Intellectual Links between Mawlānā Jalāl ad-Dīn and Sultan Walad in the Realm of Hadith Interpretation: A Case Study of Masanvi Manavi and Sultan Walad’s Masnavies

Interpretations are of the most fundamental principles of mysticism (Sufis). Masters of taste with their scientific and intuitive power go beyond the surface structures and present real and unfathomable meanings of the Quran and Hadith in ways that may not cross the mind of ordinary people. Masnavi Manavi is one the works that has an interpretation look toward the Quran and Hadith. Delving into this great work reveals that Mawlānā, in many cases, goes beyond the surface structures of Hadith and attaches a profound meaning to them. Sultan Walad, Mawlānā’s son and follower, in his Masnavies adopted an interpretative view toward Hadith. Though he has innovative views about the interpretations of the Quran and Hadith, in most of the cases he was influenced by his father’s work.
The authors in this study investigate Mawlānā’s interpretive approach in Masnavi Manavi and reveal how they affected Sultan Walad’s Masnavies. The results show that Mawlānā and Sultan Walad rejected superficial thinking and reliance on the surface of religious works. They believed that because of the fact that they overcome their humanistic desires and self-love, the true Allah lovers are infallible in their speech because Allah reveals to them the truth. And they can express the profound meaning of religion through their intuitive powers and based on their mystic experience.