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Istanbul became one of the most important centers of publication in Persian during the 19th century. This situation emerged with the publications of Ajam/Persian printing houses as one of the essential actors of the Ottoman printing history. Furthermore, the Iranians residing in Istanbul, who supported these publications intellectually and financially, had a significant impact on it. Hence this study focuses on the transformation of Istanbul into a center in terms of the publication in Persian and examines one of the most significant names in this field, Muhammad Tāhir Tabrīzī and his printing house of Akhtar. This study first provides a general evaluation of the bookstores and printers owned by Iranian subjects based in Istanbul. Then, with a particular attention to the publications in the Persian language, it focuses on the publishing career of Muhammad Tāhir Tabrīzī and his printing house of Akhtar. In this context, alongside the newspaper Akhtar published for twenty years, Persian grammar books and textbooks, the classics of Persian literature and the scientific and intellectual works that were crucial for Iranian modernization are evaluated [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shi'i religious life in İstanbul has usually been narrated only through the 'azādārī (mourning) ceremonies held during the first ten days of Muharram, a situation that reflects the sources available. Thus, apart from these ceremonies with their somewhat institutionalized character, the religious and sectarian realities of individuals' daily lives have not yet been studied. In this paper, a previously unused source will be examined in detail and its contents evaluated exhaustively. The source in question is a hajj travelogue written by Raīs al-Zākirīn, a Shi'i pilgrim from Mashhad and raw'a-khwān who recites excerpts from works on the martyrs of the Shi'i Imams such as the Raw'at al-Shuhadā' of Husain Wā'iz al-Kāshifī (d. 910/1504). al-Zākirīn's travelogue is significant as the author stayed in Istanbul for 40 days during the Ramadan of the year (21 Sha'bān-3 Shawwāl 1319/3 December 1901-13 January 1902) in company with the city's Shi'i community, presenting religious services in the masjid of Vālidah Khān and in the houses of merchants to which he was invited. The travelogue includes daily entries and, while not complete, the section pertaining to Istanbul is similar to a Ramadan diary and records all the prayers and services the author attended each day. It is thus very rich in detail about Shi'i religious life. This paper also aims to elucidate the relationship between the Shi'i community in Istanbul and Iran with respect to religious life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ottoman Empire, after extension of its boundaries in manner of including Hijaz Territory and control of the roads reaching there, undertook the responsibility of hajj organization which has primarily religious but also political, social and commercial aspects. Thus the pilgrims coming all over the world for perform this religious duty were hosted in Ottoman lands. Persian pilgrims also traveled through Ottoman territories by following various routes and their travels had influence over Ottoman-Persian interaction, encounter of these two societies and constructing relations in different levels. This article, dealing with various hajj travelogues; Safarnāma's, will focus on bringing up impressions of Persian pilgrims who stopped by Istanbul during their pilgrimages as limited to the religion and its social and psychological manifestations. It also aims to reach some conclusions about how they saw and perceived Istanbul and the interaction which is thought to be. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]