من مظاهر عناية السَّلاطين العثمانيّين ببيت المقدس في القرنين العاشر والحادي عشر الهجريّين

Abstract

Muslim rulers throughout the ages have given Jerusalem great attention and special care. This is due to the sacred status that the city enjoys in the Quran and other Islamic scriptures and teachings. Al-Aqsa Mosque is considered a sacred place of worship, and it has been treated as such by all Islamic rulers, including the Ottoman Sultans, who followed the guidance of their predecessors and gave the city of Jerusalem considerable attention. Ottoman Sultans singled out the city for their care and protection, and their interest in it resembled their interest in Mecca and Medina as Islamic holy cities. This interest had begun many decades before they conquered Arab regions, and they showed this through sending gifts to their rulers and/or people, as well as arranging for reciters to read the Quran in their main mosques. This study explores the Ottoman Empire’s interest in and care for the city of Jerusalem in the tenth and eleventh centuries. It specifically examines the politics of care by assessing the Ottoman Sultans’ frequent visits to the city, how they granted it an important position in the administrative divisions of the Levant, and how they established urban facilities under their supervision, protection, and financial support as a way to ensure their presence in Jerusalem.