Defterdar Mehmed Şerif Efendi was a defterdar at the time he wrote the treatise.
Defterdar Mehmed Şerif Efendi was among the group of high administration officials asked by Selim III after the end of the 1787-1792 war to write memoranda on the situation of the army and the state and the proposed reforms or amendments. Most of the authors belonged to the chancery, but there were also high ulema and palace officials (as well as Western envoys or employees, such as Mouradgea d’Ohsson or Brentano).