The Last Great Caliph: Abdul Hamid II - with Dr Yakoob Ahmed

Video Description

Help us expand our Muslim media project here: https://www.thinkingmuslim.com/membership Donate to our charity partner Baitulmaal here: http://btml.us/thinkingmuslim Sultan Abdul Hamid II is a man vilified by some, lionized by others, yet rarely understood on his own terms. To his critics, he was the Red Sultan, a reactionary despot who clung to power as his empire unraveled. But to his defenders, he was the last bulwark against European imperialism, a caliph who dared to say no when so many bowed their heads. But who was Abdul Hamid II? To help us unpack this complex figure, I’m joined by Dr. Yakoob Ahmed, a historian of the late Ottoman period whose work has brought fresh insight into the ideologies, pressures, and personalities that shaped the final century of the Caliphate. You can find Dr Yakoob Ahmed here: Substack: https://yakoob.substack.com Become a member here: https://www.thinkingmuslim.com/membership Or give your one-off donation here: https://www.thinkingmuslim.com/donate Listen to the audio version of the podcast: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7vXiAjVFnhNI3T9Gkw636a Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-thinking-muslim/id1471798762 Purchase our Thinking Muslim mug: https://www.thinkingmuslim.com/merch Find us on: X: https://x.com/thinking_muslim LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-thinking-muslim/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/The-Thinking-Muslim-Podcast-105790781361490 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thinkingmuslimpodcast/ Telegram: https://t.me/thinkingmuslim BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/thinkingmuslim.bsky.social Threads: https://www.threads.com/@thinkingmuslimpodcast Find Muhammad Jalal here: X: https://twitter.com/jalalayn Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jalalayns/ Sign up to Muhammad Jalal's newsletter: https://jalalayn.substack.com Website Archive: https://www.thinkingmuslim.com Disclaimer: The views expressed in this video are those of the individual speaker(s) and do not represent the views of the host, producers, platform, or any affiliated organisation. This content is provided for lawful, informational, and analytical purposes only, and should not be taken as professional advice. Viewer discretion is advised. Timestamps 0:00 - Introduction 2:30 - Why study Abdul Hamid? 7:00 - Donate to Baitulmaal 8:03 - His background 12:15 - Structural leadership? 13:25 - Coup of his brother 22:40 - Challenges he faced 29:12 - First official caliph? 36:36 - His stance on Zionism 39:40 - His anxieties 47:25 - Hijaz Railway 49:30 - Strategy with the West 54:09 - Was he authoritarian? 1:00:58 - Friendship with Germany 1:07:15 - Zionists removed him? 1:08:37 - Scholars responsibility 1:12:43 - Empire decline