This paper is on an Arabic Wakfiya dated 1025/1616 issued by Ottoman Sultan Ahmad I. (from 1603 to 1617). The original copy of the Wakf documents is available among the documents in the Ottoman Archive in Kağıthane, Istanbul1 . Ottoman Sultan Ahmad I decided to prepare a separate Wakfiya in Egypt with his personal properties (Khawass-ı Padishahî) as revenue – generating properties for this wakf. Through the Wali (Governor) of Egypt Ahmad Pasha acting on behalf of the Sultan he arranged the registration of his Wakf in the Sharia Court at Cairo. The aim of the Wakf was to bring some comfort to the pilgrims on their way to Mecca at their final destinations, i.e., Ka’ba and Arafat. Awkaf (the plural of Wakf) are considered as a separate unit operating independently under the administration of Mutawallees, in the present terminology of the Board of Trustees, upon their registrations. They collect the income coming from the assets belonging to awkaf and with this income the endowments beneficiaries in Haramain are subsidized (Haramain is the collective name given to the sacred mosques at Mecca and Madinah).

The Mutawallees were sometimes called Nâzır and they were appointed by the owner of the wakf in the beginning, but in later times they were appointed by the higher authorities. In the Awkaf of Haramain the highest authority is “Agha of Dârusse’âde at the Sultans’ Saray.” He held the highest position in the Haramain Awkaf and the yearly financial reports (muhâsebe-i vâridât ve mesârifât) were submitted to him. Mutawallee was responsible to observe that the “shart-ı wâkıf” (the conditions of the waqf) were satisfied in the expenditures. Payments were made according to the programme designed and put forward by the rules designated in Wakfiya. When the Agha of Dâr-üse’âda makes the necessary control of the payments indicated in the financial report, first he double-checks and controls whether any beforehand indication was made by the endowment documents. Sometimes these financial reports are submitted for a couple of years or more. It seems that there had been a double examinations and corporate responsibility throughout this process. 

Sultan Ahmad I. was a very pious man and apart from his awkaf we present here he established numerous religious foundations. We would like to highlight here that he constructed one of the most famous mosques in İstanbul known by his name: the Sultanahmet (Blue) Mosque. Its opening ceremony was a magnificent occasion in 16172 . All these awkaf show that he was very helpful towards the Muslims to feel free and comfortable in their prayers and visits to the Haramain area. He also pledged the full treatment to the Christians during their tour of Jerusalem and while visiting the famous Sepulchre there3 .

Sultan Ahmed I, was also a good poet and wrote in a poetical works towards the Prophet Muhammad to express his feelings:

“I wish I had put your foot-prints on my head as my crown”

Some of his other works in and around Ka’ba (at the Haram of Mecca) and its neighbourhood: All of these repairs done at Haram and Ka’ba were undertaken by the report from Ameer of Mecca the Shareef because starting such repair works in Ka’ba could have been quite a risky undertaking. Therefore, long discussions took place in İstanbul among the ‘Ulama (The Religious Scholars) and it needed necessary care and attention to appoint an experienced architect. To name a few of such projects:

1. He furnished the Ka’ba with many ornaments like “Mîzâb-ul-Rahma” on top of the Ka’ba such as the water spout for the rain water which comes down from the Roof of Ka’ba. Even today the Turkish people call it the “Golden Gutter” because it was made of gold in İstanbul and fixed over the old gutter. During this operation a repair of the roof was also carried out.

2. Repairs of the two walls of Ka’ba: As we have seen before, starting a new repair or any alterations at Ka’ba could be a quite risky undertaking and, therefore, a full report was needed from the Ameer of Mecca about the problem asking for a solution. One such problem reported was in two walls of the Ka’ba; one at the western side and the other one in the eastern side. Sultan Ahmed I. invited the notables to a gathering. Some of them were in the opinion that Ka’ba should be demolished and rebuilt again. This would have been the most reliable way to solve the problem. Whereas, the other group proposed that the walls should be strengthened by supporting girdles or iron belts (known as “Nikât” in the Arab histories and in Turkish “Kuşak”) and that would resolve the issue without causing any disturbances. With the latter solution, no prayers (salat) would be interrupted and nobody would be disturbed. So, they chose the second peaceful way to use girdles to surround the wall with strong iron belts or copper plated with silver. But to construct such a heavy and bulky material like this would be achievable only in İstanbul and most probably at Tarsâne-i ‘Âmire (the Royal Arsenal). But then the problem was how to carry all of these materials all the way to Mecca. The story about carrying these heavy metals by camels and the welcoming ceremonies at their arrival has been narrated by many historians who were present among the welcoming people in 1611.

3. Renovation of the four corners (al-Makâmât al-Arba’a): The four corners devoted to four major Islamic Schools were available around Ka’ba at the time of the Ottomans. They were Hanafî, Shafi’î, Hanbalî and Malikî schools or as they were called “alMazâhib el-Erba’a.” These corners were renovated in the year 1013/1604 during the time of Sultan Ahmad I.

4. The well of Zamzam and its cover: The sacred well of Zamzam is located a little further from the centre of Makâm el-İbrâhîmî at the Ka’ba. According to the reports from the Ameer of Mecca there was a danger around the Zamzam, especially after a flood which used to happen in Mecca once in a while. The sudden increase in the level of Zamzam water would cause a great danger for the people who tried to get ablution or drink some Zamzam water from the well directly. In the upper part, the Zamzam well had a circular basin around the curb-stone of the well. The basin was wide but not very deep. But after the flood, the level of water would increase and create danger for the people. Many accidents and unwanted events took place during or right after the floods. Therefore, the problem was reported to İstanbul and at the end of the consultations among the professionals such as Mimâr Başı (head of the architects) and others they decided to construct a lid on top of Zamzam well to prevent such incidents. This lid was again constructed in İstanbul and send to Mecca for the implementation of the project.

5. The water coming from Arafat and joining another water canal from Hunayn reached the city of Mecca. The project was initiated and implemented by Sultan Sulaiman elKanûnî, the great grandfather of Sultan Ahmad I (Ahmed’s father was Sultan Mehmed III, and his father was Sultan Murad III, and his grandfather was Sultan Sulaiman). The great project of sending Arafat water to Mecca was something farfetched at the beginning and with the passage of time the canals carrying the water became full of mud and needed some cleaning. So, during the time of Ahmad I. a new project was initiated to clean the canals of both Arafat waters and the waters of ‘Ayn Zubaida which brought water to Arafat. As a matter of fact, the new project initiated by the Sultan Ahmad I. covered both ‘Ayn Zubaiyda and Kânûnî projects. When they were  completed and the water reached Mecca many local poets wrote some poems depicting this amazing event. ‘Alî ‘Abdulkadir el-Taberî wrote the following poetical works; “Fe kultu hâzâ al-‘Âm târîhahu, Karrat ‘Uyûn ul-Nâsi bi’l-Mâ-i.”