Muslim Clerics of Ottoman Egypt (Based on a Treatise of the Syrian Sufi ‘Abd al-Ghani al-Nablusi [1641–1731])

Abstract

The article is based on the materials derived from the part of the unpublished treatise of the Syrian adept of Sufism ‘Abd al-Ghani al-Nablusi (1641–1731) “Authentic and Graphic Description of Journey across the Greater Syria, Egypt and Hijaz” which contains the description of author’s travel through Egypt. The goal of this article is to analyze the structure of the ulama corporation, and its role and place in the Egyptian society of the 17th century. The analysis confirms that the ulama of this period can be characterized as a potent group that traditionally played a crucial role in the development of sustainable relations between the political elites and religious community.