The Life of Muhammad Yusuf Muhammad Dursun from East Turkestan and His Work Titled Gems of Tafsir

Abstract

Quranic studies in East Turkestan date back to the Karakhanid era, establishing the region as one of the most deep-rooted centers of Turco-Islamic culture. Due to historical political crises, many Quranic works authored in the region have been lost and failed to reach the present day. Conversely, since the late 20th century, Quranic studies conducted in contemporary Uyghur Turkish have been persistently continued by Uyghur scholars, both within East Turkestan and in the diaspora. This study aims to examine the life, scholarly identity, and works of the contemporary East Turkestani Islamic scholar Muhammed Yusuf Muhammed Dursun, specifically highlighting his contributions to Islamic sciences in general and the field of tafsir (exegesis) in particular. Within the scope of this study, the general landscape of tafsir and translation activities in the region is first outlined. Subsequently, Dursun’s intellectual and spiritual journey, originating in Hotan and extending to Egypt (al-Azhar University), Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey, is explored. The research focuses on the author's most comprehensive work in the field of tafsir, the ten-volume Tefsir Cevherleri, which is analyzed in terms of its content and methodology. Tefsir Cevherleri is a narration-based (rivayet) work, compiled by drawing upon numerous significant classical and contemporary commentaries. While the work may appear to be a mere compilation at first glance, it transcends this classification through its unique characteristics. The author’s thematic classification of verses and the assignment of headings reflecting the core theme for each group of verses demonstrate significant methodological competence.