Tradition of Turkish State Management: Ottoman State and the Non-Muslims

As an Islamic state, the Ottoman Justice system was based on Islamic laws, yet the Ottomans greatly valued örf (customary) laws which were made by the sultans in accordance with the period’s, geography’s and socio-cultural environment’s spirit. Both Islamic and customary laws made the Ottoman rule respect justice and barred the Ottomans to rule the state unruly. Justice systems that take an important place in modern state systems were applied by the Ottomans as good as it got. By providing different judicial rights to minorities and foreigners, the Ottomans permitted laws to needs of different groups. Applying both Islamic and customary laws at the same time gave great easiness to the Ottoman sultans in ruling their subjects. Muslim and non-Muslims subjects gained some lenience and prospect in two-types laws. By applying two-types laws at the same time, the Ottomans succeeded in creating an original justice system. Ottoman minorities were generally happy with the Ottoman justice system. This work will both establish a general outlines to the Ottoman justice system and a sketch to the state of the minorities in the Ottoman justice system.