The Emergence of an Islamic City: The Madrasas and Converting Istanbul into an Islamic Metropolis

The Madarsas played a unique role in promoting Istanbul into an Islamic-Ottoman metropolis by consolidation and boosting the educational and religious life of the city after the conquest (1453 A.D.). Although the transforming of the Istanbul to the Ottoman’s capital took place by Mehmet II (the Conqueror), but the changing of city into the Ottoman educational-religious center and Islamic metropolis, carried out viaother ways, including building of the magnificent mosques and madrases. As a result of building and activities of the significant number of madrasas, especially Madaris-i Sahn (Sahn-I Thiman), Madrasa’s teachers (ustad) and students (Talaba) could teach and study in this madrasas, and inform the life of official Islam (Sharia) and Islam of Madrasa in the new Ottoman capital and metropolis. Consequently, the Madrasas had played an important and unique role in outward image and establishment and flourishing of religious life in Istanbul and converting it into an Islamic metropolis.