Alusi's Approach to the Mystical Commentary

Abu al-Thana' Shihab al-Din Mahmoud Alusi Baghdadi was one of the Quranic commentators of the 13th century, a follower of Naghshbandiyyah Sufi order, and the author of the Quranic commentary, Ruh al-Maani. One of the important aspects of his commentary is the approach of the author to the tradition of the mystical commentary. Alusi had the mystical tendencies, and in some places reflected viewpoints of the commentators who worked in theoretical and practical mysticism, according to his scholarship, taste, spirituality, external states, and the needs of addressees. Regarding the school and tradition of the mystical commentary, Alusi's encounter with interpretative views of mystics is selective. Accordingly, effort for causing agreement between religious law and mysticism on the basis of Naghshbandiyyah, forms ruling spirit over this attitude in the tradition of mystical commentary. Moreover, one should not be negligent about Alusi's scholarly and critical encounter with other viewpoint of mystical commentary in Ruh al-Maani, such as his opinion of Ibn Arabi's theory of the unity of Being. These encounters which indicate his independent attitude and intellectual power on the Quranic commentary in general, and on the mystical commentary in particular, are explainable and distinguishable only in the light of special approach to, and the consideration of his scholarship and specialization.