A Bibliometric Analysis of Publications on al-Ghazālī in the Field of Islamic Theology in Türkiye

This study aims to conduct a descriptive bibliometric analysis of 662 articles written in the field of Islamic theology in Türkiye about Abū Ḥāmid al-Ghazālī (d. 505/1111), one of the most prominent figures in the history of Islamic thought. Based on the quantitative identification of scientific outputs which is the fundamental logic of bibliometric studies, the most frequently publishing outhors, their institutional affiliations, journals, and the numerical data regarding the most researched topics have been revealed. By doing so, the study aims to provide young researchers with insights into potential future work on al-Ghazālī, underscoring the significance of this research. The methodology follows a mixed approach, combining both quantitative and qualitative research methods through document analysis. Accordingly, articles on al-Ghazālī from the ISAM article database were extracted and compiled into a dataset for this study. The numerical data were visualized in the analysis. The data analysis reveals that, in certain years, the publication trend experienced a sharp increase. As expected, this rise was due to the organization of academic events such as symposiums and conferences focused on al-Ghazālī, as well as theology journals publishing special issues dedicated to him. The most frequently discussed topics reveal that Turkish theologians are particularly focused on al-Ghazālī’s stance on philosophy and his role as an ethical thinker.