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

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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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