The transformation of the Ottomans into a comprehensive world state was undoubtedly the result of a grand state and bureaucratic synthesis. Therefore, the Ottoman administration established an extensive system from the center to the periphery, encompassing the palace and all its bureaucracy and institutions. The presence and power of the central government were equally felt across all regions of the empire. The palace governed the entire country with a remarkable example of statemanship. It successfully implemented this system through its institutionalized central and provincial organizations.
The successful functioning of the Ottoman state system was not only due to bureaucratic institutions but also to the students trained in madrasas (Islamic schools) and the education they received. Ottoman madrasas carried out all their functions in the best possible manner and established a remarkable educational tradition. The education provided in Ottoman madrasas was primarily conducted with the benefit of the people in mind. Students receiving education in madrasas were always ready and prepared to meet the needs of the people. This is why students who received education in Ottoman madrasas dispersed with a great purpose to various regions of the country during the three months known as “Receb, Şaban, and Ramazan” months. They provided education to the people, answered their questions, and resolved their issues. This system in Ottoman madrasas was called “Cerre Çıkma.”
Students who received education for many years in madrasas went on “cerre” to apply the practical aspects of their education, answer people’s questions, and educate the people in villages and towns, even if only for a period of three months. They could be thought of as undergoing an internship.
During the three months when madrasas were on break, madrasa students would disperse to small villages and towns in Anatolia rather than returning to their hometowns with the aim of “irşad ve tecdid” (guidance and renewal). Students who primarily received education in major cities like Istanbul would go to small settlements during this period and educate the people living there about religious and scholarly matters. In this way, urban and rural populations without educational opportunities would receive education, and efforts were made to eliminate the educational and cultural gap between the center and the periphery.
As the three months approached, students who wanted to go on cerre would inform their teachers (müderris) of their intention. The müderris would select the qualified students and provide them with a letter of recommendation. Students, with this letter, would apply to the official responsible for student affairs at Bâb-ı Meşihat, seeking the necessary documents and letters of recommendation addressed to the muftis of the regions they would visit. Some students could also be sent to their family’s villages for cerre. This would both alleviate their longing for their families and allow them to provide education in the area where they grew up.
Students would disperse to various regions across the country. It is known that students went on cerre not only to major cities like Istanbul, Anatolia, and Rumelia but also to Syria and Yemen. The expenses for the journey and the needs for food and drink during the journey were covered by the imperial treasury. This aid would be sent to the office of Meşihat Makâmı and distributed to the students. The economic conditions of the people in the regions where the students were going were taken into consideration. If students were going to regions with poor economic conditions and did not receive much help from the people, the state itself would provide assistance to the students. This way, justice was maintained.
Students would deliver the documents they received to the mufti if they were going to a province or sanjak (district), and to the kaymakam (district governor) if they were going to a qaza (district center). After the necessary procedures were completed, they would start giving sermons and lessons in the assigned mosques. They usually stayed in the quarters of the imam and muezzin for about three months. During this period, they were invited to share iftar meals by the notables and local leaders of the region for their meals. After the meal, they would lead prayers, recite the Quran, and engage in religious and scholarly discussions.
These students, known as molla or softa, would give religious advice to the people of the regions they visited. They would solve the people’s religious and worldly problems, lead the taraweeh prayers, and recite the Quran. Apart from basic religious education, they would educate and enlighten the local people on various subjects based on the education they received in madrasas. During this process, there were students going from the center to the periphery, as well as students coming from the periphery, especially Istanbul, to different medrasas. This allowed both cultural integration and a comparison of education received from different medrasas and instructors.
Villagers, in return for the education they received and the good deeds of the students, would contribute financially and materially to the students according to their means. This way, students would accumulate the financial resources necessary for their madrasa education. In fact, during the three months, with the support of the people, when they returned to the madrasa, they would have accumulated the financial resources to cover their expenses for a year. At the end of the three months, the people would not only provide financial assistance to the students but also offer them clothing and food. This support from the people was called “cerr.”
Over time, there were instances of misuse of this system, and attempts were made to collect financial and material assistance by exploiting people’s sincerity towards knowledge and education. Additionally, after the 18th century, due to the deterioration that began in madrasas and the education system, students who went on cerre did not provide the desired outcomes, and complaints began to emerge. Indeed, in the 19th century, during his directorship of Dârül-Muallimîn, Ahmet Cevdet Paşa increased the allowance of students and abolished the cerre çıkma system.
Although the cerre çıkma system was misused in its later stages, it remained an important testament to the human-centered approach of Ottoman civilization, both from a state and public perspective. The Ottoman central bureaucracy not only benefited greatly from madrasas but also ensured that the people in all regions of the country received quality education. Harmony was established between the people and the madrasas, and students were given the opportunity to develop themselves experientially and practically.
