Abstract:

This study, which aims to evaluate the waqf (vakıf, charitable endowments) system of Istanbul in the eighteenth-century, is based on the grading of Istanbul Ahkâm Registers in the period of 1750-1762. In order to classify the provisions of Ahkâm Registers; (a) registry (book) numbers, (b) application areas, (c) conflict issues, (d) the social position of the litigants, (e) the religion of the litigants, and (f) application years were chosen as the basic analysis variables. Each judgement, which were based on this systematic, were examined in themselves. 192 provisions of the waqf system were determined in Istanbul Ahkâm Registers in the period of January 1750-December 1762. The analysis of this Ahkâm Books (between 3-6 books), the maximum provisions were found with 3rt part (29.7%) of them. The most problems of the waqf system of Istanbul were “revenue and accounting of the waqf” (62%), “using, devolution and istibdal (exchanging) of the waqf’s place” (60.4%) and “lease of the waqf, rental procedures and tenancy” (45.8%). Moreover, the most waqf’s problems occurred in Surici (64.1%) region. Also, the most waqf system problem in Surici and Uskudar was “istibdal (exchanging)”(respectively 95 and 10 cases) and in Haslar and Galata was “intermeddling, suppression or occupancy to the waqf’s place” (respectively 13 and 4cases). The waqf system problems of Istanbul in the eighteenth-century mostly occurred between the reaya (92.2%). Both the applicants and the complainees were intensity composed by the Muslims reaya which were dwelling in centrum. It was determined that 54.2% of this waqf’s problems occured in the period of 1758-1762

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