How has Wikipedia's Islam in the Ottoman Empire article changed?

Wikipedia's first sentence called it "official religion of the ottoman empire and became more important after two seminal events". Today it says "official religion of the ottoman empire". We saved the article's opening at 4 moments between 2015 and 2025, and every claim links the exact revision.

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How Wikipedia rewrote the Islam in the Ottoman Empire article

The opening as it read in 2015

Islam was the official religion of the Ottoman Empire and became more important after two seminal events: the conquest of Constantinople and the conquest of Arab regions of the Middle East.¹ The highest position in Islam, caliphate , was claimed by the sultan, after the defeat of the Mamluks which was established as Ottoman Caliphate . The Sultan was to be a devout Muslim and was given the literal authority of the Caliph. Additionally, Sunni clerics had tremendous influence over government and their authority was central to the regulation of the economy. Despite all this, the Sultan also had a right to decree, enforcing a code called Kanun (law) in Turkish. Additionally, there was a supreme clerical position called the Sheykhulislam ("Sheykh of Islam" in Arabic). Minorities, particularly Christians and Jews but also some others, were mandated to pay the jizya, the poll tax as mandated by traditional Islam. Ottoman law did not recognize notions such as ethnicity or citizenship ; thus, a Muslim of any ethnic background enjoyed precisely the same rights and privileges under Muslim millet . It was claimed that under such conditions, Muslim Arabs came to view the empire as a revived Islamic empire . However, even if Caliphate played a significant role, the real existence of these feelings is questionable. By the 17th century, the Maghreb regencies were only nominally under Ottoman control and Egypt was almost independent by the beginning of the 19th century. In the late 18th century and especially during the 19th, European-style reforms pushed Islam out of influential positions and diminished its leaders' influence in government. The jizya was abolished and the exclusive power of Islam's leaders dwindled. Despite this, the government under the reforming Sultans still sought to reinforce Hanafi Islam where it was seen as under threat in the empire. Parallel to reforms came Ottomanism, a concept that sought to integrate all Ottoman citizens into one social class (Muslim and non-Muslim) with equal tax and military responsibilities. As a result, religious minorities (who may not have even received full rights under pre-reform Ottoman rule) rebelled. Some see that Islam, as practiced in the Ottoman Empire was superstitious in many ways.²

This is Wikipedia's own text, saved in our repository. Their copy of it is revision 669533785.

The opening as it stood in 2020 11 passages from the previous snapshot no longer appear

Bursa Ulu Camii located at the first capital of the Ottoman Empire . The mihrab of Bursa Ulu Camii in the above. Şadırvan (Interior ablution area) in the above and its Dome in the image below. It was built by Ottoman Sultan Bayezid I , in between 1396-1400. It is located in the city center of Bursa. Ulu means in Turkish "the greatest" and it is the greatest, the biggest mosque in Bursa . Islam was the official religion of the Ottoman Empire . The highest position in Islam, caliphate , was claimed by the sultan, after the defeat of the Mamluks which was established as Ottoman Caliphate . The Sultan was to be a devout Muslim and was given the literal authority of the Caliph. Additionally, Sunni clerics had tremendous influence over government and their authority was central to the regulation of the economy. Despite all this, the Sultan also had a right to the decree, enforcing a code called Kanun (law) in Turkish. Additionally, there was a supreme clerical position called the Sheykhulislam ("Sheykh of Islam" in Arabic). Minorities, particularly Christians and Jews but also some others, were mandated to pay the jizya , the poll tax as mandated by traditional Islam.

Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 964352224.

The opening as it stood on October 6, 2023

Overview of the role and impact of Islam in the Ottoman Empire Bursa Ulu Camii located at the first capital of the Ottoman Empire . The mihrab of Bursa Ulu Camii in the above. Şadırvan (Interior ablution area) in the above and its Dome in the image below. It was built by Ottoman Sultan Bayezid I , in between 1396-1400. It is located in the city center of Bursa. Ulu means in Turkish "the greatest" and it is the greatest, the biggest mosque in Bursa . Sunni Islam was the official religion of the Ottoman Empire . The highest position in Islam, caliphate , was claimed by the sultan, after the defeat of the Mamluks which was established as Ottoman Caliphate . The sultan was to be a devout Muslim and was given the literal authority of the caliph. Additionally, Sunni clerics had tremendous influence over government and their authority was central to the regulation of the economy. Despite all this, the sultan also had a right to the decree, enforcing a code called Kanun (law) in Turkish. Additionally, there was a supreme clerical position called the Sheykhulislam ("Sheykh of Islam" in Arabic). Minorities, particularly Christians and Jews but also some others, were mandated to pay the jizya , the poll tax as mandated by traditional Islam.

Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 1169349401. This is our newest snapshot; the live article may have moved again since.

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