Marife Turkish Journal of Religious Studies

Abstract

Being considered as the golden age of Ottomans, the 16th century accommodates
the regression seeds in itself with the political, economical, social and religious problems
occurred especially in its second half. Birgiwi Mehmed Efendi had a distinct position
among the people who were anxious and tried to produce solutions about the disintegrations
met at every field of the social life. Having been educated in classical Ottoman
education system and having taught for years as a member of this system, Mehmed
Efendi stated that the lifestyle going away from the principles stipulated by Kuran and
Sunna, and the religious insensitivity increasing every day took place at the base of these
problems. Ending this degeneration would only be possible by penetrating inside the
faith and worship world and cleaning the bidats aroused great interest among the people.
The fact that Birgiwi placed himself against the bidat concept was the Ahl Sunna
Way. Here, at this point, his guidance and reconciliation activities about teaching Ahl
Sunna belief to extensive crowds and his insistent emphasize relating to the necessity of
worship and moral to be arisen on a reliable faith foundation present great importance.