Qur'anic Exegesis at the Confluence of Twelver Shiism and Sufism: Sayyid Ḥaydar Āmulī’s al-Muḥīṭ al-aʿẓam

Abstract

In this paper, I present a preliminary study of the fourteenth-century Shii–Sufi Sayyid Ḥaydar Āmulī's Qur'an commentary, al-Muḥīṭ al-aʿzam wa'l-baḥr al-khidamm fī taʾwīl kitāb Allāh al-ʿazīz al-muḥkam (‘The Greatest Ocean and Vast Sea in Exegesis of God's Decisive and Mighty Book’). In addition to being a fascinating contribution to the history of esoteric exegesis of the Qur'an, this work holds a central place in Āmulī's oeuvre, showcasing crucial aspects of his unique methods and interests. I begin by presenting what we know of Āmulī's intellectual and spiritual biography, which leads me to suggest that al-Muḥīṭ al-aʿzam should play a central role in our understanding of Āmulī's intellectual contributions as a whole. I then provide an overview of the contents and methods used in the extant portion of this text, focusing on Āmulī's understanding of taʾwīl, his endeavour to be comprehensive ( jāmiʿ), and his characteristic method of lengthy citation. I end the paper by considering Āmulī's explanation of the qualification necessary to perform taʾwīl, which is a crucial component of his broader project to show the compatibility of Twelver Shiism and Sufism.