The Effect of Hanafi Fiqh Thought on the Early Ottoman Fiqh Studies in the Mamluk Period

Abstract

This article examines the influence of the Hanafi philosophy of the Mamluk period on the early Ottoman fiqh studies. Since the Egyptian and Damascus regions, which were under the rule of the Mamluks, became the most important centres of knowledge in the Islamic world, it is understood that the Mamluks' scientific knowledge was superior to the Ottomans. On this occasion, many scholars who were considered the leading figures of the Ottoman scientific community turned to Egypt and Damascus regions and benefited from the scientific accumulation there. In fact, these scholars who played an active role in the formation of the Ottoman scientific environment completed their education in Damascus and Egypt under the rule of the Mamluks and graduated from the Mamluk education system and assumed important roles in the formation of the Ottoman science understanding. During this period, the Hanafi judges (fuqahal, who were active in the Mamluk community, contributed to the development of the leading names of the Ottoman scientific community and this thought had an impact on their understanding of science. In this context, it is possible to say that the fiqh studies of the Ottomans in the first period were influenced by the Mamluk Hanafi who had their characteristics. The two main characteristics of Hanafi thought in the Mamluk period, the hadith-centred juristic (fiqh) idea and the method of mamzuc (mixed) fiqh style are also seen in Ottoman fiqh works.