The Role and Significance of Turkic Literary Heritage in the Islamization of the Ulus of Jochi
DOI:
10.48010/xp94aa82Keywords
Ulus of Jochi, Golden Horde, literary monument, religious-didactic, religious-educational, process of Islamization, manuscript, lithograph, spirituality
Abstract
The process of the Islamization of the Golden Horde is reflected in religious-didactic, religious-educational, and religious-Sufi writings composed in the 14th century. These literary works were created primarily during the second stage of the Islamization of the Ulus of Jochi. They cover key areas of Islamic disciplines, such as aqidah (creed), fiqh (Islamic law), hadith (traditions of the Prophet), and tasawwuf (Sufism). These Turkic-language texts gained widespread popularity among the population and laid the foundation for the religious enlightenment of Turkic peoples. The foundations of traditional Islam were laid on this basis.
Written records from the Ulus of Jochi reflect the continuity between religion and tradition, as well as a synthesis of religious and national values. The schools of Imam Abu Hanifa (regarding practical jurisprudence, or fiqh), Imam Maturidi (regarding matters of creed, or aqidah), and Khoja Ahmed Yasawi (regarding spiritual perfection, or ihsan) became established within the Ulus of Jochi. When the Kazakh Khanate separated from the Golden Horde, the triad of "Hanafism–Maturidism–Yasavism" was preserved. These three pillars are reflected in the literature. Therefore, it is important to examine the literary monuments of the Ulus of Jochi not only through philological methods but also from the perspectives of Islamic studies and religious studies.
This article examines the second stage of the Islamization process in the Kazakh steppe; it serves as a practical foundation for ensuring the stability of the contemporary spiritual landscape and resolving religious disagreements within society. To gain a profound understanding of the religious anthropology of the Ulus of Jochi, it is essential to examine the religious-philosophical and religious-didactic written works produced during that era in the Turkic literary language. Accordingly, this article explores the religious characteristics of the written texts from that period.
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References
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