nizâm

Nizâm (Arabic: نظام; Persian: نظام) is a word meaning system, order, or arrangement. The term is used across Arabic, Persian, Turkish, Urdu, and related languages with a core sense of organization and regulation. In political and administrative contexts, nizâm refers to the organized structure of a state, its laws, institutions, and the discipline of its governance and military.

Historically, nizâm has appeared as both a concept and in proper names. One prominent figure is Nizam al-Mulk (died 1092), the Persian vizier of the Seljuk Empire. He played a central role in reforming state administration and founded the Nizamiyya, a network of state-supported madrassas intended to standardize education and bolster political control in Baghdad, Nishapur, and other cities.

In the Indian subcontinent, the term is associated with the Nizam of Hyderabad, the title of the Asaf Jahi dynasty who ruled the princely state of Hyderabad from the early 18th century until 1948. The title signified sovereignty and political authority over a diverse territory and population.

In the Ottoman sphere, nizâm appears in reform-era phrases such as Nizam-ı Cedid (New Order), a late 18th-century program initiated by Selim III to modernize the army and civil administration.

Today, nizâm remains a common noun in many languages to denote a system or order and is encountered in both everyday language and institutional names. It continues to serve as a general concept for governance, law, and organizational structure.