The “Sunna-minded” Trend 255
The ultimate aim of consultation with those whom Mehmed İlmi referred to
as “beneficial guys” (faydalı ademler) or “masters of consultation” (ehl-i daniş)
was to draw the sultan and other authorities back to the Sharia. The order of
the universe was hidden inside the Quran and one had just to enquire in order
to learn it (N4). In the same vein, it was incumbent upon all believers to prof-
fer advice (N14). In order to illustrate the need for consultation, Mehmed İlmi
used the metaphor of a sinking ship that could only be salvaged by the joint ef-
forts of the ulema and the hukema (N14), the metaphor of a city fire that could
not be put out by just two men (N28), and the metaphor of a galley which
could not be steered by only two oarsmen (N14). The foundations on which the
country was built and the continuation of the principles of the dynasty hinged
on the rulers’ consultation with the ulema (N21). Mehmed İlmi further justi-
fied his point by reference to precedent. For earlier Ottoman sultans, i.e. the
ancestors of Murad IV, consultation was an ancient custom (kanun-i kadim).
To employ in their service, they selected the beneficial, good, and righteous
ones from among the ulema, sheikhs, janissaries, cavalry, and various others.
They used them as agents and secretly communicated with them through the
messages written by their private secretaries (sır katibleri). If the news coming
from these sources was in accordance with each other, then the sultans ruled
in compliance with them; if not, then they found out which source was true
and eliminated the untruthful one(s) from their ranks. This was how they were
informed of happenings in the lands of Rum and Anatolia (N23). Mehmed İlmi
warned the sultan not to operate without accurate information, since if he
happened to punish a community without enough information, he would later
regret his decision (M52). He vouched for the existence of saintly (veli) people
who would do away with bid’at and fesad in the country (M41), but, because
of the slanders directed at them by those who were very close to the sultan,
they remained in hiding (M41). At one point, Mehmed İlmi even raised the
question of whether a newly-installed sultan should keep his father’s advisors
around him (N63). He quotes what he claimed to be the opinion shared by the
ulema, who saw turning away from one’s friends and bringing in new people
to replace them as one of the reasons for the problems of the state. Finally,
in one of the most analytical sections of the Nushu’l-hükkam sebebü’n-nizam,
Kadızade Mehmed İlmi enumerated the causes of ihtilal (destructive change)
in a society. In addition to the lack of any will to impose siyaset for justice and
the disobedience of soldiers towards their commanders, the preacher claimed
that not consulting with the ulema and the wise (ukela), not giving them the
respect they are due, and heeding the words of women and fools would all
wreak havoc with the order of the world (N56).