Refutation of Orientalist Attacks on the Ottoman Caliphate
Sultanah X
In 1908, Sultan Abdul Hamid II was deposed, and effectively, although it was to totter on until 1924, the Ottoman rule was brought down. 1922 saw the separation of Sultanniyah from Khilafah, two years later it was totally abolished. In a series of articles we will examine and refute the claims and attacks of the West, falsely accusing the Ottoman Caliphate of being Oppressive, Corrupt and Usurpers of land.
Ottomans
usurpers of land or upholders of Islam?
Harems
Topkapi
Janessaries
and the role of the Ottoman Army.
Ottomans usurpers of land or upholders of Islam?
to be contiued...
1- Claims of Mustafa Kemal:
"Sovereignty and Sultanate are taken by strength, by power and by force. It was by force that the sons of Osman seized the sovereignty and the Sultanate of the Turkish nation; they have maintained this usurpation for six centuries. Now the Turkish nation has rebelled and has put a stop to these usurpers, and has effectively taken sovereignty into its own hands.”
[Text of Kemal’s abolition document]As for above claim, the persistent question remains:
since Kemal was a Macedonian and not a Turk, why was he so passionately determined to forge a racially pure Turkish nation? It has to mean that, far from having a positive Hitlarian nationalism as motivating factor; his intentions were to break up the unified Ummah and abolish the remnants of the Islamic law Shariah and its rule.
Let us examine the rhetorical stuff – Osman did not seize the sovereignty and Sultanate. He did not see himself as a Sultan, rather as a Ghazi, or warrior fighting in the way to spread the supreme ideology he had embraced, Islam. He ruled in the manner of his day, and his followers would not have known what on earth Kemal was talking about. There was absolutely no concept of ‘Nation State’ – a modern doctrine that followed 1789. Osman did not usurp – if so, who did he usurp? You cannot usurp a populace. If they did for six centuries the populace must be shamefully weak, which hardly was the case with the powerful Osmani Ummah.
Next – the Turkish nation had not rebelled against the Osmani Caliphate. First the ‘young Turks’ and then Kemal were the rebels. Kemal has not only given a personal oath of allegiance or loyalty to the Sultan, but he had made many promises to defend the same Sultaniyyah. This can now be seen a ruthless deception. Whoever had taught him in his native Salanika had taught him well - to loath Islam and aspire to a 20th century secular dictatorship. Now it is inescapable that Hitler, Kemal, Stalin, Mussolini and Franco were all the same, aesthetic ‘nationalistic’ characteristics aside. All claimed to be the voice of and fare of their people. All were absolute dictators. All ensconced themselves in the palaces of the overthrown leaders. All murdered their political opponents on a mass scale. As Kemal added in his abolition text, referring to those who oppose it, “some heads may roll in the process,” …they certainly did - the heads of the Islamic scholars who opposed the abolishment of the Islamic Caliphate. The session of deputies that declared the Osmani Caliphate finished was brought to a close with the prayer recited in Turkish. The allies were delighted for Kemal had done what they had not deemed to do.
Ottoman rule had been from the very being motivated by Islam, it was Islam which transformed the Turkish warriors from looters into being the Ghazis of Islam. The Ghazis, who were given the title of Sultan, which suited them for they were indeed the protectors and upholders of the supreme ideology of Islam. It was only much later period of 15th century, when the Abbassids of Egypt themselves handed over the Caliphate to the Ottomans. Sultan Selim was the first to gain the title of Caliph in 1506, and therefore the founding of Topkapi which played an important role in the flourishing of the Caliphate.
An advice of Osmani Ghazi to his son Orhan Ghazi serves as an evidence of their motives of ruling, and further incidents discussed in the essay will support the case further.
Further discussion includes: The Harems, Topkapi, Janessaries and the role of the Ottoman Army.
15 December 2002
(Addressed to His Son Orhan Ghazi)
“ Son! Be careful about the religious issues before all other duties. The religious precepts build a strong the state. Do not give the religious duties to careless, faithless and sinful men or to dissipated, indifferent or inexperienced people. And also do not leave the state administrations such people. Because the one without fear of God the Creator, does not afraid of the created. The one committing a great sin and continuing to sin can not be loyal. If that one would had loyal person is loyal he fits to the prophet’s true notification and so does not go out from Ser-i Serif ( sheriat ). Avoid from the cruelty and superstition. Remove the persons who encourage the cruelty and superstition from your state. Underlying reason is that such persons make decline to you. Always widen the state by jihad. Because if the campaign is not held for a long time a deficiency and clumsiness appear on the braveness of soldier, on the knowledge, information and measure of commanders. Such persons who know better about the campaign die and inexperienced persons come instead of them. So many mistakes emerge and the state damage much from this. Save the Beytul Mal ( treasury ). Try to make much the state stock. With the border of Ser-i Serif be contented with you have and do not destroy in an unuseful way but your needs and necessities and do not squander. Do not be proud with your soldiers and goods. Because they are the intermediaries in the way of God for being carried the public services as a whole and for widening justice and virtue to the world. Protect the statesmen working for God’s sake. After their death care about their families and answer their needs. Do not seize your public goods by violence. Give your kind hand to the deserved people and save such persons’ relations from the troubles. Protect better military officials. Scholars, virtue men, artists, literary men are the power of the state structure. Treat with kindness and show honour to these men. Make close relationship when you hear about a virtuous man and give wealth and grant him. In your state the number of learned men, virtuous men and knowledged men becomes high. Put order the political and religious duties. Take lesson from me so I came to these places as a weak leader and I reached to the help of God ( inayet-i celile-i Rabbani ) although I did not deserve. You follow my way and protect Din-i Muhammedi and the believers and also your followers. Respect the right of God and his servants. Do not hesitate to advise your successors in this way. Depend on God’s help in the esteem of justice and fairness, to remove the cruelty, attempts in every duty. Protect your public from enemy’s invasion and from the cruelty. Do not behave any person in an unsuitable way with unfairness. Gratify the public and save all of their sake."
Transcript of the above adddress obtained from http://www.osmanli700.gen.tr
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