Imaret
[5] The shift in the word's meaning to denote a religious complex or public kitchen appears to be unique to the Ottoman context.
In Hebron, the simat al-Khalil ("table of Abraham") was a guesthouse that provided daily food to all visitors to the city, a practice going back centuries and described by the 11th-century writer Nasir Khusraw.
[8] Mecca and Medina also had measures in place for the regular distribution of grain since at least the Mamluk period (13th to early 16th centuries).
[10] The Nilüfer Hatun complex in Iznik, for example, is called an "imaret" but consists of a large zaviye used for Sufi religious activities.
[9] Over the following centuries, the number of imarets grew in the cities as the religious complexes founded by the sultans expanded in size.
[17] Sadaqa as voluntary charity could take many forms, including a prayer or a blessing for the sick and disabled, or a selfless act, all contributed towards good deeds in Ottoman society.
[19] Each institution was named after its founder, and these places were not able to maintain the direct connection between those who provided charity and those who received it, as was often the case in private homes.
The importance of food in the imaret underscores the generosity of wealthy individuals who provided for the needs of neighbors, families, and servants.
[23] Despite the open-handed nature of the imarets, they were strictly regulated establishments that carefully monitored the movement of people and the benefits they received.
The recipients of bread and soup included employees, residents of the imaret's caravanserai, the followers of a local Sufi shaykh, and 400 people characterized as "poor and wretched, weak and needy.
"[30] It became one of the largest and best-known imarets throughout the empire, serving a wide variety of people, including the ulama, the poor, pilgrims and wealthy and prominent members of Jerusalem.
The imaret located within this complex served a diverse group of people including dignitaries, travelers, scholars, and students from the Fatih colleges.
[24] Travellers who stayed overnight at the hotel within the complex received honey and bread to help revitalise them after a long journey.
Nobles were treated to dishes including pumpkin jam, cinnamon, cloves, and considerable portions of meat and rice.
