The Ottoman Ulema and the Quest for an Islamic Constitution

The Constitutional Revolution of 1908–1909 is one of the most transformative yet misunderstood moments in late Ottoman history. This book challenges conventional narratives of this period as a secular rupture by the Young Turks from Islamic tradition, instead spotlighting the pivotal role of the Sunni ulema in shaping and sustaining the new constitutional order. Drawing on Ottoman press materials, parliamentary debates and contemporary theological writings, the book demonstrates how the ulema articulated a distinctly Islamic vision of constitutionalism rooted in mesrutiyet (consitutionalism), sura (consultation) and adâlet (justice), while also engaging critically with modern ideals of freedom, equality and fraternity. It shows how, far from being passive or reactionary, the ulema emerged as active political thinkers and institutional actors who sought to reconcile Islamic governance with modern constitutional principles. Placing the Constitutional Revolution within a larger discourse that was part of a century-long culture of revolts and revolutionary activity, this book reframes the late Ottoman constitutional experience as a dynamic synthesis of faith, reform and political modernity.