Abstract:

The Holy Qur’an, the main source of Islam, has become subject to some interpretations based on decisive aims, its commentators have also become subject to different understandings and interpretations made on their personalities, works, thoughts and opinions. At the first glance, Mâturîdî, who is a theologian and commentator of the Qur’an, and the matter of secularism caused by modernity seem to be two different topics without connections between them with respect to the historical and socio-cultural conditions in which they appeared. But today, the factor that brings attempts to the agenda to articulate them together establishing connexion between them is the extensive thoughts, mentalities, demands and tendencies about religion, laicism, secularism, Islam and social change. In this context, the subject of whether a secular interpretation of Islam can be made based on the thoughts, explanations and interpretations of Mâturîdî in his works is discussed and evaluated in this article. The conditions of the period in which Mâturîdî lived and the conditions that have caused secularism to emerge in the modern age have been compared, and the subject has been evaluated in the frame of Mâturîdî’s thoughts and opinions on religion/Islam and shari´ah, religion and politics.

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