Waqf Law in the Ottoman Empire (HUK430) | GSÜ

Content

Objective

This course aims to examine the legal structure, functioning, and socio-economic role of waqf institutions within the Ottoman Empire.

Course Content

The course covers the foundations of waqf law, legal nature of waqf deeds, administration, property status, reforms of the 19th century, and the transformation of waqf institutions into the Republican era.

Course Learning Outcomes

- Explain fundamental concepts of waqf law.
- Analyze the place of waqf institutions within the Ottoman legal system.
- Interpret waqf deeds as legal documents.
- Evaluate the social and economic functions of waqfs.
- Discuss the transformations during the modernization period.

Teaching and Learning Methods

lecture and discussion

References

Mehmet Akif Aydın Türk Hukuk Tarihi
Kadi court registers
Fatwa collections

Weekly Contents

Theory Topics
Week	Weekly Contents
1	Introduction; concept of waqf and roots in Islamic law
2	Overview of the Ottoman legal system
3	Types of waqfs: public, family waqf, and others
4	Drafting and legal nature of waqf deeds
5	Administration of waqfs: mutawalli, supervisor, qadi oversight
6	Types and legal status of waqf properties
7	Waqf revenues, accounting registers, and financial practices
8	Ownership and disposition restrictions in waqf property
9	Role of waqfs in urban and social life
10	Waqfs in education, health, and public services
11	Legal disputes and qadi court records
12	19th-century reforms and state centralization
13	Transformation of waqfs in the Republican era
14	Final evaluation and discussion