List of Sheikh-ul-Islams of the Ottoman Empire


The following is a list of Sheikh-ul-Islams of the Ottoman Empire. After the fondation of the Ottoman empire around 1300, the title of Sheikh-ul-Islam, formerly used in the Abbasid Caliphate, was given to a leader authorized to issue legal opinion or fatwa. During the reign of Sultan Murad II, the position became an official title, with authority over other muftis in the empire. In the late 16th century, Sheikh-ul-Islam were assigned to appoint and dismiss supreme judges, high ranking college professors, and heads of Sufi orders. Prominent figures include Zenbilli Ali Cemali Efendi, Ibn-i Kemal and Ebussuud Efendi.

List

During the existence of the office, there were in total 131 Sheikh-ul-Islams. The longest-serving officeholder was Ebussuud Efendi for 29 years, the shortest was Memikzade Mustafa Efendi for 13 hours.