Saving the Minds and Loyalties of Subjects: Ottoman Education Policy Against The Spread of Shiism in Iraq During The Time of Abdülhamid II Faruk Yaslıçimen
[email protected] ABSTRACT Towards the end of the nineteenth century, Ottoman au- thorities realized that the Sunni orthopraxy and ipso facto state sovereignty in Iraq was in danger. They believed that the great numbers of Sunni masses converting to Shiism could pose a serious political risk in the near future. To guarantee the political loyalties of the subjects living in Iraq, the Ottoman authorities formulated a policy of educa- tion to protect and correct beliefs. This article explains how the Ottoman government during the time of Abdülhamid II applied counter-measures against the perceived spread of Shiism in Iraq. These included appointing single Sunni pro- fessors to madrasas, sending itinerant preachers among the 63 tribesmen to teach them the basic tenets of Sunnism, open- Dîvân DİSİPLİNLERARASI ing modern schools, and taking Iraqi Shiite boys at an early ÇALIŞMALAR DERGİSİ age to Istanbul to change their beliefs. The article further Cilt 21 say› 41 (2016/2), 63-108 addresses issues that emerged during the implementation of this policy, such as the questions of whether to select lo- cal or non-local ulama and how to overcome financial chal- Faruk YASLIÇİMEN lenges. Overall, the Ottoman policy of education aimed at disseminating an identity of Ottomanness (Osmanlılık) that included the correction of the beliefs of non-Sunni Muslim groups. This also meant re-defining Ottomanness in closer association with the Sunni interpretation of Islam. Keywords: Ottoman, Iraq, Nineteenth Century, State, Au- thority, Education, Madrasa, Ulama, School, Sunni, Shiite, Policy of Sectarianism.