The Ottoman Dar al-Hadiths from the Point of Education of Hadith Sciences

Abstract

In the Islamic world, dar al-hadith madrasas also known as hadith specialization madrasas, are special qualified educational institutions established for the purpose of systematic hadith education. The first dar al-hadith was founded in Damascus in the 12th century, and within a short time spread to various parts of the Islamic world. The dar al-hadith entered the educational and cultural life of Anatolia in the first half of the 13th century with the opening of Çankırı Dar al-Hadith. Under the Ottomans the Edirne Dar al-Hadith, founded in the 15th century, and Süleymaniye Dar al-Hadith, founded in the 16th, were at the top of the madrasa hierarchy. Research into the dar al-hadith curriculum has become increasingly common in the field of Ottoman hadith studies. Although we have many written documents and sources that provide information about the general madrasa curriculum, so far we have not found anything substantial about the specific curriculum in Ottoman Dar al-Hadith madrasas. In this study we will provide an initial analysis of extant sources to examine the quality and efficiency of hadith education in the high-ranking institutions of Edirne and Süleymaniye Dar al-Hadith.