The life of sufism in Kastamonu during the reign of II. Abdulhamid

During the spread of Islam in these lands conquered by Turkish-Islamic armies, Turkish-Islamic life played a major role. Islam is a religion of peace and brotherhood. For this reason, it was important that Islam, which started to spread in the newly conquered lands, could be shown and promoted properly to the local people of these regions. The people of the heart, sheikhs, and dervishes, who undertook this, tried to maintain the Islamic lifestyle in a more systematic way in the lodges. This is how the establishment processes of the sects, which means "roads" in Arabic, began. The sects that have existed in almost every period of our history over the last thousand years have continued their duties in maintaining social and religious order not only in newly conquered places but even after the conquests. The period we will talk about in our study is usually Sultan II. Abdülhamit's period, which is the end of the century of the XIX. and the beginning of the XX. century. Kastamonu's central district was determined as the regional boundaries of our research. While the research was being carried out, various archive documents, inscription foundation documents, and various visual materials were also used, as well as studies, articles, theses, and books in these fields. In our study, not only the general history of the sects, dervish lodges, zawiyas, dervish lodges, and tombs of the period but also the daily life rites and rituals lived in these places are also mentioned. Moreover, in the light of the information we come across, we have tried to address as much as we can what changes have occurred in these places where Sufism is practiced over time, both in their practices, in daily life, and in the lines of Sufism. Various field studies have been carried out and various old maps and visuals have been examined in order to identify the traces of places and structures that have been lost due to the changes in the texture of the city in the developing time period. In the last part of our thesis, a general evaluation has been made and what Sufi institutions have contributed and brought to society has been emphasized. In addition, small-scale information is given about the Sufis and dervishes who were assigned to these places. Although there are references to some legends in our study, only scientific documents are included, and unfounded innovations and superstitions are not taken into account.