The Kanun Law

The kanun is a law that was set during the Ottoman empire.

The kanun is an ancient administrative regulation set down during the Ottoman Empire. It supplemented Shari'ah law (Islamic law taken from the Qur'an), as well as the acumen of the sultan.

Purpose of Kanun

The purpose of the kanun was to supplement Islamic law. Kanun was meant to supplement situations not covered in the Shari'ah. Though the Shari'ah was thought to provide all necessary laws, it was recognized that some laws fell outside the perimeters of the Shari'ah, and in these instances an analogy would be drawn between the situation and the laws found in the Shari'ah. This was considered kanun.

Political Climate of the Ottoman Empire

The political ideology most prominent during the Ottoman Empire was Hanifism. Hanifism was the most liberal of Ottoman ideologies, and this was required in order for a law like kanun to be accepted. Traditionally one would not stray at all from the Shari'ah.

Evolution of Kanun

During the first two centuries of Ottoman rule, the use of kanun rulings exploded. At the beginning of the 16th century, the kanun was elevated to an independent set of laws. The kanun had two parts; one dealt with the organization of military and government, while the second dealt with taxes and the treatment of the peasants.

References

• Hooker, Richard. "The Ottomans: Katun." Kanun. Washington State University - Pullman, Washington, 1996. Web. 12 Oct. 2010. <http://www.wsu.edu:8080/~dee/GLOSSARY/KANUN.HTM>.