We talked to Yakoob Ahmed on the following topics:
- What is the ulema in general?
- Why is there the perception of the ulema on limiting their knowledge on Islamic Jurisprudence and similar sciences?
- Who are the Ottoman ulema? What made them unique?
- Who have been the most influential scholars in the late Ottoman era? Why have them been influential?
- Which role did the ulema played in the modernisation of the Ottoman state?
- Do you think the Ottomans had the chance to transform to a nation state?
- Can we find similarities between western scholars' resistance against modernity and Ottomans'? And is this have any mean for todays?
- Which kind of education did the late Ottoman ulema received? Do you think there is a way to relate post-modern science with traditional knowledge?
