THE IMPACT OF AHMET YESEVI ON THE TURKISH LANGUAGE AND TURKICNESS

Ahmet Yesevi was a prominent Sufi, thinker, and master of language in the 12th-century Turkic-Islamic world. One of his most significant contributions was the use of the Turkic language as a medium for religion and spiritual knowledge. At a time when Arabic and Persian dominated, his conscious choice to use Turkic made religious teachings more accessible to the public and elevated the literary value of the language. Moreover, Yesevi’s teachings blended Turkic traditions with Islamic ethics, fostering a strong sense of Turkic identity. This study aims to examine Ahmet Yesevi’s influence on the Turkic language and identity within a historical and cultural context