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, (beglik), a term formed by joining the adjectival and relative suffix lik to bey ( beg , beg) which was an old Turkish title [see beg ]. The word bey is said to correspond to the Arabic amīr , and beylik to imāra . The term beylik thus denotes both the title and post (or function) of a Bey , and the territory (domain) under the rule of a Bey. Later, by extension, it came tomean also “state, government”, and, at the same time, a political and administrative entity sometimes possessing a certain autonomy. When the Ottoman Empire was established, ʿOt̲h̲mān Bey, the founder of the dynasty, was referred to as Bey by the sovereign of the Sald̲j̲ūḳid Empire; in th…

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, in its concrete meaning “the House of wealth”, but particularly, in an abstract sense, the “fiscus” or “treasury” of the Muslim State. I. The Legal Doctrine. ‘Bilāl and his companions asked ʿUmar b. al-Ḵh̲aṭṭāb to distribute the booty acquired in Iraq and Syria. “Divide the lands among those who conquered them”, they said, “just as the spoils of the army are divided”. But ʿUmar refused their request . . . saying: “Allāh has given a share in these lands to those who shall come after you” ’ ( Kitāb al-Ḵh̲arād̲j̲ , 24. Le Livre de l’Impot Foncier , 37). In this alleged decision of ʿUmar lies the germ of the notion of public as distinct from private ownership and the idea of properties and monies designed to serve the interests of the community as a whole. Coupled with the institution of the dīwān [ q.v.] in 20 A.H. it marks the starting point of the conception of the bayt al-māl as the State Treasury or fiscus. Previously the term had simply designated the depositary where money and goods were temporarily lodged pending distribution to their individual owners. (See Tyan, …