Abstract

This article analyzes the concept of “heart Sufism” in the teachings of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi. The aim of the study is to reveal its essence and role in shaping the spiritual and worldview foundations of the nomadic societies of the Central Asian steppes. Achieving this goal required particular attention to the inner, spiritual-ethical, and mystical aspects of Yasawi Sufism, in which the purification of the heart, sincerity of faith, and moral self-perfection are key principles of the tariqat—the spiritual path. At the core of the tariqat lies the teaching on the knowledge of God, attainable through ‘aql(reason) granted by God to humans for the proper “observance of Allah’s rights.” This knowledge presupposes Love, kindled in the human heart by Allah Himself as a sign of His reciprocated Love.

The article demonstrates that in Yasawi’s teachings, the concept of the “heart” as the central spiritual organ of a human being, through which the path to God is realized, holds significant importance. Through the concept of the heart, Yasawi’s Sufism is presented not as an abstract mystical doctrine but as a practical, spiritually-ethical teaching. The study applies general scientific theoretical-methodological principles, as well as interdisciplinary, cultural-anthropological, and other approaches, through which Yasawi Sufism is examined as a factor in shaping the value orientations of steppe society. The results of the study on the concept of the heart in Yasawi’s teachings demonstrate its significance in the process of Islamization of the Turkic steppes and in the formation and development of ethical norms, social solidarity, and religious identity, not only among Kazakh but also other Turkic peoples. The article concludes that Yasawi’s “heart Sufism” became an important spiritual-ethical factor that ensured the stability and depth of Islamic worldview within the context of nomadic civilization.

Keywords: Sufism, Khoja Ahmed Yasawi, heart Sufism, Turkic Islam, spiritual culture, purification of the heart, steppe worldview.