The Donmeh Jews, a religious sect that appeared in the 17th century in the Turkish city of Izmir, apparently practiced Islamic rituals and underlined Judaism. It paved the way for the Zionist movement and was the first to call for the salvation of the Jews and the establishment of a state for them, with Jerusalem as its capital.

This sect dominated the economy and the media in the Ottoman Empire, spread destructive ideas in Turkish society, and worked to overthrow the caliphate.

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The name Dönmek goes back to the Turkish word "Dönmek", which means return or return, because the followers of this sect pretended to leave Judaism and converted to Islam, so people gave them this name to denote guidance by returning to the true religion, or because they are not true Muslims.

Which means recoil.

According to the Turkish culture, whoever truly embraces Islam is called the "Muhtadi", and whoever outwardly converts to Islam is called a hypocrite.

It is also called "Adventist" in relation to its founder, "Sabbati Zevi", who established the origins, rules and branches of this sect.

Sabtai Zevi, the founder of the Donami sect, was born to Jewish parents who immigrated from Spain (communication sites)

Founder and spiritual father

The Al-Dunma band was established by "Sabatay Sevi" or "Shabbatay Bin Saby", according to Hebrew references. He was born in July 1626 in the Turkish city of Izmir, to Jewish parents who emigrated from Spain following religious persecution and the Inquisition, which took place in The end of the 15th century, after the fall of the last stronghold of the Islamic state in Andalusia.

Sabtai was the youngest son among 3 children of Mordechai Zevi, and he was a well-to-do merchant.

He imbibed Judaism since his birth, and his mother raised him on her eyes while observing a great rabbi in him. Since his youth, he was passionate about reading religious books.

He read and understood the Torah and the Talmud, and excelled in allegorical interpretation, which is the symbols and signs of the meanings of words.

And he absorbed himself in studying the writings of what is known as the Kabbalah, which are spiritual and philosophical beliefs and teachings that depend on the esoteric interpretation of the Torah, and this belief is adopted by Sabtai and his followers.

He became a rabbi and obtained a professorship, and he expressed opinions and sayings that called for the admiration and appreciation of those around him.

Origin and upbringing

Sabatai was ambitious, so he was able to take advantage of the popular ideas among some priests that the appearance of Christ the Savior will be in 1648, so he began to prepare himself, and he began to perform special rituals that had nothing to do with Judaism, so he continued fasting and took a lot of bathing and purification until he conferred on himself a special sanctity, and he married a woman while he was in The age of 22 did not touch her in preparation for his announcement of the Messiah.

He also took advantage of some Hebrew religious texts that herald the emergence of a new Messiah who would rule the world, and his strong personality helped him attract a number of students around him while he was in the prime of his youth, until he claimed in 1648 that he was the expected Messiah who would take Jerusalem as the capital of the Jewish state, and he was barely 22 years old.

And he used to give himself titles such as “the firstborn son of God” and “the first only son of Jehovah.” He also permitted many of the prohibitions that were forbidden according to the law that the Jews follow, and he overturned the Jewish law. Sabtai is outside the Jewish law, and the rabbis sentenced him to death.

The Jewish Donmeh sect is also called "Adventist" in relation to its founder, "Sabbati Zevi" (social networking sites).

When he sensed danger, he went to Istanbul and began preaching salvation to the Jews. A large number of them believed him. Delegations poured in on him from Izmir, Rhodes, Prussia, Sofia, Edirne, Greece and Germany, and he was called the "King of Kings."

And the Jews, who believed his claims, began to wait for the promised day of salvation, so they left the world and its pleasures to purify themselves, until their public life was paralyzed, as they left their work and trade, and began to go out at night carrying candles and calling on the name of Sabtay.

Sabtai took advantage of the general situation of the Jews, who suffered a life of fragmentation, diaspora, and persecution, so he tried to win their support all over the world, claiming that he would take revenge on the Jews from all their enemies, and that he would rule the world from his state.

His call tickled the dreams of the Jews to gather their diaspora in Jerusalem, including the revival of the Temple of Solomon, so the Jews celebrated in the streets of Hamburg, Amsterdam and Poland, rejoicing in the advent of Christ and the imminence of salvation.

At that time, he sent clerics and Jewish rabbis in Izmir warning the Ottoman Empire about him, so he and his followers fled to the city of Thessaloniki, where he lived for 8 years, and when he announced his wedding to the Torah, the Jewish religious court issued a judgment of his disbelief and the permissibility of his blood, so he fled to Athens and then returned to Izmir and from there again. to Istanbul.

He visited Jerusalem in 1663, and he toured on horseback 7 times around the city, announcing the arrival of salvation at his hands. The head of the Jewish community in Egypt, "Raphael Youssef Chalabi", believed in him and lavished money on him to help the people of Jerusalem, just as he believed in him in Gaza, "Nathan Halevi." He is a Jew of German origin, so Sabatai claimed prophecy, and he began to call himself "the Messenger of Sabbath" to the people.

Sabtai also took advantage of what was popular among some Christian denominations that the appearance of Christ would be in 1666, and he got acquainted with a Polish girl named Sarah who fabricated a vision that spread among the Jews, the content of which was that she saw a light that would shine in 1666, and that she would marry the owner of this light.

And when Sabtai heard her claim, he claimed that he had been inspired to marry her, so he married her in 1664, and his trick deceived many of his simple followers, but he did not touch her either.

The Donmeh Jews participated in the 1908 revolution and began to incite the army to stage a revolution against the Sultan (social networking sites)

converting them to Islam

The conflict intensified between Shabtai and the Jewish rabbis because of his infringement on their inherited beliefs, spreading fictional stories in which he claims to have "miracles", the changes he made to Jewish law, and causing chaos among the Jews. Rabbi "Nehima Cohen" informed the Ottoman Sultan that Shabtay was trying Rebellion against the Ottoman Empire, and the establishment of a state for the Jews at its expense.

The Ottoman authorities imprisoned him, and he was brought to trial, where he was sentenced to death on charges of claiming prophecy, so Sabtai decided to save himself and his disciples, so he declared his conversion to Islam on September 15, 1666, so Sultan Muhammad IV pardoned him, appointed him head of the veil in the royal palace, and Sabtai changed his name to “Muhammad Aziz Effendi.” And he put on the jubbah and the turban, so my Sabbath turned from a false Christian into a false Muslim.

It is said that he was not fluent in the Turkish language, and the doctor of Sultan Mustafa Hayati, who was a former Jew, translated between the trial committee and Sabtai, who spoke Spanish, and when the doctor saw that the trial was moving towards convicting and killing Sabtai, he suggested that he convert to Islam, so he did.

Many Jews were frustrated because their savior converted to Islam instead of achieving the desired Jewish dream, so Shabtai sent an explanation to them that his conversion to Islam was a formality, and declared that "the ancient Shabtai entity ascended to heaven, and by Jehovah's order left a king who continues to be the Christ, but under a robe and a turban." This is his plan to resume his previous call, and his followers spread rumors that he ascended to heaven, and was replaced by the command of God, a Messiah wearing a Muslim dress.

And based on the Ottoman government’s approval of Sabtai’s request to invite the Jews to Islam, Sabtai introduced a large number of them to Islam lined with Judaism. Their own customs of dress, holidays and rituals are held in the Spanish language, and they also had their own schools and cemeteries.

And "Aziz Effendi", which is the new name that he took for himself, went to organize and draw the features of his new doctrine, and he wrote that in documents that some of its articles stipulate that his followers must strictly apply the customs and rituals of Muslim Turks to divert attention from them, and it is also forbidden for them to intermarry with Muslims.

The Zevi movement took on a mass momentum that spread to the countries of Europe and North Africa, and the Ottoman Empire did not limit their activity due to the religious freedom it granted to its subjects in practicing their rites and rituals, in addition to the state's preoccupation with its internal and external problems.

Emmanuel Karaso, a Turkish Jew and a member of the Association for Union and Progress, contributed to the overthrow of the Ottoman Empire (social networking sites)

And some pillars of the state began to notice the coming danger, as there were many reports that were submitted by the Ottoman Security Department about the dangerous ideas that these people held and their plot against Islam.

And it became clear after more than 10 years of converting to Islam Sabatai that he only gathers his supporters on special rituals and beliefs, and that his conversion to Islam was pious, and his aim was to strike Islam from within, so he was arrested with some of his followers and exiled to Albania, and he remained there for 5 years, communicating with his followers remotely. with letters or legates until he died 30 September 1675.

Beliefs and canons

Sabbatai presented a list that includes the beliefs of the Donmeh and the foundations of its call, the most important of which are: belief in the true God of Israel, and belief that the Messiah of God is the true Christ, and there is no other savior, and he is their master and king, Sabbatai, and he is a descendant of David.

It also required the transmission, explanation and study of the mystery of Christ from one society to another, the belief that the Torah is the Torah of truth and that it has not changed and is valid, reading the Psalms of David secretly every day, believing in the resurrection of the dead, shrouding and burying their dead in their own cemeteries.

Also among them is the need for all followers to gather in one of the houses on the 16th day of the month of Kilsef (the ninth month of the Jewish year), provided that they discuss among themselves what they have heard about Christ, and about the secret of faith in Christ, and that the feast that falls on this day is celebrated with great pleasure. Every year, the day I embrace Islam on Saturday.

As well as the belief that the God of Israel will send the structure of Solomon built from the top to the bottom, and prevent them from swearing by God or Christ falsely, claiming that the name of God is also integrated into it.

Sabbatai also emphasized the prohibition of marriage among Muslims, and the prohibition of polygamy, taking into account the customs of Muslim Turks as dust in their eyes, and not showing distress by fasting Ramadan, or when offering the sacrifice, and warning that circumcision is obligatory, and they must apply it on the eighth day of the birth of the child, and it can be delayed. Not to attract the attention of Muslims.

The name Donme goes back to the Turkish word "Dönmek", which means return or return (social networking sites)

The continuation of the sect and its exposure to division

After the death of Sabtai, the center of the Donme activities moved to Thessaloniki until 1924, when most of them settled after that in Istanbul, and some of them headed to other cities such as Izmir, Ankara and Bursa, where they continued their march, but they were divided among themselves into 3 main teams:

Jacobites

Before his death, Sabtai took the covenant from his wife's brother, Jacob Chalabi, to succeed him in the presidency, and Sabtai's death was interpreted as a physical change, and that his spirit appeared in Jacob, who gathered his lovers after Sabtai's death who exceeded 200 families, and his group was called the Jacobites.

They violated some of the Adventist teachings, such as the legalization of divorce, which was previously forbidden, and a group of them assumed important positions in the Ottoman Empire.

Qara is harsh

A group of Jacobites showed their unwillingness to abide by some of the apparent provisions of Islam, and in 1689 they separated from the Jacobites because of that.

And they claimed that the spirit of Sabtai had settled in Uthman (Bayrukh or Baruja), who was born 9 months after the death of Sabtai, and when Uthman reached the age of 40, they declared him a Messiah and brought him to the degree of divinity.

Kabanjia

They are a group who wanted to implement the principles of Sabtai as they are, and they rejected Jacob and Othman, so they separated in 1820. The followers of this group had a remarkable activity in European centers in various industrial and commercial aspects and banking business, and they paid great attention in the field of education, and they established schools to educate their children.

They infiltrated the cells of the Union and Progress Party, and played a major role in the coup of the Young Turk Party that brought down Sultan Abdul Hamid from his throne.

The Grand Vizier Midhat Pasha, one of the Donmeh Jews who worked to overthrow the Ottoman Empire (social networking sites)

Its danger and impact on the Ottoman Empire

The Donmeh Jews infiltrated and penetrated Turkish society, and had a significant impact in all fields: political, economic and social.

economic impact

The Donmeh Jews had professions and experience in money, trade and banking affairs. They also received financial support from European and American Jewish companies. They enjoyed economic dominance in the Ottoman Empire and formed a pressing economic force towards achieving their goals and endeavors.

Among them were personalities who played a fundamental role in the Turkish economy, led by Muhammad Javid Bey, who was Minister of Finance in the Ottoman Empire, and he used to conclude commercial deals and provide the necessary money to facilitate the immigration of Jews to Palestine.

And he exerted many pressures on the Ottoman Empire in order to achieve the goals of the Jews, and Moshe Al-Atini had a prominent role in the economy, and he controlled the tobacco, wine and opium trade, and controlled many companies in the state.

political influence

The Donmeh Jews constituted a political force striking deep within the Ottoman Empire, which led to its weakness and then its collapse. Many of them held high political positions, through which they worked to undermine the Ottoman rule.

And they proved their political influence through their involvement in the movements that sought to overthrow Sultan Abdul Hamid II and establish a secular state on the ruins of the Ottoman caliphate, such as: the Young Turk movement, and the Association for Union and Progress that removed Sultan Abdul Hamid, and Al-Dunmah was the mastermind and financier of its activities.

They also established Masonic lodges within the Ottoman Empire and were its most prominent men, and used deceptive slogans such as freedom, combating tyranny and spreading democracy to attract people and promote destructive ideas.

These forums formed centers of power in the state, and ministers, deputies, army commanders, senior officials and officials emerged from them, who were subject to the influence of the Donmeh Jews.

Midhat Pasha - a Freemason from the Donmeh Jews - represented a model of plotting against the state from within. He was governor of Baghdad in 1868, became Minister of Justice in the Ministry of Muhammad Rushdi Pasha, and rose in positions until he became the Grand Vizier (Prime Minister), and was able to overthrow Sultan Abdul Aziz with the help of Britain, France and Germany.

During the reign of Sultan Abdul Hamid II, when it became clear to the Sultan Midhat Pasha's suspicious relationship with England, he dismissed him and sentenced him to death for high treason, but the execution was limited to exile due to the intervention of foreign ambassadors, and this incident was exploited by international Judaism to pit against the Sultan.

The Donmeh Jews participated in the 1908 revolution, disguised as soldiers, infiltrated the ranks of the army, and began to incite them to revolt against the Sultan.

Emmanuel Qara Sou (one of the Donma) was a prominent member of the Association for Union and Progress, a member of the Parliament for Thessaloniki, a deputy for its Trade Division, then a member of the Parliament for Istanbul, and he was one of the three members of the delegation who informed Sultan Abdul Hamid of the news of his dismissal in 1909.

After that, the Sultan was imprisoned in the house of Moshe the Atini from Dunama as well, and the role of Finance Minister Muhammad Jawed Bey, who was one of the most prominent men of the Association for Union and Progress in plotting against the state, is well known.

In 1923, the Turkish National Assembly declared the establishment of the Republic in Turkey, and elected Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, and the Donmeh Jews were among his strongest supporters in reaching power.

The Donmeh Jews took control of the major newspapers and magazines in the Ottoman Empire to overthrow the caliphate (social networking sites)

Media influence and corruption of society

The Donmeh Jews controlled the major newspapers and magazines in the Ottoman Empire by financing or owning them, such as the anti-Islam magazine "Ijtihad", the "Young Turk" newspaper, which spoke on behalf of the federalists, and the "Lunar" newspaper, the most important Thessaloniki newspaper.

The Jewish families were famous for their wide influence in the media field, such as the "Kabbanji", "Kabar" and "Ipekci" families. Through financial support, they were able to control and direct the Turkish media according to their goals.

With the advent of the modern republic, Jewish control over the media increased, so it owned the most widespread magazines and newspapers, such as the "Hurriyet" newspaper, which was founded by "Sadad Simawi", one of the Donme Jews, and it is the most widely circulated newspaper in Turkey, and its circulation reached one million copies per day.

This institution owns a publishing house and several periodicals. Through these media channels, Simawi attacked the veil, and the newspaper prepared Turkish public opinion to accept a Zionist state on the land of Palestine.

The Donmeh Jews owned the "Kwan Aydin" newspaper, Turkey's second-circulating newspaper, the "Turjuman" newspaper, which ranks third in circulation in Turkey, and the "Mallit" newspaper, which comes fourth in the ranking, which is famous for Sami Cohen's articles directed at the service of international Judaism.

Their influence was not limited to the written media, but rather extended to the audio-visual media. They controlled radio and television, as they were run by Ismail Jam, a Jew from Al-Dunma, who used to work through them to spread the ideas of the extreme left in society.

Many writers and media professionals who belong to Al-Dunma have emerged, such as Khaleda Adeeb, Ahmed Amin Yelman, Abdi Ibekji, Ismail Jam and others, who were able through the media channels owned or managed by Al-Dunma to broadcast Western and Marxist thought and call for unveiling and moral decay.

They also contributed to fueling the spirit of Turkish nationalism, distorting the image of the Ottoman Empire and its men, as they promoted the secular Turkish state, and worked to improve the image of the Jews and spread hatred of the Arabs, and other destructive principles.