Süleyman TEPE

Süleyman TEPE is a full-time Research Assistant at the Department of Legal History, Faculty of Law, Ankara Social Sciences University. He earned his PhD in Public Law from the same institution in 2024 with the thesis 'PROTECTION OF PUBLIC MORALS AS AN ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIVITY IN THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE', following a Master's in Public Law from Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University (2022) and a Law degree from Ankara University (2018). His scholarship centers on Ottoman legal history and Islamic jurisprudence, particularly analyzing the Mecelle civil code and its interaction with customary practices.

His academic qualifications include:

• PhD in Public Law, Ankara Social Sciences University (2024), Thesis: 'PROTECTION OF PUBLIC MORALS AS AN ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIVITY IN THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE'
• Master's Degree in Public Law, Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University (2022), Thesis: 'Family Law Decree in the Context of Ottoman Law Legislative Activity'
• Bachelor's Degree in Law, Ankara University (2018)

TEPE's research examines historical Islamic legal frameworks through Ottoman archival materials, with special focus on legal maxims (külli kaideler), customary law integration, and administrative implementation. His work bridges classical fiqh literature with Ottoman state practice, revealing how Sharia principles were operationalized in civil, family, and criminal contexts. He investigates tensions between textual Islamic law and pragmatic governance needs in multi-ethnic empires.

His nine publications (2020-2024) consistently analyze the Mecelle's structure and Ottoman legislative evolution. Key trends include: the role of custom (örf) in civil disputes, family law reforms under Tanzimat, criminal liability for intoxication and defamation, and comparative studies of legal maxims across madhhabs. His scholarship demonstrates deep engagement with primary Ottoman sources while contextualizing findings within broader Islamic legal theory.