The Ulama of the Late Ottoman Empire

Course Overview

Beginning with the reform era of the nineteenth century, this course explores how the Ulama responded to the changes taking place in the Ottoman Empire. While there is much information and awareness of reformist ulema in the Arab world and South Asian context, the general information of the Ottoman ulema of this period is still wanting. Particular attention will be given to famous figures such as Ahmed Cevdet Pasha, Musa Kazım Efendi,Mehmed Akif Ersoy and Mustafa Sabri Efendi to name a few, who are well covered in the Turkish literature but not in English.

Through their writings and political interventions, the course asks how these scholars understood concepts such as sharia, justice, consultation (meşveret), constitutional government, sovereignty, the caliphate, liberty and political community. It ultimately considers what happened to the Ottoman Islamic intellectual tradition as the empire collapsed and a new political order emerged in its place.

Course instructor: Dr. Yakoob Ahmed

Start date: Tuesday 3rd Novmber 2026

Course Duration: 3 months (12 lessons)

Lesson Length: 1 hour a week

Lesson Timings: Every Tuesday 8:30 pm to 9:30 pm UK time

Course fee: £80 one-time payment or £45 for 2 months or £32 for 3 months

✅ Recordings provided

✅ Lifetime access

Detailed Course Outline:

Week 1 – Why Study the Ulama of this Period

 Week 2 – Muhammad Amin Ibn Abidin – The Hanafi

Week 3 – Ahmed Cevdet – Alim, Historian and Curator of the Mecelle

Week 4 – Muhammad Namık Kemal – The Young Ottoman

Week 5 – Abu Huda As-Sayyadi – Sufi Shaykh of Abdulhamid II

Week 6 – Ömer Ziyaddin Dagestani – Nakshabandi Muhadith

Week 7– Shaykh ul-Islam Musa Kazım Efendi – The Reformer

Week 8 – Muhammad Elmalılı Hamdi Yazır – Translator of the Turkish Quran

Week 9 – Bediuzzam Said Nursi – Founder of a Movement

Week 10 – Mehmed Akif – The Poet

Week 11 – Shaykh ul-Islam Mustafa Sabri Efendi – Traditionalist Reformer

Week 12 – Zahid el-Kevseri (Al-Kawthari) – Alim in exile