The following is a list of
Sheikh-ul-Islams of the
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...
. After the foundation of the Empire around 1300, the title of Sheikh-ul-Islam, formerly used in the
Abbasid Caliphate
The Abbasid Caliphate ( or ; ar, الْخِلَافَةُ الْعَبَّاسِيَّة, ') was the third caliphate to succeed the Islamic prophet Muhammad. It was founded by a dynasty descended from Muhammad's uncle, Abbas ibn Abdul-Muttalib ...
, was given to a leader authorized to issue legal opinion or
fatwa
A fatwā ( ; ar, فتوى; plural ''fatāwā'' ) is a legal ruling on a point of Islamic law (''sharia'') given by a qualified '' Faqih'' (Islamic jurist) in response to a question posed by a private individual, judge or government. A jurist i ...
. During the reign of Sultan
Murad II
Murad II ( ota, مراد ثانى, Murād-ı sānī, tr, II. Murad, 16 June 1404 – 3 February 1451) was the sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1421 to 1444 and again from 1446 to 1451.
Murad II's reign was a period of important economic deve ...
, (1421-1444, 1446-1451) the position became an official title, with authority over other
mufti
A Mufti (; ar, مفتي) is an Islamic jurist qualified to issue a nonbinding opinion ('' fatwa'') on a point of Islamic law (''sharia''). The act of issuing fatwas is called ''iftāʾ''. Muftis and their ''fatwas'' played an important rol ...
s in the Empire. In the late 16th century, Shaykh al-Islam were assigned to appoint and dismiss supreme judges, high ranking college professors, and heads of
Sufi orders. Prominent figures include
Zenbilli Ali Cemali Efendi (1445-1526),
Ibn-i Kemal (Kemalpasazade) (1468-1533),
Ebussuud Efendi
Ebussuud Efendi ( tr, Mehmed Ebüssuûd Efendi, 30 December 1490 – 23 August 1574)İsmail Hâmi Danişmend, ''Osmanlı Devlet Erkânı'', Türkiye Yayınevi, İstanbul, 1971, p. 114. was a Hanafi Maturidi Ottoman jurist and Qur'an exegete, w ...
(1491-1574) and Muhammad Zahid al-Kawthari (1879-1952).
List
During the existence of the office (from 1424 to 1922), there were in total 131 Sheikh-ul-Islams. The longest-serving officeholder was Ebussuud Efendi for 29 years, the shortest was
Memikzade Mustafa Efendi for 13 hours.
[For a list of ''şeyḫülislāmları'', see Yakut 2005, pp. 242–247]
*1.
Molla Şemseddin Fenari (1424–1430)
*2.
Molla Fahrettin Acemi (1430–1460)
*3.
Molla Hüsrev (1460–1480)
*4.
Molla Gürâni (1480–1488)
*5.
Molla Abdülkerim (1488–1495)
*6.
Alaettin Çelebi (1495–1496)
*7.
Efdalzade Hamidettin (1496–1503)
*8.
Zenbilli Muhammed Ali Effendi ben Ahmad ben Muhammad El Cemali (1503-1526) شيخ الإسلام أبي محمد بن أحمد بن محمد الجمالي
*9.
Kemalpaşazade Ahmet Şemsettin Efendi (Ibn-i Kemal) (1526–1534)
*10.
Sadullah Sadi Efendi (1534–1539)
*11.
Çivizade Muhittin Mehmet Efendi (1539–1542)
*12.
Hamidi Abdülkadir Efendi (1542–1543)
*13.
Fenerizade Muhittin Efendi (1543–1545)
*14.
Ebussuud Efendi
Ebussuud Efendi ( tr, Mehmed Ebüssuûd Efendi, 30 December 1490 – 23 August 1574)İsmail Hâmi Danişmend, ''Osmanlı Devlet Erkânı'', Türkiye Yayınevi, İstanbul, 1971, p. 114. was a Hanafi Maturidi Ottoman jurist and Qur'an exegete, w ...
(1545–1574)
*15.
Hamit Mahmut Efendi Hamit is the Turkish spelling of the Arabic masculine given name Hamid.
People named Hamit include:
* Hamit Altıntop, Turkish footballer
* Hamit Kaplan, Turkish sport wrestler
* Hamit Karakus, Dutch politician
* Hamit Zübeyir Koşay, Turkish ...
(1574–1577)
*16.
Kadızade Ahmet Şemsettin Efendi (1577–1580)
*17.
Malulzade Mehmet Efendi (1580–1582)
*18.
Çivizade Hacı Mehmet Efendi (1582–1587)
*19.
Müeyyetzade Abdülkadir Efendi (1587–1589)
*20.
Bostanzade Mehmet Efendi (1589–1592)
*21.
Bayramzade Hacı Zekeriya Efendi (1592–1593)
** Bostanzade Mehmet Efendi (1593–1598), 2nd time
*22.
Hoca Sadeddin Efendi
Hoca Sadeddin Efendi ( ota, خواجه سعد الدین افندی; 1536/1537 – October 2, 1599İsmail Hâmi Danişmend, ''Osmanlı Devlet Erkânı'', Türkiye Yayınevi, İstanbul, 1971, p. 118. ) was an Ottoman scholar, official, and histo ...
(1598–1599)
*23.
Hacı Mustafa Sunullah Efendi
Hacı is the Turkish spelling of the title and epithet Hajji. It may refer to:
People
* Hacı I Giray (died 1466), founder and the first ruler of the Crimean Khanate
* Hacı Ahmet ( 1566), purported Turkish cartographer
* Hacı Arif Bey (1831–1 ...
(1599–1601)
*24.
Hocasadettinzade Mehmet Çelebi Efendi (1601–1603)
** Hacı Mustafa Sunullah Efendi (1603), 2nd time
*25.
Ebülmeyamin Mustafa Efendi (1603–1604)
** Hacı Mustafa Sunullah Efendi (1604–1606), 3rd time
** Ebülmeyamin Mustafa Efendi (1606), 2nd time
** Hacı Mustafa Sunullah Efendi (1606–1608), 4th time
** Hocasadettinzade Mehmet Çelebi Efendi (1608–1615), 2nd term
*26.
Hocazade Esad Efendi
Hocazade Esad Efendi ( ota, خواجه زادہ اسد افندی; 14 June 1570 – 22 May 1625) was a Şeyhülislam (Minister of Islamic Issues) of the Ottoman Empire from 1615 to 1622, and again in 1623 until his death in 1625.
Early life
Hoc ...
(1615–1622)
*27.
Zekeriyazade Yahya Efendi (1622–1623)
** Hocazade Esad Efendi (1623–1625), 2nd time
** Zekeriyazade Yahya Efendi (1625–1632), 2nd time
*28.
Ahizade Hüseyin Efendi (1632–1634)
** Zekeriyazade Yahya Efendi (1634–1644), 3rd time
*29.
Esatpaşazade Ebu Sait Mehmet Efendi (1644–1646)
*30.
Muid Ahmet Efendi (1646–1647)
*31.
Hacı Abdürrahim Efendi (1647–1649)
*32.
Bahai Mehmet Efendi (1649–1651)
*33.
Karaçelebizade Abdülaziz Efendi (1651)
*34.
Esatefendizade Ebu Sait Mehmet Efendi (1651–1652)
** Bahai Mehmet Efendi (1652–1654), 2nd term
** Esatefendizade Ebu Sait Mehmet Efendi (1654–1655), 2nd time
*35.
Hüsamzade Abdurrahman Efendi (1655–1656)
*36.
Memikzade Mustafa Efendi (1656)
*37.
Hocazade Mesut Efendi (1656)
*38.
Hanefi Mehmet Efendi (1656)
*39.
Balizade Mustafa Efendi (1656–1657)
*40.
Bolevi Mustafa Efendi (1657–1659)
*41.
Esiri Mehmet Efendi (1659–1662)
*42.
Sunizade Seyit Mehmet Emin Efendi (1662)
*43.
Minkarizade Yahya Efendi (1662–1674)
*44.
Çatalcalı Ali Efendi (1674–1686)
*45.
Ankaravi Mehmet Emin Efendi (1686–1687)
*46.
Debbağzade Mehmet Efendi (1687–1688)
*47.
Hacı Feyzullah Efendi (1688)
** Debbağzade Mehmet Efendi (1688–1690), 2nd time
*48.
Ebusaitzade Feyzullah Feyzi Efendi (1690–1692)
** Çatalcalı Ali Efendi (1692), 2nd time
** Ebusaitzade Feyzullah Feyzi Efendi (1692–1694), 2nd time
*49.
Sadık Mehmet Efendi (1694–1695)
*50.
İmam Mehmet Efendi (1695)
** Hacı Feyzullah Efendi (1695–1703), 2nd time
*51.
Paşmakçızade Seyit Ali Efendi (1703)
*52.
Yekçeşm Hüseyin Efendi (1703)
** İmam Mehmet Efendi (1703–1704), 2nd time
** Paşmakçızade Seyit Ali Efendi (1704–1707), 2nd term
** Sadık Mehmet Efendi (1707–1708), 2nd time
*53.
Ebezade Abdullah Efendi (1708–1710)
** Paşmakçızade Seyit Ali Efendi (1710–1712), 3rd term
** Ebezade Abdullah Efendi (1712–1713), 2nd term
*54.
Mehmet Ataullah Efendi (1713)
*55.
İmam Mahmut Efendi (1713–1714)
*56.
Mirza Mustafa Efendi (1714–1715)
*57.
Menteşzade Abdürrahman Efendi (1715–1716)
*58.
Ebu İshak İsmail Naim Efendi (1716–1718)
*59.
Yenişehirli Abdullah Efendi (1718–1730)
*60.
Mirzazade Şeyh Mehmet Efendi (1730–1731)
*61.
Paşmakçızade Abdullah Efendi (1731–1732)
*62.
Damatzade Ebulhayr Ahmet Efendi (1732–1733)
*63.
Ebuishakzade İshak Efendi (1733–1734)
*64.
Dürri Mehmet Efendi (1734–1736)
*65.
Seyit Mustafa Efendi (1736–1745)
*66.
Pirizade Mehmet Sahip Efendi (1745–1746)
*67.
Hayatizade Mehmet Emin Efendi (1746)
*68.
Seyit Mehmet Zeynelabidin Efendi (1746–1748)
*69.
Ebuishakzade Mehmet Esat Efendi (1748–1749)
*70.
Mehmet Sait Efendi (1749–1750)
*71.
Seyit Murtaza Efendi (1750–1755)
*72.
Abdullah Vassaf Efendi (1755)
*73.
Damatzade Feyzullah Efendi (1755–1756)
*74.
Dürrizade Mustafa Efendi (1756–1757)
** Damatzade Feyzullah Efendi (1757–1758), 2nd term
*75.
Mehmet Salih Efendi (1758–1759)
*76.
Çelebizade İsmail Asım Efendi (1759–1760)
*77.
Hacı Veliyettin Efendi (1760–1761)
*78.
Tirevi Ahmet Efendi (1761–1762)
** Dürrizade Mustafa Efendi (1762–1767), 2nd time
** Hacı Veliyettin Efendi (1767–1768), 2nd time
*79.
Pirizade Osman Sahip Efendi (1768–1770)
*80.
Mirzazade Seyit Mehmet Sait Efendi Mirzazade — surname.
* Aydin Mirzazade — is a deputy in the National Assembly of Azerbaijan
The National Assembly ( az, Milli Məclis), also transliterated as Milli Mejlis, is the legislative branch of government in Azerbaijan. The unic ...
(1770–1773)
*81.
Şerifzade Seyit Mehmet Şerif Efendi (1773–1774)
** Dürrizade Mustafa Efendi (1774), 3rd time
*82.
İvazpaşazade İbrahim Bey Efendi (1774–1775)
*83.
Salihzade Mehmet Emin Efendi (1775–1776)
*84.
Vassafzade Mehmet Esat Efendi (1776–1778)
*85.
Mehmet Şerif Efendi (1778–1782)
*86.
Seyit İbrahim Efendi (1782–1783)
*87.
Dürrizade Seyit Mehmet Ataullah Efendi (1783–1785)
** İvazpaşazade İbrahim Bey Efendi (1785), 2nd time
*88.
Arapzade Ahmet Ataullah Efendi (1785)
*89.
Dürrizade Seyit Mehmet Arif Efendi (1785–1786)
*90.
Müftizade Ahmet Efendi (1786–1787)
*91.
Mekki Mehmet Efendi (1787–1788)
*92.
Seyit Mehmet Kamil Efendi (1788–1789)
** Mehmet Şerif Efendi (1789), 2nd time
*93.
Hamitzade Mustafa Efendi (1789–1791)
*94.
Seyit Yahya Tevfik Efendi (1791)
** Mekki Mehmet Efendi (1791–1792), 2nd time
** Dürrizade Seyit Mehmet Arif Efendi (1792–1798), 2nd time
*95.
Mustafa Aşir Efendi
Mustafa ( ar, مصطفى
, Muṣṭafā) is one of the names of Prophets and messengers in Islam, Prophet Muhammad, and the name means "chosen, selected, appointed, preferred", used as an Arabic language, Arabic given name and surname. Mustafa is ...
(1798–1800)
*96.
Sâmânizade Ömer Hulusi Efendi (1800–1803)
*97.
Salihzade Ahmet Esat Efendi (1803–1806)
*98.
Şerifzade Mehmet Ataullah Efendi (1806–1807)
** Sâmânizade Ömer Hulusi Efendi (1807), 2nd time
** Şerifzade Mehmet Ataullah Efendi (1807–1808), 2nd time
*99.
Arapzade Mehmet Arif Efendi (1808)
** Salihzade Ahmet Esat Efendi (1808), 2nd time
*100.
Dürrizade Seyit Abdullah Efendi (1808–1810)
** Sâmânizade Ömer Hulusi Efendi (1810–1812), 3rd time
** Dürrizade Seyit Abdullah Efendi (1812–1815), 2nd time
*101.
Mehmet Zeynelabidin Efendi (1815–1818)
*102.
Mekkizade Mustafa Asım Efendi (1818–1819)
*103.
Hacı Halil Efendi (1819–1821)
*104.
Yasincizade Abdülvehhap Efendi (1821–1822)
*105.
Sıtkızade Ahmet Reşit Efendi (1822–1823)
** Mekkizade Mustafa Asım Efendi (1823–1825), 2nd time
*106.
Kadızade Mehmet Tahir Efendi (1825–1828)
** Yasincizade Abdülvehhap Efendi (1828–1833), 2nd time
** Mekkizade Mustafa Asım Efendi (1833–1846), 3rd time
*107.
Ahmet Arif Hikmet Bey Efendi
Ahmad ( ar, أحمد, ʾAḥmad) is an Arabic male given name common in most parts of the Muslim world. Other spellings of the name include Ahmed and Ahmet.
Etymology
The word derives from the root (ḥ-m-d), from the Arabic (), from the ve ...
(1846–1854)
*108.
Meşrepzade Mehmet Arif Efendi (1854–1858)
*109.
Seyit Mehmet Sadettin Efendi (1858–1863)
*110.
Atıfzade Ömer Hüsamettin Efendi (1863–1866)
*111.
Hacı Mehmet Refik Efendi (1866–1868)
*112.
Hasan Fehmi Efendi (1868–1871)
*113.
Ahmed Muhtar Molla Bey Efendi (1871–1872)
*114.
Turşucuzade Ahmet Muhtar Efendi (1872–1874)
*115.
Hasan Hayrullah Efendi (1874)
** Hasan Fehmi Efendi (1874–1876), 2nd time
** Hasan Hayrullah Efendi (1876–1877), 2nd time
*116.
Kara Halil Efendi (1877–1878)
** Ahmed Muhtar Molla Bey Efendi (1878), 2nd time
*117.
Uryanizade Ahmed Esad Efendi (1878–1889)
*118.
Bodrumlu Ömer Lütfi Efendi (1889–1891)
*119.
Mehmet Cemaleddin Efendi
, image = Djemaleddin_Effendi.jpg
, caption = Shaykh ul-Islam Mehmet Cemaleddin Efendi during the reign of Sultan Abdul Hamid II
, denomination = Sunni
, jurisprudence = Hanafi
, birth_date = 1848
...
(1891–1909)
*120. (1909)
*121. (1909)
*122. (1910)
*123. (1910–1911)
*124. (1911–1912)
** Mehmet Cemaleddin Efendi (1912–1913), 2nd time
*125.
Mehmet Esat Efendi (1913–1914)
*126.
Ürgüplü Mustafa Hayri Efendi (1914–1916)
** Musa Kazım Efendi (1916–1918), 2nd time
*127.
Ömer Hulusi Efendi (1918)
*128.
Haydarizade İbrahim Efendi (1918–1919)
*129.
Mustafa Sabri Efendi (1919)
** Haydarizade İbrahim Efendi (1919–1920), 2nd time
*130.
Dürrizade Abdullah Efendi (1920)
** Mustafa Sabri Efendi (1920), 2nd time
*131.
Medeni Mehmet Nuri Efendi (1920–1922)
References
Sources
*Yakut, Esra.
Şeyhülislamlık: yenileşme döneminde devlet ve din'. Istanbul: Kitap Yayınevi, 2005. For a list of ''şeyḫülislāmları'', see pp. 242–247.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sheikh-ul-Islams of the Ottoman Empire
Fatwas
*
Ottoman Empire-related lists
Islamic religious leaders
Religious leaders
Lists of Islamic religious leaders
Islamic scholars from the Ottoman Empire
Shaykh al-Islāms