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Sheik-ul-Islam / Sheikh-ul-Islam

The Sheik-ul-Islam [less often Scherif-ul-Islam], a dignitary whose title denoted the chief of Islam (Mohammedanism), was the head of the ulema, or religio-judicial hierarchy of the empire. The Sheik-ul-Islam is the spiritual head of all Mohammedans, and even the Sultan cannot deprive him of his life or of his property. This exalted religious official wields immense power, and can under certain circumstances sentence the Sultan to deposition or death. In fact, neither of these penalties can be inflicted on a Sultan except under the authority of a fetvah, or order, from the Sheik-ul-Islam.

This title was created, in 1423, by the Ottoman emperor, Mahomet II, to be conferred on the celebrated Djelalzadeh, whom he raised to the dignity of mufti and cadi of Constantinople. Shah Ismail, founder of the dynasty of the Sofis, having instituted a new religious dignity in Persia, gave to the person who filled it, the title of Sheik-ul-Islam: and this prelate was regarded as the head of religion in that country.

The term Shaikh was at first restricted to the descendants of Muhammad'a first four vicegerents (Khalifa) on earth. These princes were Abvibakr the Sincere (Sadik), Umr the Discriminator (Faruk) between truth and falsehood, Usman and Ali Murtaza. From them are derived the names of the four original Shaikh clans Sadiki, Faruki, Usmani and Ulavi. The descendants of Abbas, uncle of the Prophet, were formed into a fifth class known as Abbasi. But the term Shaikh long ceased to bear its early meaning. The first change was that it was claimed by, and gradually conceded to, all who were descendants of men converted to the faith during the reigns of the first four Khalifas. Thus there are the Kuraishi Shaikhs, who are descended from Muhammad's tribe, the Kuraish ; and the Ansari Shaikhs or "the helpers," so named because their ancestors were citizens of Madina who assisted the prophet on his flight from Makka. The Ottoman Sheik-ul-Islam was appointed by the sultan with the concurrence of the ulema, and may not be put to death by the reigning sultan, but is liable to deposition and banishment by him, and to execution by the succeeding sultan. He is also styled the grand mufti, which defines his supreme judicial position; but sheik-ul-Islam is the more comprehensive designation, as it conveys the idea of religious as well as judicial supremacy; Islam is one system of law and religion. Although the sultan can depose the Sheik-ul-Islam at his own sweet will, the consent of that dignitary must be obtained before the padishah himself can be removed from his high estate. Thus, when Midhat Pasha conspired against the unhappy Abd-ul-Aziz, his first care was to obtain a written sanction for the sultan's deposition from the then Sheik-ulIslam, Hassan-Hiroullah. Without that sanction the troops would have revolted, and the plot have failed.

It has often been said that the sultan shares his spiritual power with the Sheik-ul-Islam, but, as a matter of actual fact, they are in a measure independent of each other. The Sheikul-Islam is the vicar-geueral, charged with those details of the spiritual life of the empire which would be too intricate for the sultan's unaided examination. Islam is a faith which has but slightly modified since its foundation, and neither sultan nor sheik is called upon to confirm new dogmas and ceremonies, or to concern themselves with the creation or dispersal of new religious orders. Their duty is to preserve the status quo in religious matters, and to keep alive the fervor, not to say fanaticism, of the Faithful throughout the empire. The Sheik-ulIslam acquaints his imperial master with any case arising in the Islamic priesthood, whether of sanctity to be rewarded, or of evil conduct to be punished; and the sultan metes out the appropriate sentence.

The Sheik ul Islam ranks officially with the grand vizir, and actually exercises more power. His is a unique office, possible only in an Islamic state. In some respects he is greater than the sultan himself, for to him it belongs to decree "Thus saith the law." The calif himself is not above that law. It was a decree of the Sheik ul Islam that deposed Abdul Hamid: the rifles of the constitutional army would have been futile without this spiritual authorization. He was the official interpreter of the holy law in a land where the Koran was above the constitution and the king.

The Ulema embrace three principal orders,- the Imams, or Ministers of Religion; the Muftis, who expound the Sacred Law; and the Kadis, or Mollahs, who are judges. More than eleven thousand Moslem clergy - if that word may be used of a faith the officials of which were, strictly speaking, never priests - were subordinate to the Sheik ul Islam. His stipend was a quarter of a million dollars a year, drawn from the revenues of the landed property of the vacuf, meaning property set aside for religious purposes. It is estimated that three fourths of all the urban property in Turkey is owned by the spiritual arm of the government. The dignity and power of the Sheik ul Islam can scarcely be overstated. It must be remembered that all the life of Turkey is attuned to the note of the muezzin, which daily sounds from the minarets of thousands of mosques.

Fetwa is the name of the authoritative decision - unconditionally authoritative, and without appeal - of the sheik-ul-Islam as the supreme interpreter of the civil and ecclesiastical laws of the empire. The theory of his office is that he will decide according to the laws, with a view to maintain the faith in its original purity and integrity, irrespective of any and all influences to the contrary. How far this is practicable it is left to the judgment of the reader to determine; but there is no reason to think that these sheiks have been more amenable to outside pressure than other judges.

The fetwas were generally anti-progressive, being based upon the assumed divine revelations of the koran. It was generally charged that the fetwas were often unprincipled decisions; that one, for instance, declared a treaty with unbelievers invalid if the faithful would be benefited by its infraction; and another, that a truce with heretics was binding only until the orthodox had recovered strength to renew the conflict. On the other hand, it is related to the credit of the institution that a sheik-ul-Islam being once asked, "If eleven Mussulmans, without just cause, kill an infidel (Christian) who is the subject of the padishah, and pays tribute, what is to be done?" is said to have replied, "Though the Mussulmans should be a thousand and one, let them all die."

The sultan could neither declare war nor conclude peace without the fetwas of the sheik-ul-Islam. Nor, in the event of a successful revolution, can the change be deemed legal until sanctioned by a fetwa.

Of the Great Mollahs there were nine, holding jurisdiction over the nine preeminent cities of the empire, which are as follows: Three religious capitals: Mecca, Medina, Jerusalem. The capitals of the three earlier caliphates: Damascus, of the Ommiade; Bagdad, of the Abbasside; Cairo, of the Fatimite. Three successive capitals of the Osmanli dynasty: Brusa, Adrianople, Constantinople.