اے۔جے وینسنک کا سوانحی خاکہ اور اس کے افکارکاتجزیاتی و تنقیدی مطالعہ

Abstract

Arent Jan Wensinck (1882–1939), a prominent Dutch scholar, made significant contributions to Islamic and Christian mystical theology, Semitic languages, and oriental history. His academic journey spanned universities in Utrecht, Leiden, Berlin, and Heidelberg, where he developed expertise in Arabic, Hebrew, Syriac, and Aramaic. Wensinck is renowned for his monumental work on Hadith indexing, al-Muʿjam al-Mufahras li Alfāẓ al-Ḥadīth al-Nabawī, which remains a critical resource for Islamic studies. However, his research on Islamic creeds, notably in The Muslim Creed: Its Genesis and Historical Development, introduced controversial ideas, such as the historical evolution of Islamic beliefs. Wensinck argued that Islamic creed was not fully formed during the Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) lifetime and developed over three centuries. His analysis of the Qur'an and Hadith also raised criticisms, particularly his interpretation of repetitive verses and varied narrations as contradictions. This paper critically examines Wensinck's methodology, highlighting his intellectual gaps, such as his misunderstanding of Qur'anic repetition and Hadith variations. It further explores how Wensinck’s Western lens influenced his conclusions about Islamic theology, failing to appreciate the contextual and situational delivery of Islamic creeds. Despite these shortcomings, Wensinck's contributions, especially in Hadith scholarship, remain invaluable, and his work continues to be a subject of both admiration and critique in contemporary Islamic studies.