Abstract:

With the French occupation of Tunisia in 1881, the French colonial period began in Tunisia, which would last until 1956. In this study, the role of the ulema, who are accepted as the representatives and leaders of the Islamic religion in the eyes of the state and the public, despite the establishment of the French protectorate in 1881 and the modernization and the construction and functioning of the state until the 1920s, their attitudes and activities against the colonial authority and modernization steps will be examined. How they use their power as a source of legitimation and how they are used by France will be discussed in the context of modernization and legitimation. Legitimation is one of the most important and effective functions of religion. Although the role and influence of the ulama in the state, politics and society in this process is a secondary factor, it is important and will contribute greatly to the evaluation of their effectiveness. During the preparation of this study, it was examined and evaluated by making qualitative research within the framework of historical analysis, and resources such as books, theses, articles obtained as a result of literature review were used.

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