ŞEYHÜLİSLAM EBUSSUÛD EFENDİ FETVÂLARI IŞIĞINDA OSMANLI SÜNNÎLİĞİ

OTTOMAN SUNNISM WITHIN THE LIGHT OF SHEIKH AL-İSLAM EBUSSUUD EFENDI’S LEGAL OPINIONS (FATWA)

Osman Gazi, a statesman, was the first figure to found the Ottoman State. Sheikh Edebali, a sufi Muslim and Dursun Fakih, a Muslim scholar, were also important on this matter. Then its scholarly formation had continued to take form under the influence of Dawud-i Kayseri/Molla Fenari, Çivizâde/Ibn-i Kemal and Ebussuud Efendi. The period of Ibn-i Kemal and Ebussuud Efendi, was the most complex and controversial time. In that period, the complexity had been tried to be removed and popular - official culture had been shaped into Sunni form, which was Maturidi/Ash’ari thought, by the Ottoman State Power’s wish and desire. In this study, we examine this formation and transformation efforts especially in the light of Ebussuud Efendi’s fatwas, who was one of the main characters in that time.