Abstract

Although the Ottoman Empire in the 17th century was a period of intense political and financial events, it was a time when important legal studies were carried out, sheikhulislams produced impressive works and the number of madrasas increased. One of the important figures who produced remarkable works in this period is Bâlîzâde Mustafa Efendi, who is the subject of this study. Bâlîzâde Mustafa Efendi rose to the position of sheikhulislam after serving as a muderris, qadi and high judicial posts such as both Rumeli and Anatolian Qasasker. During the six months he served as the ninth sheikhulislam of the reign of Sultan Mehmed IV, he was dismissed because he could not adapt to the policies of Köprülü Mehmed Pasha, the grand vizier of the period. During his tenure, it is recorded that he did not intervene in various incidents between the palace, state officials and the public, nor was he involved in any factionalisation. Bâlîzâde Mustafa Efendi stands out as one of the most prolific authors among the sheikhulislams of his time. He wrote detailed works on fiqh, especially on the Hanafi sect, and he also wrote valuable works in the fields of rhetoric, hadith methodology and tafsir, and treated the important books of the period in a way that the public could understand. With these works, he is recognised as a scholar who left his mark on his period thanks to his scientific depth and broad vision. This study aims to introduce the scholarly personality and works of Bâlîzâde Mustafa Efendi, one of the 17th century sheikhulislams. Firstly, information about his life, family and foundation will be given, and then the findings reached as a result of the analyses of his works will be presented.