A Review, in the Context of Fuat Sezgin, of the Early Period of Kalam Literature

This article deals with the kalam (theology) section of Fuat Sezgin’s Geschichte des Arabischen Schrifttums (GAS). First, similar studies on Islamic literature published before GAS are briefly mentioned. Then, the scope and importance of the work is emphasized based on the kalam section. Sezgin’s claim regarding early written sources was evaluated. It is also emphasized that this claim was carried into the kalam section. The kalam section is evaluated in two main parts. The first part focuses on the content of the kalam section. The authors are examined from different perspectives and an attempt is made to draw a detailed map of the section. Then, benefitting from the manuscript libraries in Turkey, the kalam section of GAS is critiqued. Using these records, we try to impart mistakes such as author, work, fixture no., copyist’s name, and copying date. Finally, the tables of the missing copies and the general map of the section are given under the headings of Annex-1 and Annex-2.