Divan
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[[Image:Jean-Baptiste van Mour 006.jpg|thumb|Audience in the Diwan-i-Khas granted to the French ambassador, the vicompte d'Andrezel by [[Ahmed III|Sultan Ahmed III]], 10 October 1724, in a contemporary painting by Jean-Baptiste van Mour.]]
{{otheruses|Diwan}}
'''Dīvān''' or '''dīwān''' ([[Persian language|Persian]] دیوان) was a high governmental body in a number of [[Islam]]ic states, or its chief official (see [[Diwan (title)]]).
==Etymology==
The word is recorded in English since 1586, meaning "Oriental council of state," from [[Turkish language|Turkish]] ''divan'', from [[Arabic]] [[diwan]], is a [[Middle-Persian]] loan-word in Arabic and was borrowed also at an earlier date into Armenian<ref>François de Blois, "Divan", [[Encyclopaedia Iranica]]; accessed February 10, 2007</ref> ''dīvān'' "bundle of written sheets, small book, collection of poems" (as in the ''[[Hafez (poet)|Divan i-Hafiz]]''), related to debir "writer." Sense evolved through "book of accounts," to "office of accounts," "custom house," "council chamber," then to "long, cushioned seat," such as are found along the walls in Middle Eastern council chambers. The modern French and Spanish words "douane" and "aduana" also come from "Dewan".
==Council==
The word first appears in the ninth-century descriptions of the caliphate of [[`Umar ibn al-Khattāb|Omar I]] (A.D. 634-644). Great wealth, gained from the Muslim conquests, was pouring into Medina, and a system of business management and administration became necessary. This was copied from the Persians (whose Sassanid empire was being conquered and islamised under Umar) and given the Persian name divan. Later, as the state became more complicated, the term was extended over all the government bureaus.
The ''divan of the [[Sublime Porte]]'' was for long the council of the empire, a sort of cabinet of the [[Ottoman Empire]].
It consisted of the [[Grand Vizier]] (usually presiding except in the Sultan's presence) and other [[vizier]]s, and occasionally the [[Janissary]] Ağa.
In [[Javanese language|Javanese]] and related languages, the cognate '''Dewan''' is the standard word for council, as in the [[Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat]] or Council of People's Representatives.
==Ministerial departments==
In the [[sultanate]] of [[Morocco]], several portfolio Ministries had a title based on Diwan:
*''Diwan al-Alaf'': ministry of War.
*''Diwan al-Bar'': 'ministry of the Sea', i.e. (overseas=) Foreign ministry.
*''Diwan al-Shikayat'' (or ''- Chikayat''): ministry of Complaints.
==Halls==
Two types of palatial buildings in Indian courts are called divan.
They tend to occur in pairs, as in several of the [[Mughal]] imperial capitals, especially [[Delhi]] where they are the most famous ones, but also in [[Agra]] and [[Fatehpur Sikri]], and certain other princely capitals, e.g. [[Amber%2C_India|Amber]] and also in [[Lahore]] [[Pakistan]].
===Diwan-i-Am===
A court's Hall of Public Audience, where the ruler can hold a mass audience. He would sit on his throne, facing the audience. His minister would assemble the petitions and handed them over to the Emperor and then he would dispense Justice.
===Diwan-i-Khas or Ibadat Khana===
There is red sand stone building near Diwan-E-Aam,A court's Hall of Private Audience, smaller than the Diwan-i-Am. Here envoys and other honored guests are granted a personal audience with the ruler.
==Sources and references==
{{reflist}}
*{{1911}}
*[http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=diwan&searchmode=none EtymologyOnLine]
*[http://www.4dw.net/royalark/Morocco/morocco.htm RoyalArk- here Morocco]
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[[Category:Politics of the Ottoman Empire]]
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