Translation and evaluation of Kılıçzade Hakkı's work titled "İtikadat-ı Batılaya İlan-ı Harb"

Kılıçzâde Hakkı is one of the most prominent representatives of the western ideas during the last period of the Ottoman Empire and the declaration of the II. Constitutional Period. In his work "Itikadât-i Batilaya Ilân-i Harb" he emphasizes that there should be simple siyer writing based on religious narration which is free from superstitions and stories. Although he didn´t write his own siyer book, he revealed how it should be written by criticizing some existing works of his time and also previous periods. He maintained his western view while evaluating the life of the prophet Mohammed. In his opinion Islam needed a reformation. In addition he judged ignorant clergyman who distanced the society from the realities of religion. There are more of this kind of statements and views in his book. The Prophet Mohammed said: "Religion consists of the mind, who doesn't have a mind, does not have a religion." Therefore there is no religion that cannot be understood without using the mind. Islam came with the first human being, developed and reached his absoluteness with the last prophet Mohammed and endures until today and will last forever and ever.