An Ottoman Example of the Perception of Other Religions in Islamic-Thought

Abstract

Today, religious education programs are generally created within the framework of one of the religious conceptions that emerged in the historical process. Generally, the interpretation adopted is the normative, exclusionary, politicized approach formed within its historical conditions. However, moral axis religious interpretations that take the individual to the center within the understanding of religion in history are more dominant. Since we cannot be separated from our historical roots in the formation of the understanding of religion, can it be possible to put forward an interpretation of religion by analyzing the understanding of religion that emerged in the historical process, by using both its own sub-interpretations and those embracing the other?In this article, madrasa and takka Islam in the Ottoman example were evaluated as an answer to how we can benefit from tradition in the creation of religious education and teaching programs with content analysis method. The reason for the selection of these two institutions is that although the first goes down to the public, it is generally the institutions that train staff for almost every level of the state and represent the official understanding of religion, and the second is that they continue religious education for the public. While the understanding of Islam created by the madrasah is more prescriptive and fiqh based, 11-17. Islamic understanding created by centuries of lodges is human-centered, prioritizing the individual and universal values, aiming to create a culture of coexistence and to produce moral values. Therefore, they differ significantly in perception of other religions. The article has the quality to present historical materials that will contribute to positive evaluations about how Islamic religious education and teaching should gain a perspective when teaching other religions.