10 minutes before iftar in the palace..

[Ruhi_Rose]

A brief yet very thrilling account of how the blessed month of Ramadan was spent in the Ottoman Palace (perhaps Topkapi).  This piece has been translated from Turkish to English taken from Yenisefak website.   The lifestyle was full of strict matriarcal traditionalism of the family, respected by the entire Palace including the sultans and princes.  It is a vivid confirmation of reality that trashes the Western myth (once and for all) of "harems" portrayed like kennels crowded with half naked concubines!

We weren't able to accurately elucidate some of the traditional expressions even after their translation into English.  Apology for that.  Yet, Insh'Allah, you will be able to understand and enjoy the read.


Quoting the Translated Excerpt:


When the word “harem” is mentioned in the Ottoman palace, we often think of the imaginary narratives of Western travelers and the imaginary paintings of orientalists.  But in reality, the harem was the sultan's residence where he resided with his family and extended family.  So, how was Ramadan in the harem?  Here is a description of the days of Ramadan from the pen of a courtier who lived in the harem for five years.



“On the first night of Ramadan, prayer mats were laid in all sections of the palace, and everyone was busy with worship until dawn (fajr)."


The topic of the harem in the Ottoman Empire is one of the subjects Westerners are most interested in.   With the birth of orientalism, travelers, ambassadors, painters, the center of attention and curiosity for foreigners was the mysterious "harem."

How did the Westerners produce these texts and draw those pictures when there were hundreds of people who lived in the palaces and did not step into the harem even once?




We find the answer in the book titled “An Englishwoman in a Turkish Harem” by Grace Ellison, who came to Istanbul in the early 20th century.

“Turks are in love with his homes and their wives.  They are tolerant husbands and a kind fathers.  When the Westerners read the facts about them (their personal, family oriented lives) they are not pleased because they expect to hear crippling stories.  Their disinformation is circulated by the 'dismissed governesses and ladies of Pera' (Western women) with an ugly description of what goes on behind closed doors even though they have never been privileged enough to visit the private apartments of the palace.  

We can define the harem as the house where the sultan lived with his family. 

How was Ramadan experienced in the "house of the sultan"

Leyla Açba, who was the maid of Sultan Vahdeddin's first wife, Emine Nazikeda Kadınefendi, for 5 years between 1919-1924, also included Ramadan in her memories.

The "Circassian princess" tells about the palace Ramadan in her memories:




How was the fast-breaking meal?
“Ten minutes before iftar, delicious meals on gilded trays were brought by the eunuchs and left to the maids. They would set the table, call the members of the Sultan's family in the palace, and then resign.   Her Majesty would break her fast with the Ladies Rümeysa, Şahinde, Bayla, Şaheser and me, and the other ladies would have iftar together with their entourage in their flats.”

Worship until imsaka  (imsak is the time we begin our fast as soon as fajr approaches to an end and the earliest bluish color is visible in the sky)
“On the first night of Ramadan, prayer mats were laid in all apartments, and everyone was busy with worship until imsaka. Sometimes, upon our master's permission, three well-voiced muezzins were brought by the eunuchs to the great hall on the lower floor of the mansion of Her Majesty, and we listened to their hymns from the upper floor.   The doors were opened at night, the eunuchs brought food on golden trays, and tables were set.  Everyone stood up until the b@lls were thrown.  After the meal, the whole palace would rest with the imsak ball.”

Visiting the Sacred Relic
"On the fifteenth day of Ramadan, the Hırka-i Saadet office (place where the Prophet's [pbuh] cloak was kept) was visited.  Since the Hırka-i Saadet office was located in Topkapı Palace, we would get up early, wear official clothes, wear engagement rings and jewellery, and then go together.  Her Majesty would go first in her car, and then the other ladies and the entourage would leave Yıldız Palace and arrive at Topkapı.

In the harem room of the Topkapı Palace, the former journeymen and masters who were there would welcome us and take us to the previously prepared rooms. Since we bridesmaids are always there at our lady's presence, the bridesmaids were the first to congratulate.  Then the sultans, the rest of the people of the harem and the vukela (ministries and deputies) would come to congratulate.

Subsequently, it was expected that the Hırka-i Şerif would be opened.   Anber Ağa, the chief adviser, would come and inform us that the Hırka-i Şerif was opened. The Lady would stand up and we would go there together. His Excellency would come to this apartment beforehand.  He would sit on a beautiful throne, and we would take turns making a temenna  (Salaam by bringing the hand to the front) from the ground, kissing the destmal-i şerif  (traditional handkerchief) that the Sultan had given us and putting it on our heads, then we would retreat back.  Of course, Her Majesty was always in the lead. We bridesmaids, ladies and gentlemen, even the sultan and princes came after.  After us, sheikh al-Islam and other vukela vüzera harems would enter and kiss the destmal-i şerif.   When the ceremony was over, we would go back to Yildiz as we came.”

(Hirka-e-Serif is the name of a famous Masjid in Istanbul, built by the Ottoman sultan Abdulmejid I (reigned 1839–1861). Its construction began in 1847 and completed in 1851.  The title Hırka-i Şerif refers to the "Mosque of the Blessed Mantle.")




Related post and story:

~  Myths and Misconceptions of the Harem
~   Iftar from Turkish cookbooks @ Daily Sabah

[N. Truth Seeker]

Indeed steeped in traditionalism, which in the general sense of the term isn't precisely my cup a tea, but as you stated, it completely thwarts those demeaning mythical artworks by orientalists on "harems" .. a self-created, non-existent definition by the West.   With such aristocratic traditions upholding the privacy of the female members of the Sultan's palace as described in this piece by an authentic Turkish insider of the Palace, would strangers including orientalist painters like F.A. Bridgman, Alphonse Birck, Fabio Fabbi, Eugène Delacroix and many more who have produced such absurd paintings on "harems" ever be allowed to get anywhere close to the Palace, let alone even conceive of approaching the ladies section of the Palace !?   Yet, how much rubbish they produced with the help of their imagination / fascination running wild and the spirit to promote Arabian Nights-like puff pieces.

[Zainab_M]

Very interesting piece.   As brother TS said, I too don't run after traditionalism as much of it are societal whims.  But benign traditions are always interesting to know and read.  And this piece in particular does make it abundantly clear the fibs illustrated on canvas by orientalist artists of medieval times viz. of France, Italy, Russia, Britain and early America.

Really enjoyed reading this.  Big thanks sis.

[Heba E. Husseyn]

Mash'Allah.  Ottoman era was a charming one. 

As also included in Sister Zeynab's post,  'Lady' Mary Wortley Montagu, wife of the British ambassador to Turkey in 1700s, mentioned that as a woman she was able to obtain the permission (that too just once) to visit the ladies section of the imperial palace and ladies' bathhouses.   Even the question doesn't arise that those unknown (or half-known as best orientalists) would ever be allowed to enter such places to paint pictures of half nude women.    But you'll be amazed how widespread those harem-myths are.  Even this slimeball, Mary Wortley, couldn't refrain from exaggerating her single visit with hypes of extravagance that were actually quite unheard of in the Ottoman Turkish palaces.   But at least she didn't hesitate in busting the fables of the orientalists.

Btw, can anyone give some feedback on Grace Ellison? 

Also, I found another illuminating article on debunking the harem myth coming from Western Oregon University.  I will Insh'Allah, put it up in this board as soon as I can.  I just have to separate the paragraphs as it was in pdf format. 

[Zainab_M]

Right Sister ....

  Btw, can anyone give some feedback on Grace Ellison?   

She was a British journalist and writer.   Though also a suffragette (earlier women seeking their rights [viz. to vote] through protests) which in those days was hurled as a sexist insult in the West, she was down-to-earth and preferred to dwell on truth rather than fantasies.    She is better known in Turkey than any Western country.     As a guest, she resided in the harem-household of a wealthy Turkish family and was keen to dispel the sensationalist Western view of the harem.      Her book was published in 1915.     She died in 1935.    Despite the fact that her book is considered by scholars as "culturally important," it's purposely slipped under the rug disappearing from all historical record, to keep the Western hype on the myth of harem alive and in circulation.  Western circles have tried to smear Ellison's name by dubbing her as a French journalist "Madame Lera" in disguise of "Marc Helys."   Ellison's book unveiling the propaganda and hype on harem has not only been ognored as a literary work, but she has also been slandered for "literary forgery" in her earnest effort to expose the facts through her well researched writings.    Furthermore, Western mainstream sources have accused the well-known Turkish writer, Zeynab Hanim and her sister (both were daughters of the very senior Turkish Ottoman official, Nuri Bey, in the ministry of foreign affairs) of clandestinely organizing the "forbidden" promotion of women's rights in Ottoman Turkey in collaboration with Grace Ellison.   It's impossible to find any online excerpts of Ellison's republished book thus those myths on the harem continue to disseminate.  You can only read the contents of that book if you buy it .... and I suppose it's available only online.

Also, I found another illuminating article on debunking the harem myth coming from Western Oregon University.  I will Insh'Allah, put it up in this board as soon as I can.  I just have to separate the paragraphs as it was in pdf format. 

That sounds wonderful.  Insh'Allah, will wait to read it.

[Heba E. Husseyn]

Loads of thanks for this info, Sis.   

Yeah, Insh'Allah, I will post that article as soon as I can.

[Zainab_M]

Welcome dear Sis Heba.

[N. Truth Seeker]

Mash'Allah.  ..... 'Lady' Mary Wortley Montagu, wife of the British ambassador to Turkey in 1700s, mentioned that as a woman she was able to obtain the permission (that too just once) to visit the ladies section of the imperial palace and ladies' bathhouses.   

Was she the one who contracted smallpox in England, mentioned in the post on vaccination history, then came to Turkey with her husband, and was impressed by the inoculation system of the Turks .. carried the idea back to her country? 

[Heba E. Husseyn]

Yeah right, she was the one .. 

[N. Truth Seeker]

Last year an article in Time was titled "Why Erodgan's love affair with Ottoman Empire should worry the world."    The reason, Aya Sofya which had been a Mosque for 600 years after Turkey defeated the Byzantines was turned into a museum by Western lackey Kemal Ataturk and recently Turkey's current government restored it into the Mosque it always was.   In 2020, Turkey was welcomed a delegation of Hamas (blockaded Palestinians in Gaza).   Things like these make Westerners wary, uncomfortable, with propaganada-hypes of "beware" to make the international community believe that any Muslim country that cares for its history and sovereignty are 'bad guys' and you should 'be careful' of them.   Western propaganda and coverup of facts is a serious political disease.   It's this disease you all need to beware of, a disease that should worry the world no less than Covid19. 

[Heba E. Husseyn]

Very correct brother.    I had read that article too last fall, I guess .....

[Ruhi_Rose]

Big thanks for the additional inputs.   Very informative for me, Alhumdulilah.   

Would anyone have the family tree of Ottoman dynasty?

[N. Truth Seeker]

Yeah sure.   You can view it on this site of Wikipedia.  It's a lengthy tree as we're talking about a dynasty that ruled for over 620 years.   

[Ruhi_Rose]

Thanks brother, this is fine.