacıların Medine Vesikası’nın otantikliği, tarihi ve bütünlüğü hakkındaki görüşleri ele alınmış, içeriği hakkındaki tartışmalarına ise yer verilmemiştir. Oryantalistlerin, vesikanın otantikliği için öne sürdükleri gerekçelerinin tespitine bilhassa önem verilmiştir. Zira nasıl olup da hicrî I. asra tarihlendirdikleri son derece sınırlı sayıda hadise rağmen bu vesikanın sıhhatini savunduklarını belirlemek önem arz etmektedir. Netice olarak, benzer özelliklere sahip diğer birçok haberin otantik kabul edilmediği de göz önünde bulundurularak vesikanın Julies Wellhausen’dan beri aynı gerekçeler sıralanarak otantik kabul edimesinden hareketle, aslında belirleyici olanın kendi seleflerinin “sünneti” mi olduğu sorusu yöneltilmiştir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Siyer
• Medine Anayasası
• Aykırılık İlkesi
• Hadis
• Tarihî Öz

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