History Studies

Öz

Since the advent of Islam, special places called "musalla" have been established outside the masjid to hold open-air funerals, Eid and Taraweeh prayers and other public events. This "musalla" tradition has also been continued in the Turkish-Islamic states. In general, these places have received names such as "idgah", "qiblegah", "namazgah", "musalla" and "secdegah". Although there are some slight differences in meaning between these terms, they all refer to open-air places of worship and gathering. Such places are commonly known as Arabic "musalla" and Persian "namazgah". Especially in the Seljuk and Ottoman periods, many musalla or prayer places other than mosques were established in both city centers and cemeteries and on road routes, foundations were built for their maintenance and repair and the fees of their officials. Only some of these facilities have survived to the present day. Many researchers have written numerous reviews on the functions and architectural features of these places of worship and events in the geography of Anatolia. Places of worship and gathering, called "musalla" or "namazgâh", were also established in Tokat during the Seljuk and Ottoman periods. Places of worship and gathering other than mosques established in and around Tokat city center are generally referred to as "musalla" and sometimes "namazgah" in archive records. There has been no independent study of Tokat open-air prayer places, but they have been briefly contacted in some reviews. In this study, Tokat open-air prayer places were examined in a systematic way with the help of newly discovered archival records and modern studies. The aim of the study is to contribute to the faith culture of the Ottoman Empire in general, Tokat in particular.