Isma'il Haqqi al-Bursawi

Isma'il Haqqi ibn Mustafa al-Bursawi (1063-1137 AH / 1653-1725 CE) was an Ottoman Turkish Sufi scholar, Quran commentator, and master of the Jelveti branch of the Khalwatiyyah Sufi order. Born in Istanbul (or Aydos), he received his Islamic education there and entered the Khalwati-Jelveti Sufi path under Shaykh Osman Fazli Atpazari.

Al-Bursawi is best known for his monumental Quran commentary Ruh al-Bayan fi Tafsir al-Quran (The Spirit of Clarity in Quranic Commentary), a multi-volume work that combines exoteric Quranic interpretation with esoteric and Sufi dimensions. It draws on earlier tafsir works as well as Ibn Arabi's writings and Sufi commentary traditions, presenting Quranic meanings through both the outer juridical-linguistic dimension and the inner spiritual dimension. This work became highly influential in Ottoman and South Asian scholarly circles.

He also authored numerous works on Sufi ethics and practice, including Silsilat al-Asrar (The Chain of Secrets) and various risalas (treatises) on spiritual topics. His output was prolific, extending to dozens of works in Arabic, Turkish, and Persian.

Al-Bursawi settled in Bursa, Turkey, where he spent many years teaching and guiding disciples. He traveled across the Ottoman Empire, established lodges (khanqahs), and trained numerous students in both the Islamic sciences and the Sufi path. He passed away in Bursa in 1137 AH. His Ruh al-Bayan is his most enduring legacy and remains a major reference in the Sufi tafsir tradition.