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A Torch in the Ottoman Twilight: The Life and Struggles of Şeyhülislam Mustafa Sabri Efendi (1286–1374/1869–1954)
Amin Gharad
Abstract
Mustafa Sabri, one of the final occupants of the office of Ottoman şeyhülislam, was a dynamic ʿālim and Muslim public intellectual who lived through a period of great turmoil and transformation. In addition to being a prolific scholar and ascending to the loftiest echelons of late Ottoman scholastic and intellectual society, he was also a seasoned statesman and political operative. Beyond his numerous scholarly works, Sabri also published widely in numerous Arabic- and Turkish-language periodicals. This biographical entry surveys Sabri’s eventful life and aims to underscore the importance of his contributions to Muslim engagement with modernity.
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Key Words
Mustafa Sabri, modernity, Mecelle, Ottoman, fiqh, Ḥanafism, Kemalism