The Late Ottoman Malamiyya as a Supporter of a Western Liberal Attitude:
Analysis of a Narrative Cover Image

Die spätosmanische Melâmiyye als Förderin einer westlich-liberalen Gesinnung: Untersuchung eines Narrativs
The Late Ottoman Malamiyya as a Supporter of a Western Liberal Attitude: Analysis of a Narrative

Author(s): Cüneyd Yıldırım
Subject(s): Islam studies, The Ottoman Empire, History of Islam, History of Religion
Published by: Trakya Üniversitesi - İktisadi ve İdari Bilimler Fakültesi
Keywords: Malamiyya; Sufism; Macedonia; Late Ottoman Empire; Young Turks;

Summary/Abstract: The history of Sufism is in a way a history of the type of charisma that the famous German sociologist Max Weber described. Viewed in this light, it is possible to understand the involvement of many Sufis in political power, which is well known from different epochs in the history. Concerning the Late Ottoman Empire, some sources speak of Malami Sufis from the territory of present-day Macedonia who participated energetically in the Young Turk Revolution in favor of the liberal and westernized elites. Trying to explain this coalition, some scholars tend to see a tie between the teachings of the Malamiyya and non-conformist attitudes. This paper examines the sources that are accessible regarding the political commitment of Malami Sufis around 1900 and later to check the nonconformity thesis.

  • Issue Year: 10/2019
  • Issue No: 19
  • Page Range: 1-15
  • Page Count: 15
  • Language: German