Firman

A formal decree or edict issued by an Islamic sovereign, usually an Ottoman sultan. Firmans carried the force of law and were used to grant privileges, make appointments, confirm rights and property, levy taxes, or regulate administrative and religious affairs. Firmans were typically written, sealed with the ruler’s monogram, and addressed to officials or communities that were obliged to follow them. During Ottoman control of the city of Jerusalem, rulers used firmans to regulate the city’s religious, legal, and communal affairs. Perhaps the most famous of these was the firman that is known today as the Status Quo, originally issued to define and preserve different religious communities’ rights and access to, and responsibilities for, Jerusalem’s holy places.