In The Name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.

When Sultan Abdul Hamid ascended to the throne, he realised that schools and the education system were increasingly influenced by Western thought, with nationalism becoming the dominant matter in these institutions. Thus, he intervened in their affairs and directed them—through his political viewpoint—towards Islamic studies. He ordered the following: The removal of literature and general history from the curricula, as they served as vehicles for Western literature and the national histories of other peoples, which could negatively impact future generations of Muslims. The inclusion of lessons on jurisprudence, interpretation, and ethics in the study programs. A strict focus on teaching Islamic history, including the Ottoman period only.

He placed the state’s schools under his personal supervision and directed them towards the service of the Islamic University. He took an interest in women and established a house for female teachers, prohibiting their mingling with men. In this context, he defended himself against the accusations from the Committee of Union and Progress, which claimed he was opposed to reason and knowledge, stating: “If I were an enemy of reason and knowledge, would I have founded the university? If I were truly an enemy of knowledge, would I have established a house for our girls – who are no different from men – to train as teachers?!”.

He fought against the unveiling of women in the Ottoman Empire and criticised the infiltration of Western morals among some Ottoman women. On October 3, 1883, a government statement appeared in the newspapers of Istanbul, reflecting the Sultan’s personal perspective on women’s attire, as follows: “Indeed, some Ottoman women who have been seen in the streets recently are wearing attire that contravenes religious law. The Sultan has informed the government of the necessity to implement measures to eradicate this phenomenon, and he has also communicated the importance of women returning to the full legal hijab. [Footnote 1] Consequently, the Cabinet convened and made the following decisions:

A one-month grace period is granted, after which women are prohibited from walking in the streets unless they wear the traditional Islamic hijab. This hijab must be devoid of any embellishments or embroidery. After one month from the publication of this statement, it is the responsibility of the police to ensure the decisive enforcement of the decisions contained herein, and the enforcement agencies must cooperate with the police in this matter. The Sultan has approved this statement along with his governmental decisions. This statement will be published in newspapers and displayed in the streets”.

On the day following the publication of this statement, specifically on October 4th, the newspaper (Time) issued in Istanbul stated: “The Ottoman society, in general, supports this decision, and it is beneficial. He believed that women are not equal to men in terms of leadership. [Footnote 2]

He also defended the polygamy at a time when Ottoman media was raising objections to this issue. The Sultan stated: “Why do some intellectuals object to this matter, and why do they not raise objections to its existence in other places outside the Ottoman state, in certain parts of Europe and America?” He emphasised: “The principle of polygamy is permissible in Islam, so what does it mean to object to it?”. [Footnote 3]

He was in favour of women’s education, which is why he established a school for female teachers to train educators for girls. However, he opposed the mixing of men and women and was against women’s unveiling. [Footnote 4] During his reign, women had no say in state affairs, regardless of their significance; their role was confined to the home and the upbringing of future generations. He treated women with a rare dignity, exemplified by his stepmother, who nurtured and raised him when he ascended to the throne. His stepmother, who played a maternal role, can be likened to a queen in modern terms, as the queen in the Ottoman palace was the mother of the sultan, not his wife, unlike in other countries. Despite all this, on the day following Sultan Abdul Hamid’s ascension to the Ottoman throne, he met with his stepmother, whom he loved dearly, kissed her hand, and said to her: “”With your kindness, I did not feel the loss of my mother, for in my eyes, you are indistinguishable from her. I have made you the royal mother. This means that the word in this palace belongs to you. However, I implore you, and I am insistent on this request – do not interfere in any way with any state affairs, whether they are large or small!”

An Excerpt from Ad-Dawla Al-Uthmaniyyah Awamil An-Nuhud Wa Asbab As-Suqut 6/471-474

[Footnote 1]

https://abukhadeejah.com/understanding-the-muslim-dress-code-modesty-for-men-and-the-hijab-for-women-islam-4-5/

https://abukhadeejah.com/the-niqab-for-the-muslim-woman-uncovering-her-face-and-hands-and-displaying-her-beautifications/

[Footnote 2]

https://abukhadeejah.com/justice-and-equality-in-islam-6-1/

[Footnote 3]

https://abukhadeejah.com/polygamy-in-islam-better-than-being-alone/

[Footnote 4]

https://abukhadeejah.com/free-mixing-between-the-sexes-in-islam-a-detailed-discussion/

In The Name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.

Sultan Abdul Hamid acknowledged the significance of adopting Arabic as the official language of the Ottoman Empire from the very beginning of his reign. He conveyed his appreciation for the elegance of the Arabic language and expressed regret that it had not been designated as the state language sooner. He had suggested this concept to Khayr al-Din Pasha, the Grand Vizier of Tunisia, but encountered opposition from Said Pasha, the palace’s chief secretary, who contended that Arabizing the state would undermine the prominence of the Turkish element within the empire. Saeed Pasha was a man of limited substance, and his remarks mirrored that vacuity. What relevance does the Turkish element hold in this context? The matter at hand is fundamentally different. This is one issue, while that is another. Implementing Arabic as the official language of the state would, at the very least, enhance connections with the Arab community.

Sultan Abdul Hamid II voiced concerns, especially at the beginning of his reign, regarding the varying viewpoints of his ministers and palace officials. He believed they were significantly swayed by Western ideologies and nationalist feelings, which placed pressure on the imperial court during the reigns of his father, Sultan Abdul Majid, and his uncle, Sultan Abdul Aziz, as well as during his own governance. The resistance to Sultan Abdul Hamid’s initiative to Arabize the Ottoman state was not confined to ministers influenced by the West; it also faced opposition from certain religious scholars. The Ottoman Empire committed a grave mistake by neglecting to Arabize its state and its populace in alignment with the language of the Quran and sound legislation. [An Excerpt from Ad-Dawla Al-Uthmaniyyah Awamil An-Nuhud Wa Asbab As-Suqut 6/470-471]

Importance of the Arabic language

Click to access The-Importance-of-the-Arabic-Language-and-How-to-Study-It-Hasan-Somali-PDF.pdf

In The Name of Allah, The Most Merciful The Bestower of Mercy

Sultan Abdul Hamid aimed to win the loyalty of Sufi orders for the Ottoman state and to encourage the idea of Islamic unity. He effectively linked the caliphate’s center – Istanbul – with the tekkes and Sufi gathering places across the Islamic world. [Footnote a] He used the Sufi movement to promote Islamic unity and also involved ascetics outside the Sufi tradition to support the idea of Islamic congregation. In the caliphate’s capital, a main committee was created, made up of scholars and Sufi leaders, who acted as advisors to the Sultan on issues related to Islamic unity. The prominent members of the central committee of the Islamic University included Sheikh Ahmad As’ad, the representative of the Sharif in Hijaz, Sheikh Abu al-Huda al-Sayyadi, the leader of the Rifa’i order, and Sheikh Muhammad Dhafir al-Trabulsi, the head of the civil order and a distinguished scholar of the Holy Mosque in Mecca. They were joined by several other notable figures.

The Ottoman Empire set up various subordinate organizations throughout its territories, all managed by a central committee. One of these organizations was based in Mecca, overseen by the Sharif of Mecca, with the main goal of fostering Islamic unity during the Hajj season among the pilgrims. Another important organization was located in Baghdad, with a similar purpose for the followers of the Qadiri order, who often journeyed from North Africa to honor Sheikh Abdul Qadir al-Jilani, the founder of the order. In a specific year, the number of these pilgrims was estimated to be about 250,000.

The Baghdad Committee was focused on preparing individuals to promote the concept of an Islamic university and to resist French colonialism in North Africa. French intelligence characterized the actions taken by these individuals from North Africa, who had come from Baghdad, as provocations by certain religious leaders affiliated with the Qadiri order. The Central Committee of the Islamic University in Istanbul has an African branch operating in North Africa, which functions in complete secrecy. Its mission is to coordinate efforts among the religious groups in that region, resisting French occupation. The groups involved are: (Shadhili, Qadiri, and Madani). The impact and reputation of this movement were so significant that the French intelligence agency in North Africa remarked: (The Sultan Abdul Hamid, as the leader of the Islamic community, is able to coordinate a local reaction due to his strong connections with religious organizations in North Africa, which can, if needed, oppose any foreign authority.)

The French intelligence was unable to uncover the methods of the Sufi orders associated with the Islamic caliphate in North Africa. All it managed to do was attempt to undermine the authority of Sultan Abdul Hamid in the minds of the Muslims in North Africa, as well as to challenge the policy of Islamic unity. This was pursued through a French strategy that involved:

– Enticing certain Sufi leaders with financial incentives and positions to support France and its policies in North Africa.

– Preventing pilgrims from performing the Hajj, so they do not meet the advocates of the Islamic University during the appropriate occasion. This means: not officially announcing a ban on the Hajj, but rather implementing health measures to instill fear in the people, such as spreading news about the presence of cholera. Sultan Abdul Hamid sent a group of ascetics and mystics to India to work on thwarting the English attempts aimed at stripping the caliphate from the Ottomans and granting it to the Arabs. This caravan also made contact with some rulers of the Arabian Peninsula, particularly in Hijaz. There were connections between Sultan Abdul Hamid, in his capacity as the head of the Islamic University, the Caliph of Muslims, and the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, and the gatherings of Sufi orders and their leaders in Turkestan, South Africa, and China. Some of these connections have been revealed, while most remain insufficiently documented. He succeeded in uniting the Sufi orders; however, he chose to remain silent about many of their doctrinal deviations. Consequently, during that period, the Sufi orders strayed from the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, except for those whom Allah had mercy upon. This deviation weakened the Ummah and contributed to the fall of the Sunni Ottoman Islamic Caliphate. [An Excerpt from Ad-Dawla Al-Uthmaniyyah Awamil An-Nuhud Wa Asbab As-Suqut 6/468-470]

Footnote a: http://www.ibntaymiyyah.com/articles/dgfil-the-origin-of-the-sufis-is-from-basrah-iraq.cfm