Türkiyat Mecmuası

Öz

Öz

Öz

This article aims to examine through a case how the provincial scholars of the Second Constitutional Era viewed new and modern political and intellectual concepts and events. The Committee of Union and Progress accelerated the amendment processes of the Kanun-ı Esasi [Ottoman Constitution of 1876] after the 31 March Incident and concluded in a way that limited the power of the palace and sultan as well as brought new regulations. Meanwhile, Sheikh al-Islam Pirîzâde Mehmed Sahib Efendi tried to use proofs to show that the new political system was in compliance with the Sharia with a declaration he published in his desire to prevent any possible criticisms or opposition movements (August 1909). At the same time, Hoca Behçet Efendi, a mudarris [lesson teacher] in Kavala, published his articles in the newspaper Tanin under the titles “İslamiyet Mâni-i Terakki ve Meşrutiyet Değildir” [Islam is not an obstacle to progress or constitutionalism “Uhuvvet-i İslamiye” [Solidarity in Islam], “Maarif-i İslamiye” [Modern Education in Islam], and “Din ve İntibah-ı İslam” [The religion and rebirth of Islam], which supported and annotated the declaration of Sheikh al-Islam (September-December 1909). Thus, the declaration that had been published to address all the ulema and sheikhs in the center and in the province found responses and support in the provinces. This study publishes these writings from Hoca Behçet as well as describes, analyzes, and critiques his ideas and approach to innovations within the framework of biographical information and a periodical context using the method of thought history. Upon evaluating the writings, Hoca Behçet will be seen like many scholars and intellectuals of his period to have adopted and attempted to justify modern and European concepts such as constitutionalism (meşrutiyet), civilization (medeniyet), progress (terakki), and modern education/science (maarif) without examining the social, cultural, scientific, or intellectual equivalents of these concepts in the Ottoman Islamic world and thus without seeing the problems these concepts involve at higher levels. In the meantime, underlining his efforts was also necessary in order to place Islam at the center of modernization attempts. However, the example of Hoca Behçet also allows for a review of the preconceptions that the provincial ulema and members of the ilmiya [cultured] from the lowborn people had been opposed to modernization and were pro-status quo with weak connections to the center.