Tanzimat: A Brief Outlook of Secular Reforms in the Ottoman Empire

Abstract

Sultan Mehmut’s reign ended with the beginning of the Tanzimat Era which was the second phase of Ottoman reforms. Tanzimat (Regulation) is the name given to the programmes of reform that were inaugurated in November 1839. The term Tanzimat is derived from the root meaning ‘order’. Tanzimatists wanted to recreate the state and to amalgamate East and West. Their aim was, first of all, to create a modern national army, then to use it to restore the power of central government over the provinces and to create a new frame of work of centralized administrative and secular laws. This paper aims to refute this misleading historical narrative by showing that, rather than implementing Shariah, the Ottoman Sultans were actually attempting to secularise their laws and state institutions. Secular reforms in the Ottoman Empire can be traced back to the 17th century. However, this paper focuses on the period of reformation better known as the Tanzimat (1839-1876). During this period customary and religious laws were either abolished or repealed in favor of secular European ones. This was done on the orders of the Sultan/Caliph himself and with the approval of the religious authorities. During this reform period, the Ottoman Sultans attempted to integrate non-Muslim communities and these communities were given equal rights and privileges