BENEFACTIONS OF OTTOMAN SULTANS DURING RAMADAN AND MUHARRAM IN THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY XVIII. YÜZYILDA OSMANLI PADİŞAHLARININ RAMAZAN VE MUHARREM İHSANLARI
Turk Kulturu ve Haci Bektas Veli - Arastirma Dergisi, sa.118, ss.189-206, 2026 (Scopus, TRDizin)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Basım Tarihi: 2026
- Doi Numarası: 10.60163/tkhcbva.1650530
- Dergi Adı: Turk Kulturu ve Haci Bektas Veli - Arastirma Dergisi
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Scopus, MLA - Modern Language Association Database, Directory of Open Access Journals, TR DİZİN (ULAKBİM), MLA International Bibliography
- Sayfa Sayıları: ss.189-206
- Anahtar Kelimeler: Benefaction, Muharram, Ottoman Sultans, Ramadan, Topkapi Palace
- Açık Arşiv Koleksiyonu: AVESİS Açık Erişim Koleksiyonu
- Bilecik Şeyh Edebali Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
This article examines the regular gifts bestowed by Ottoman sultans on various occasions during the months of Ramadan and Muharram in the 18th century. As is well known, the months of Ramadan and Muharram are sacred months for Muslims, and believers strive to make the most of the spiritual atmosphere of these months through various acts of worship. In the Ottoman world, too, these sacred months were observed with great care by both the general public and members of the court; the month of Ramadan, in particular, was celebrated intensively through acts of worship and the performance of various rituals and ceremonies. Ottoman sultans bestowed numerous customary gifts during this period. As these gifts, the vast majority of which occurred during the month of Ramadan, became much more evident in archival records from the 18th century onwards, and as the ceremonies and protocols established in this century became firmly established, this has led the study to focus on this particular century. To this end, the article first discusses the visit to the Hırka-i Şerif, the foremost ceremony of the month of Ramadan, which takes place on the 15th day of the month, and mentions the gifts bestowed on this occasion. Subsequently, the article discusses the distribution of sugar money during this month and the gifts given at the conclusion of the Tarawih prayers; it then touches upon the fitra alms distributed by the Ottoman sultans, which, whilst not strictly classified as gifts, are mentioned due to their established nature as a customary practice. In presenting this information, the article addresses not only the manifestations of these gifts in the 18th century but also their historical development, to the extent permitted by the available sources. Thus, the alms were examined in terms of their origins and the changes they underwent over the course of history. Finally, the article touched upon the ashure dessert prepared during the month of Muharram and the process of its preparation in the Ottoman palace. Through examples drawn from Ottoman archival records and the explanations provided, the article focused on the aspects of these sacred occasions as reflected in the lives of the Ottoman sultans.