Researchers highlight the Turkish hammām’s role in Muslim ritual and community life

The Turkish hammām is far more than a place for physical cleansing—it is a deeply rooted institution in the public and religious life of Muslim societies.

Unlike the ancient Graeco-Roman thermae, which primarily served as venues for bathing and relaxation, Turkish public baths, or hammāms, have historically functioned as spiritual and communal centers in the Muslim world.

In a recent article, Prof. Mesut Idriz, Professor of Islamic History and Civilization at the University of Sharjah and Director of the Sharjah International Foundation for the History of Muslim and Arab Sciences (SIFHAMS), explores the historical and cultural significance of the hammām. He traces its evolution across Muslim societies and highlights its multifaceted role.

“The terms thermae (Graeco-Roman) and hammām (Arabic and Islamic) both refer to steam baths or places that spread warmth,” writes Prof. Idriz. However, he emphasizes that the hammām in Muslim societies held a religious function, often used for rituals requiring full-body purification with clean water—rituals performed by both the living and for the deceased.

Prof. Idriz links hammām bathing to the Islamic practice of ghusl, the major ablution required after events such as sexual intercourse, seminal emission, menstruation, or childbirth. “Ghusl must be performed whenever a state of major ritual impurity has been incurred,” he explains.

Integrated into the urban planning of Islamic cities, hammāms were not only public bathing facilities but also cultural landmarks. While inspired by Roman thermae, Muslims across regions invested heavily in their construction, and many surviving hammāms are preserved as architectural marvels of the Ottoman era.

Though sharing similarities with Roman and European bathhouses, the hammām developed distinct practices grounded in Islamic principles.

Prof. Idriz notes that the Quran’s emphasis on water as the source of life elevated the hammām’s spiritual significance in Islam. Rituals such as wudu (ablution) and ghusl institutionalized the hammām as a communal space accessible to all social classes.

“The hammām tradition is rooted in Islam’s emphasis on cleanliness and the sacredness of water,” he writes. “Throughout Muslim history, it enabled people to maintain both physical cleanliness and spiritual readiness.”

Prof. Ebru Ibish, Professor of Legal Studies at the International Balkan University in Skopje, North Macedonia, echoes this sentiment. She connects the hammām tradition to Islam’s focus on purification of both body and soul.

“Cleanliness, attention to personal hygiene, and spiritual purification are deeply embedded in Islamic teachings and daily practice,” she says. “It is only natural that the hammām, a place dedicated to cleansing, is strongly associated with these core values.”

A widely cited saying among Muslims, “Cleanliness is half of faith,” underscores the hammām’s religious importance. Prof. Ibish explains that the hammām historically served as a vital institution for fulfilling this aspect of faith, making it a cornerstone of religious observance and community life.

“Visiting the hammām is more than a social or hygienic custom,” she adds. “It reflects Islam’s continuous reminder that maintaining purity is a duty for both the physical body and the spiritual self. The hammām bridges inner and outer cleanliness.”

Dr. Eyup Kul, Associate Professor of Ottoman History at Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University, explains that hammāms during the Ottoman era were considered essential public utilities. They were often constructed to serve the needs of religious and educational institutions such as mosques, madrasas, zawiyas, and tekkes, he points out.

“For the Ottomans, constructing a hammām in a city was as essential as founding a school,” emphasizes Dr. Kul. “This is why public baths were established throughout the territories they conquered beyond the borders of present-day Turkey.”

Dr. Kul further notes that hammāms were significant sources of revenue for waqfs (religious endowments) that supported urban infrastructure and social services. “Although many have been demolished or now lie in ruins,” he adds, “it is still possible to find hammāms built during the Ottoman period.”

Though not originally an Islamic invention, public bathhouses became widespread in the early Islamic period, spreading from the Middle East and North Africa to the Balkans and Spain. In each region, the hammām adapted to local cultures and norms, always maintaining gender separation.

While influenced by Roman baths, the Muslim hammām evolved uniquely within Islamic culture. Prof. Idriz notes that they became symbols of Ottoman tradition, offering massage, heat, and water for both physical and spiritual healing.

“Historically, the hammām symbolized a clean body and a clean society,” he writes. “It promoted health, hospitality, and moral behavior. Public officials regularly inspected hammāms to ensure hygiene and order. Entrance fees were kept low so that everyone—rich or poor—could access them.”

Prof. Idriz hopes his research will inspire greater interest in the hammām tradition across industries, cultural institutions, and academia.

“While grounded in historical and cultural analysis, the findings have relevance beyond academia,” he says. “They offer insights into wellness tourism, heritage preservation, and architectural restoration.”

By highlighting the hammām as a multifaceted institution—combining hygiene, spirituality, and community—the study encourages cross-sector collaboration to revive and adapt this heritage for contemporary audiences.

Prof. Idriz believes that exploring the social and spiritual dimensions of the hammām has practical applications in cultural heritage preservation, tourism, urban planning, and intercultural education.

At the height of the Ottoman Empire in the 16th century, Istanbul alone boasted around 230 hammāms; today, only about 60 remain in operation.

Looking ahead, Prof. Idriz and his colleagues plan to investigate how the hammām tradition evolved across regions such as the Middle East, the Balkans, North Africa, and Andalusia, shedding light on local cultural and religious adaptations.