How Should Muslims Understand Ottoman History Without Denial Or Apologetics?

Answered by Mawlana Ilyas Patel

Question

I was disturbed by reports of the Hamidian massacres and other violent events in Ottoman history, such as purges and killings. How should Muslims view these incidents, and how can such acts be reconciled with the values of Islam?

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate.

I pray you are in good faith and health. Thank you for your question.

Muslims should approach challenging and painful episodes in Islamic history with sincerity, balance, and intellectual honesty. History, like people, includes moments of achievement and failure.

Statecraft involves survival, borders, and taxes. It is intended to be guided by ethics, principles, and the limits of Sacred Law. However, the Late Ottomans were masters of statecraft, gradually losing their influence. They sometimes responded with violence (e.g., Hamidiye regiments) to maintain control.

Faith concerns values, principles—Truth—that are reflected in justice and a clear consideration of the consequences in the next life.

Distinguishing Islam from Muslims’ actions

Islamic teachings are judged by the Qur’an and the Sunnah, not by the actions of rulers or empires. Muslims, including rulers, are human beings, capable of good and evil. The Quran itself reminds believers:

“And do not let the hatred of a people cause you to swerve from justice. Be just; that is nearer to righteousness.” [Quran 5:8]

The verse commands: Do not be carried away by your hatred for some people to avoid observing justice with them. Instead, be just with everyone, whether a friend or an enemy.

This is why Allah said, Be just: that is nearer to piety (taqwa), this is better than if you abandon justice in this case. Although Allah said that observing justice is “nearer to Taqwa”, there is no other course of action to take; therefore, “nearer” here means “is”. [Ibn Kathir, Tafsir Ibn Kathir]

Judge by Divine Standards

The standards of religious guidance are the Quran and Sunna. They will be the judge of human conduct.

So when injustice or violence occurs, whether against Muslims or non-Muslims, it must be judged by these divine standards, and not excused, because the perpetrators were Muslim.

Muslims judge events not by loyalty to personalities or dynasties, but by divine principles. Justice (‘adl), the sanctity of life, due process, and accountability are non-negotiable values in Islam. Any historical event involving violence or persecution must be assessed in light of these principles, without denial, exaggeration, or apologetics.

The Difference Between Statecraft and Faith

1. Statecraft: Governance, Survival, and Strategy

Statecraft involves managing society, encompassing borders, security, revenue, and stability. While ideally guided by ethics and sacred law, human rulers are fallible, and the pursuit of survival can lead to questionable decisions.

The late Ottoman rulers, skilled in statecraft, faced immense pressures and sometimes employed harsh measures, such as deploying the Hamidiye regiments, to maintain control, often for strategic reasons rather than religious morality.

These actions show the limits of human governance: even capable rulers may make unjust or immoral decisions under duress.

2. Faith: Values, Justice, and Accountability

Faith concerns values, principles, and the pursuit of Truth. It shows in justice, ethics, compassion, and mindfulness of future consequences. Islam clarifies what is permissible and stresses that power or convenience does not justify injustice.

Recognizing the Services of Muslim Rulers, Empires, like the Ottomans

Throughout their long reigns, the Ottoman rulers undoubtedly made remarkable contributions to the Umma. They effectively maintained political stability across vast territories, protected Muslim lands, supported religious institutions, encouraged scholarship, promoted trade, and upheld Islamic law in many ways. Thanks to their leadership, Islam remained strong socially, economically, and politically, even during times of global chaos.

Moral Clarity: Wrong Remains Wrong

At the same time, Islam does not grant moral immunity to any ruler or state. Acts of injustice, oppression, or unlawful violence, regardless of who commits them, remain wrong according to the standards of the Quran and Sunnah. Political success or historical achievement does not justify injustice.

Islamic ethics demand moral clarity: what is wrong remains wrong, even when committed by Muslims, and even when committed during otherwise significant or successful eras.

Reliance on Reliable Historical Sources

At the same time, intellectual responsibility requires caution when engaging with historical narratives. Not all sources carry equal weight. Muslims should rely on rigorous, critically evaluated, and well-corroborated historical evidence, recognizing the complexity of archival material, political motivations, and the passage of time.

Caution Regarding Orientalist and Neo-Orientalist Narratives

Extra caution is needed when examining Orientalist and neo-Orientalist accounts, many of which were influenced by colonial goals, ideological biases, or civilizational rivalries. While such works may offer valuable data, they should be approached critically, carefully contextualized, and verified against primary sources and reputable Muslim scholarship.

 Principled Muslim Approach

In summary, a sound Muslim approach to history involves:

• Gratitude for the genuine services rendered to Islam and the Umma
• Moral honesty in acknowledging wrongdoing
• Commitment to Islamic ethical standards over political loyalty
• Intellectual rigor in assessing historical sources
• Humility in recognizing the limits of our knowledge

Through this approach, Muslims maintain both their moral integrity and their awareness of history, staying true to Islam rather than to fallible human figures.

I would like you to go through the valuable resources listed below. In sha Allah, you will receive guidance and direction.

Related

Slavery in Islam – Dr. Jonathan AC Brown | Lecture (Video Lecture)

Rescouces

Resources that avoid both “Western Propaganda” and “Turkish Apologetics.”

• A Brief History of the Late Ottoman Empire by M. Şükrü Hanioğlu: Why read it: Hanioğlu is a Princeton historian who uses Ottoman Turkish archives (not just Western ones). He writes purely as a historian. He does not shy away from the massacres or the Hamidian oppression but explains them as the desperate, often paranoid reactions of a collapsing empire rather than “religious hatred.”
• Slavery and Islam by Jonathan A.C. Brown: While focused on slavery, Dr. Brown provides a solid English-language framework for “believing historians.”
• Wael Hallaq’s The Impossible State: Islam, Politics, and Modernity’s Moral Predicament: Wael Hallaq, a non-Muslim, argues that the modern “Nation-State” conflicts with the Sharia. The late Ottoman violence, including during the Hamidian era, was caused by efforts to modernize into a European-style, centralized, nationalist state. Traditional Islamic governance limited the Sultan’s power, allowing communities to maintain local autonomy. As the Ottomans modernized, they lost Islamic restraints, which led to increased violence.

Why not begin your search for knowledge by signing up for a course on SeekersGuidance? You can choose from the Islamic Studies Curriculum and progress through each course step by step.

I pray this helps with your question.
Wassalam,
[Mawlana] Ilyas Patel, with direction from Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Mawlana Ilyas Patel has received a traditional education in various countries. He started his schooling in the UK and completed his hifz of the Quran in India. After that, he joined an Islamic seminary in the UK, where he studied secular and Aalimiyya sciences. Later, he traveled to Karachi, Pakistan, and other Middle Eastern countries to further his education. Mawlana has served as an Imam in the Republic of Ireland for several years and taught the Quran and other Islamic sciences to both children and adults. He also worked as a teacher and librarian at a local Islamic seminary in the UK for 12 years. Currently, he resides in the UK with his wife and is interested in reading and gardening.