Caliphet discussions in the 20. century: The case of Hoca İsmail Şükrü

When we think about the modernisation process in Turkey, the abolition of caliphate is clearly the most important cultural and instituonal change because of the of implementation of reforms. In 19th and 20th century, the caliphate is a religious and political event most emphasised on by the countries which have imperialist interests on muslims and muslim countries. The modernisation movements that began at the last stages of Ottoman Empire and correspondingly the political events caused discusses. Two epistles, Hilafet-i İslamiye and Büyük Millet Meclisi written by Hoca İsmail Şükrü Efendi who was a first term Grand National Assembly deputy of Afyonkarahisar give us some information about political discussions of that period. During the abolition of sultanate and caliphate, the discussions in assembly and public were evaluated by Hoca İsmail Şükrü Efendi. The two epistles, Hilafet-i İslamiye and Büyük Millet Meclisi written by Hoca İsmail Şükrü Efendi remained a lot on the political agenda as of that period. Hoca İlyas, Hoca Halil Hulki and Rasim Efendiler published these epistles, Hakimiyet-i Milliye and Hilafet-i İslamiye against the epistles written by İsmail Şükrü. The epistles include İsmail Şükrü's ideas about the caliphet, political and religious objections. In this work, the caliphet authority is evaluated with the help of epistles and political view of that period.