Ahmad Yasawi

Khoja Ahmat Yssawi
Born	1093
Died	1166
Region	Central Asia
School	Sufism
Main interests	Fiqh and Hadith

Khoja Ahmad Yasawi Hazrat-e-Khoja-e-Turkistan-Shiekh-ul-Shiekh -Hazrat-e-Khawaja-Ahmad-Yasawi ([Қожа Ахмет Яссауи, Qoja Axmet Yassawï] Error: {{Lang-xx}}: text has italic markup (help); Uzbek: Xoja Ahmad Yassivi, also spelled Ahmad Yasawi, Ahmet Yasevi, Ahmed Yesevi or Ata Yesevi) (born in Sayram in 1093, and died in 1166 in Hazrat-e Turkestan, both cities now in Kazakhstan), was a Turkic poet and Sufi (Muslim mystic), an early mystic who exerted a powerful influence on the development of mystical orders throughout the Turkic-speaking world. Yasavi is currently the earliest known Turkic poet who composed poetry in a Turkic dialect. Ahmed Yesevi was a pioneer of popular mysticism, founded the first Turkic tariqah (order), the Yasaviyya (Yeseviye), which very quickly spread over the Turkic-speaking areas.

Background

Yassawi was born to Sheykh Ibrahim. At age seven, when he was orphaned by the loss of his father, Yassawi was raised by another spiritual father, Arslan Baba. By age seven, Ahmad Yasawi had already advanced through a series of high spiritual stages and then, under the direction of Arslan Baba, the young Ahmad reached a high level of maturity and slowly began to win fame from every quarter. His father Shaikh Ibrahim had already been renowned in that region for performing countless feats and many legends were told of him. Consequently, it was recognized that, with respect to his lineage as well, this quiet and unassuming young boy, who always listened to his elder sister, held a spiritually important position.

IN THE CITY OF SAIRAM IN TURKISTAN {SAIRAM IS JUST EAST OF SHYMKENT IN MODERN KAZAKHSTAN], THERE WAS A SHEYKH NAMED SHEYKH IBRAHIM REHMAT’ALLAH ALAIH, A DESCENDANT OF HAZRAT ALI KARAM’ALLAHU WAJH. WHEN HE PASSED FROM THIS EARTHLY LIFE, HE LEFT A GROWN DAUGHTER NAMED GAWHAR SHAHNAZ AND A SEVEN YEAR-OLD BOY NAMED AHMAD. FROM THE TIME HE WAS VERY YOUNG, AHMAD RECEIVED VARIOUS MANIFESTATIONS OF GOD’S GRACE AND DISPLAYED EXTRAORDINARY QUALITIES THAT BELIED HIS AGE. IN SHEYKH AHMAD YASAWI’S WORK ENTITLED DIWAN-I-HIKMAT, HE RECOUNTS SUCCESIVELY, IN A LANGUAGE APPROPRIATE TO THE SUFIS, THE SPIRITUAL GIFTS THAT HE HAD RECEIVED.

AT AGE SEVEN, WHEN HE WAS ORPHANED BY THE LOSS OF HIS FATHER, AHMAD, WHO SINCE CHILDHOOD HAD RECEIVED THE GUIDANCE OF KHIDR, WAS RAISED BY ANOTHER SPIRITUAL FATHER. THIS WAS SHEYKH “BABA ARSLAN OR ARSLAN BABA, – ONE OF THE COMPANIONS OF THE PROPHET. GUIDED BY SPIRITUAL DIRECTION {MANEVI ISARETIYLE} FROM THE PROPHET, HE WENT TO SAIRAM TO BECOME AHMAD’S TEACHER. ARSLAN BABA WAS ONE OF THE FOREMOST COMPANIONS {OF THE PROPHET}. ONE WELL KNOWN REPORT STATES THAT HE LIVED TO AGE 400, AND ANOTHER – TO AGE 700.

HIS TRAVELING TO TURKISTAN AND BEING CHARGED TO TEACH AHMAD YASAWI WERE BASED ON SPIRITUAL DIRECTION. IT SEEMS THAT DURING ONE OF THE PROPHET’S MILITARY EXPEDITIONS, HIS NOBLE COMPANIONS CAME TO HIM HUNGRY AND REQUESTED FOR SOMETHING TO EAT. THE PROPHET UTTERED A PRAYER AND {THE ANGEL} GABRIEL BROUGHT A DISH OF DATES FROM PARADISE. ONE OF THE DATES FELL ON THE GROUND, WHEREPON GABRIEL SAID, “THIS DATE IS THE PORTION OF A MEMBER OF YOUR RELIGIOUS COMMUNITY NAMED AHMAD YASAWI”. BECAUSE ANYTHING HELD IN TRUST WAS NATURALLY TO BE GIVEN TO ITS OWNER {CF. QURAN IV:58}, THE PROPHET PROPOSED TO HIS COMPANIONS THAT ONE OF THEM UNDERTAKE THIS DUTY. NONE OF THEM RESPONDED SAVE FOR ARSLAN BABA, WHO SAID THAT BY APOSTOLIC FAVOR HE WOULD BE ABLE TO UNDERATAKE THIS TASK. THE PROPHET THEN PUT THE FALLEN DATE INTO ARSLAN BABA’S MOUTH WITH HIS OWN HAND AND ADDED A BIT OF HIS OWN BLESSED SALIVA. A COVERING IMMEDIATELY FORMED OVER THE DATE, AND THE PROPHET INSTRUCTED ARSLAN BABA HOW HE WOULD FIND AHMAD YASAWI AND COMMANDED HIM TO DEVOTE HIMSELF TO YOUNG AHMAD’S EDUCATION. ARSLAN BABA THEN WENT TO SAIRAM(OR YASI) AND, AFTER COMPLETING THERE THE TASK THAT HE HAD TAKEN UPON HIMSELF, DIED THE FOLLOWING YEAR. IT IS RECORDED IN THE DIWAN-I HIKMAT THAT “THE ANGEL OF DEATH TOOK HIS SOUL, THE HURIS{FEMALE DENIZENS OF PARADISE} CUT OUT A SHROUD FROM SILK GARMENTS, AND 70,000 WEEPING ANGELS APPEARED AND TRANSPORTED HIM TO PARADISE.

BY AGE SEVEN, AHMAD YASAWI HAD ALREADY ADVANCED THROUGH A SERIES OF HIGH SPIRITUAL STAGES AND THEN, UNDER THE DIRECTION OF ARSLAN BABA, THE YOUNG AHMAD REACHED A HIGH LEVEL OF MATURITY AND SLOWLY BEGAN TO WIN FAME FROM EVERY QUARTER. HIS FATHER SHAIKH IBRAHIM HAD ALREADY BEEN RENOWNED IN THAT REGION FOR PERFORMING COUNTLESS MIRACLES{KARAMA} AND MANY LEGENDS WERE TOLD OF HIM. CONSEQUENTLY, IT WAS RECOGNIZED THAT, WITH RESPECT TO HIS LINEAGE AS WELL, THIS QUIET AND UNASSUMING YOUNG BOY, WHO ALWAYS LISTENED TO HIS ELDER SISTER, HELD A SPIRITUALLY IMPORTANT POSITION. AROUND THAT TIME AN EXTRAORDINARY EVENT OCCURRED THAT SPREAD AHMAD’S FAME THROUGHOUT TURKISTAN. A RULER NAMED YASAWI WAS RULING AS SULTAN IN TRANSOXIANA AND TURKISTAN. HE SPENT THE WINTERS IN SAMARQAND AND THE SUMMERS IN THE MOUNTAINS OF TURKISTAN. LIKE ALL TURKISH RULERS, HE WAS FOND OF HUNTING AND USED TO PASS THE TIME IN THIS PURSUIT IN THE MOUNTAINS THERE. ONE SUMMER HE WANTED TO GO HUNTING ON QARACHUQ MOUNTAIN, BUT BECAUSE IT WAS SO RUGGED, HE GAVE UP HOPE OF DOING SO. HE WAS NEVER ABLE TO HUNT ON QARACHUQ. CONSEQUENTLY, HE WANTED TO GET RID OF THE MOUNTAIN. HE GATHERED ALL THE FRIENDS OF ALLAH {THE SAINTS/AWLIYA} IN THE LANDS THAT HE RULED AND REQUESTED THEM TO REMOVE THIS MOUNTAIN BY THE BLESSING OF THEIR PRAYERS. THE SAINTS OF TURKISTAN AGREED TO THE RULER’S REQUEST. THEY WRAPPED THEMSELVES IN IHRAMS {THE GARB OF PILGRIMS GOING TO MECCA} AND FOR THREE DAYS PRAYED AND PLEADED FOR THIS MOUNTAIN TO DISAPPEAR. CONTRARY TO EXPECTATION, HOWEVER, ALL THEIR PRAYERS COULD NOT ACCOMPLISH THIS TASK. SEARCHING FOR THE REASON, THEY ASKED, “WAS THERE ANYONE AMONG THE ‘ARIFS {THOSE WHO HAVE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD} AND SAINTS OF THE COUNTRY WHO DID NOT COME?” IT TURNED OUT THAT SHAIKH IBRAHIM’S SON AHMAD YASAWI HAD NOT BEEN SUMMONED BECAUSE HE WAS STILL VERY YOUNG. THEY IMMEDIATELY SENT MEN TO SAIRAM TO SUMMON HIM. THE BOY CONSULTED WITH HIS OLDER SISTER AND SHE SAID TO HIM, “OUR FATHER HAD SOME TESTAMENTARY ADVICE {FOR YOU}. THE THING THAT WILL SHOW WETHER OR NOT YOUR TIME TO APPEAR HAS COME IS A TABLE CLOTH THAT IS TIED {IN A KNOT} IN OUR FATHER’S PLACE OF WORSHIP. IF YOU CAN UNTIE IT, THEN GO AHEAD{IN RESPONSE TO THE RULER’S SUMMONS}, FOR THAT MEANS THE TIME OF YOUR APPEARANCE HAS COME.”

THE BOY THEN WENT TO THE PLACE OF WORSHIP AND UNTIED THE TABLE CLOTH, AND THEN CONTINUED TO THIS CITY OF YASI. ALL THE SAINTS WERE PRESENT THERE. HE INDICATED {THEY SHOULD} PRAY OVER A PIECE OF BREAD THAT WAS ON THE CLOTH. THEY AGREED AND RECITED THE FATIHA {OPENING SURA OF THE QUR’AN}. HE DIVIDED THE BREAD AMONG THOSE WHO WERE ASSEMBLED AND THERE WAS ENOUGH FOR EVERYONE. THERE WERE 99,000 PEOPLE PRESENT COMPOSED OF THE SAINTS, THE RULER’S OFFICERS {UMARA}, AND TROOPS. WHEN THEY SAW THIS MIRACLE, THEY HAD A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE GREATNESS OF AHMAD YASAWI. {MEANWHILE} AHMAD YASAWI EXPECTED THAT THE ANSWER TO HIS PRAYER WAS INSIDE HIS FATHER’S DERVISH CLOAK. SUDDENLY, TORRENTS OF RAIN BURST FROM THE SKY AND ALL THE LAND WAS FLOODED. WHEN THE PRAYER RUGS OF THE SHEYKHS BEGAN TO FLOAT ON THE WAVES, THEY PLEADED AND CRIED OUT. AHMAD YASAWI STUCK HIS HEAD FROM THE CLOAK. THE STORM IMMEDIATELY SUBSIDED AND THE SUN APPEARED. AND WHAT SHOULD THEY SEE! BUT THAT QARACHUQ MOUNTAIN HAD DISAPPEARED. WHERE THE MOUNTAIN ONCE STOOD THERE IS NOW A TOWN CALLED QARACHUQ, WHERE MOST OF SHEYKH AHMAD’S DESCENDANTS RESIDE. THE RULER YASAWI, WHO HAD WITNESSED THIS MIRACLE, ENTREATED AHMAD TO ENSURE THAT HIS NAME WOULD REMAIN ON EARTH UNTIL THE DAY OF JUDGEMENT. AHMAD ACCEPTED HIS WISH AND SAID, ” WHOEVER IN THE WORLD LOVES ME, MAY HE RECALL ME TOGETHER WITH YOUR NAME.” THUS, FROM THAT DAY FORWARD, HE HAS BEEN CALLED, “KHWAJA AHMAD YASAWI.”

THE BOOKS OF LEGENDS {MANAQIB} AGREE IN STATING THAT SHEYKH AHMAD YASAWI WENT TO BUKHARA FOR A WHILE ON THE ADVICE OF ARSLAN BABA HAZRETLERI AND ATTACHED HIMSELF TO SHEYKH YUSUF HAMADANI, THAT CITY’S MOST RENOWNED SPIRITUAL GUIDE, AND THAT AFTER HIS PASSING FROM THIS WORLD, HE SPENT SOME TIME IN BUKHARA CARRYING OUT RELIGIOUS INVITATION {HALKE DAVETE MESGUL} AND THEN, COMMENDING ALL OF HIS COMPANIONS TO KHWAJA ‘ABD AL-KHALIQ GHUJDUWANI, WENT TO YASI ON THE SPIRITIUAL DIRECTION OF THE PROPHET. WHILE RECOUNTING SUCCESSIVELY, IN A SUFI MANNER, THE KINDS OF SPIRITUAL MANIFESTATIONS THAT HE EXHIBITED BETWEEN AGES SEVEN AND FIFTY, SHEYKH AHMAD YASAWI SAYS IN THE DIWAN-I HIKMAT “THAT HE FELL IN LOVE {SPIRITUALLY, I.E. WITH GOD} AT AGE TWENTY-SIX, THAT HE FOUGHT ON BEHALF OF THE DIVINE COUNTENANCE {DIDAR} LIKE MANSUR AL-HALLAJ, THAT HE SUFFERED VARIOUS TORMENTS BECAUSE HE WAS NOT ABLE TO FIND A PIR, AND THAT HE FINALLY FOUND A PIR AT AGE TWENTY-SEVEN AND THAT HE ESCAPED FROM HIS TORMENTS, AND THAT IT WAS THEN THAT HE COULD BE WORTHY OF THAT DERVISH CONVENT.” INDEED, ONE OF THE HIKMATS {RELIGIOUS POEMS} HAS THE FOLLOWING REFRAIN: “MY GREAT TEACHER, I CAME TO TAKE REFUGE WITH YOU” {ZATE ULU HOCA’M, SANA SIGNIP GELDIM}. ONE COULD GUESS THAT THIS REFERS TO SHEYKH YUSUF HAMADANI AND THAT AHMAD HAZRETLERI ATTACHED HIMSELF TO HIM AT AGE TWENTY-SEVEN.

SHEYKH AHMAD YASAWI WAS OCCUPIED CONTINUOUSLY WITH TEACHING AND PROVIDING GUIDANCE IN THE TOWN OF YASI. THE NUMBER OF DISCIPLES WHO GATHERED AROUND HIM INCREASED DAILY AND HIS FAME GRADUALLY SPREAD THROUGHOUT TURKISTAN, TRANSOXIANA, KHURASAN, AND KHWARAZM. HE WAS SUPERIOR TO ALL THE SAINTS OF HIS TIME IN BOTH EXOTERIC AND ESOTERIC KNOWLEDGE. HE LECTURED TO HIS DISCIPLES ON BOTH TYPES OF KNOWLEDGE. HE SPENT {VIRTUALLY} ALL HIS TIME WORSHIPPING GOD AND DOING PIOUS ACTS. IN HIS FREE TIME, HE CARVED SPOONS AND LADLES AND SOLD THEM TO EARN A LIVING. HE ALWAYS KEPT COMPANY WITH KHIDR, WHO HAD BEEN HIS FATHER’S OLD COMPANION. INDEED, ONE DAY, KHIDR SAID TO AHMAD, “I TRAVEL THE SEVEN CLIMES SEVEN TIMES A DAY SEARCHING FOR A COMPANION AND THERE IS NO COMPANION MORE CAPABLE AND FINER THAN YOU.”

KHWAJA AHMAD WOULD NOT ACCEPT A SINGLE MORSEL FROM THE ENDLESS GIFTS AND VOTIVE OFFERINGS THAT WERE DONATED TO HIS TEKKE. EVERY DAY {WORD OF} HIS SAINTLY KARAMATS (MIRACLES) SPREAD A LITTLE FURTHER AMONG THE PEOPLE. IT IS REPORTED THAT THE CELEBRATED KHWAJA {MASTER} HAD AN OX. IT WOULD GO ABOUT THE CITY MARKET WITH A SADDLE BAG {ON ITS BACK} IN WHICH SPOONS, LADLES, AND BEGGING BOWLS WERE VISIBLE. THOSE WHO WANTED TO PURCHASE THEM WOULD TAKE A CERTAIN AMOUNT {OF THESE GOODS} AND LEAVE WHAT IN THE CITY OF SAIRAM IN TURKISTAN {SAIRAM IS JUST EAST OF SHYMKENT IN MODERN KAZAKHSTAN], THERE WAS A SHEYKH NAMED SHEYKH IBRAHIM REHMAT’ALLAH ALAIH, A DESCENDANT OF HAZRAT ALI KARAM’ALLAHU WAJH. WHEN HE PASSED FROM THIS EARTHLY LIFE, HE LEFT A GROWN DAUGHTER NAMED GAWHAR SHAHNAZ AND A SEVEN YEAR-OLD BOY NAMED AHMAD. FROM THE TIME HE WAS VERY YOUNG, AHMAD RECEIVED VARIOUS MANIFESTATIONS OF GOD’S GRACE AND DISPLAYED EXTRAORDINARY QUALITIES THAT BELIED HIS AGE. IN SHEYKH AHMAD YASAWI’S WORK ENTITLED DIWAN-I-HIKMAT, HE RECOUNTS SUCCESIVELY, IN A LANGUAGE APPROPRIATE TO THE SUFIS, THE SPIRITUAL GIFTS THAT HE HAD RECEIVED.

AT AGE SEVEN, WHEN HE WAS ORPHANED BY THE LOSS OF HIS FATHER, AHMAD, WHO SINCE CHILDHOOD HAD RECEIVED THE GUIDANCE OF KHIDR, WAS RAISED BY ANOTHER SPIRITUAL FATHER. THIS WAS SHEYKH “BABA ARSLAN OR ARSLAN BABA, – ONE OF THE COMPANIONS OF THE PROPHET. GUIDED BY SPIRITUAL DIRECTION {MANEVI ISARETIYLE} FROM THE PROPHET, HE WENT TO SAIRAM TO BECOME AHMAD’S TEACHER. ARSLAN BABA WAS ONE OF THE FOREMOST COMPANIONS {OF THE PROPHET}. ONE WELL KNOWN REPORT STATES THAT HE LIVED TO AGE 400, AND ANOTHER – TO AGE 700.

HIS TRAVELING TO TURKISTAN AND BEING CHARGED TO TEACH AHMAD YASAWI WERE BASED ON SPIRITUAL DIRECTION. IT SEEMS THAT DURING ONE OF THE PROPHET’S MILITARY EXPEDITIONS, HIS NOBLE COMPANIONS CAME TO HIM HUNGRY AND REQUESTED FOR SOMETHING TO EAT. THE PROPHET UTTERED A PRAYER AND {THE ANGEL} GABRIEL BROUGHT A DISH OF DATES FROM PARADISE. ONE OF THE DATES FELL ON THE GROUND, WHEREPON GABRIEL SAID, “THIS DATE IS THE PORTION OF A MEMBER OF YOUR RELIGIOUS COMMUNITY NAMED AHMAD YASAWI”. BECAUSE ANYTHING HELD IN TRUST WAS NATURALLY TO BE GIVEN TO ITS OWNER {CF. QURAN IV:58}, THE PROPHET PROPOSED TO HIS COMPANIONS THAT ONE OF THEM UNDERTAKE THIS DUTY. NONE OF THEM RESPONDED SAVE FOR ARSLAN BABA, WHO SAID THAT BY APOSTOLIC FAVOR HE WOULD BE ABLE TO UNDERATAKE THIS TASK. THE PROPHET THEN PUT THE FALLEN DATE INTO ARSLAN BABA’S MOUTH WITH HIS OWN HAND AND ADDED A BIT OF HIS OWN BLESSED SALIVA. A COVERING IMMEDIATELY FORMED OVER THE DATE, AND THE PROPHET INSTRUCTED ARSLAN BABA HOW HE WOULD FIND AHMAD YASAWI AND COMMANDED HIM TO DEVOTE HIMSELF TO YOUNG AHMAD’S EDUCATION. ARSLAN BABA THEN WENT TO SAIRAM(OR YASI) AND, AFTER COMPLETING THERE THE TASK THAT HE HAD TAKEN UPON HIMSELF, DIED THE FOLLOWING YEAR. IT IS RECORDED IN THE DIWAN-I HIKMAT THAT “THE ANGEL OF DEATH TOOK HIS SOUL, THE HURIS{FEMALE DENIZENS OF PARADISE} CUT OUT A SHROUD FROM SILK GARMENTS, AND 70,000 WEEPING ANGELS APPEARED AND TRANSPORTED HIM TO PARADISE.

BY AGE SEVEN, AHMAD YASAWI HAD ALREADY ADVANCED THROUGH A SERIES OF HIGH SPIRITUAL STAGES AND THEN, UNDER THE DIRECTION OF ARSLAN BABA, THE YOUNG AHMAD REACHED A HIGH LEVEL OF MATURITY AND SLOWLY BEGAN TO WIN FAME FROM EVERY QUARTER. HIS FATHER SHAIKH IBRAHIM HAD ALREADY BEEN RENOWNED IN THAT REGION FOR PERFORMING COUNTLESS MIRACLES{KARAMA} AND MANY LEGENDS WERE TOLD OF HIM. CONSEQUENTLY, IT WAS RECOGNIZED THAT, WITH RESPECT TO HIS LINEAGE AS WELL, THIS QUIET AND UNASSUMING YOUNG BOY, WHO ALWAYS LISTENED TO HIS ELDER SISTER, HELD A SPIRITUALLY IMPORTANT POSITION. AROUND THAT TIME AN EXTRAORDINARY EVENT OCCURRED THAT SPREAD AHMAD’S FAME THROUGHOUT TURKISTAN. A RULER NAMED YASAWI WAS RULING AS SULTAN IN TRANSOXIANA AND TURKISTAN. HE SPENT THE WINTERS IN SAMARQAND AND THE SUMMERS IN THE MOUNTAINS OF TURKISTAN. LIKE ALL TURKISH RULERS, HE WAS FOND OF HUNTING AND USED TO PASS THE TIME IN THIS PURSUIT IN THE MOUNTAINS THERE. ONE SUMMER HE WANTED TO GO HUNTING ON QARACHUQ MOUNTAIN, BUT BECAUSE IT WAS SO RUGGED, HE GAVE UP HOPE OF DOING SO. HE WAS NEVER ABLE TO HUNT ON QARACHUQ. CONSEQUENTLY, HE WANTED TO GET RID OF THE MOUNTAIN. HE GATHERED ALL THE FRIENDS OF ALLAH {THE SAINTS/AWLIYA} IN THE LANDS THAT HE RULED AND REQUESTED THEM TO REMOVE THIS MOUNTAIN BY THE BLESSING OF THEIR PRAYERS. THE SAINTS OF TURKISTAN AGREED TO THE RULER’S REQUEST. THEY WRAPPED THEMSELVES IN IHRAMS {THE GARB OF PILGRIMS GOING TO MECCA} AND FOR THREE DAYS PRAYED AND PLEADED FOR THIS MOUNTAIN TO DISAPPEAR. CONTRARY TO EXPECTATION, HOWEVER, ALL THEIR PRAYERS COULD NOT ACCOMPLISH THIS TASK. SEARCHING FOR THE REASON, THEY ASKED, “WAS THERE ANYONE AMONG THE ‘ARIFS {THOSE WHO HAVE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD} AND SAINTS OF THE COUNTRY WHO DID NOT COME?” IT TURNED OUT THAT SHAIKH IBRAHIM’S SON AHMAD YASAWI HAD NOT BEEN SUMMONED BECAUSE HE WAS STILL VERY YOUNG. THEY IMMEDIATELY SENT MEN TO SAIRAM TO SUMMON HIM. THE BOY CONSULTED WITH HIS OLDER SISTER AND SHE SAID TO HIM, “OUR FATHER HAD SOME TESTAMENTARY ADVICE {FOR YOU}. THE THING THAT WILL SHOW WETHER OR NOT YOUR TIME TO APPEAR HAS COME IS A TABLE CLOTH THAT IS TIED {IN A KNOT} IN OUR FATHER’S PLACE OF WORSHIP. IF YOU CAN UNTIE IT, THEN GO AHEAD{IN RESPONSE TO THE RULER’S SUMMONS}, FOR THAT MEANS THE TIME OF YOUR APPEARANCE HAS COME.”

THE BOY THEN WENT TO THE PLACE OF WORSHIP AND UNTIED THE TABLE CLOTH, AND THEN CONTINUED TO THIS CITY OF YASI. ALL THE SAINTS WERE PRESENT THERE. HE INDICATED {THEY SHOULD} PRAY OVER A PIECE OF BREAD THAT WAS ON THE CLOTH. THEY AGREED AND RECITED THE FATIHA {OPENING SURA OF THE QUR’AN}. HE DIVIDED THE BREAD AMONG THOSE WHO WERE ASSEMBLED AND THERE WAS ENOUGH FOR EVERYONE. THERE WERE 99,000 PEOPLE PRESENT COMPOSED OF THE SAINTS, THE RULER’S OFFICERS {UMARA}, AND TROOPS. WHEN THEY SAW THIS MIRACLE, THEY HAD A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE GREATNESS OF AHMAD YASAWI. {MEANWHILE} AHMAD YASAWI EXPECTED THAT THE ANSWER TO HIS PRAYER WAS INSIDE HIS FATHER’S DERVISH CLOAK. SUDDENLY, TORRENTS OF RAIN BURST FROM THE SKY AND ALL THE LAND WAS FLOODED. WHEN THE PRAYER RUGS OF THE SHEYKHS BEGAN TO FLOAT ON THE WAVES, THEY PLEADED AND CRIED OUT. AHMAD YASAWI STUCK HIS HEAD FROM THE CLOAK. THE STORM IMMEDIATELY SUBSIDED AND THE SUN APPEARED. AND WHAT SHOULD THEY SEE! BUT THAT QARACHUQ MOUNTAIN HAD DISAPPEARED. WHERE THE MOUNTAIN ONCE STOOD THERE IS NOW A TOWN CALLED QARACHUQ, WHERE MOST OF SHEYKH AHMAD’S DESCENDANTS RESIDE. THE RULER YASAWI, WHO HAD WITNESSED THIS MIRACLE, ENTREATED AHMAD TO ENSURE THAT HIS NAME WOULD REMAIN ON EARTH UNTIL THE DAY OF JUDGEMENT. AHMAD ACCEPTED HIS WISH AND SAID, ” WHOEVER IN THE WORLD LOVES ME, MAY HE RECALL ME TOGETHER WITH YOUR NAME.” THUS, FROM THAT DAY FORWARD, HE HAS BEEN CALLED, “KHWAJA AHMAD YASAWI.”

THE BOOKS OF LEGENDS {MANAQIB} AGREE IN STATING THAT SHEYKH AHMAD YASAWI WENT TO BUKHARA FOR A WHILE ON THE ADVICE OF ARSLAN BABA HAZRETLERI AND ATTACHED HIMSELF TO SHEYKH YUSUF HAMADANI, THAT CITY’S MOST RENOWNED SPIRITUAL GUIDE, AND THAT AFTER HIS PASSING FROM THIS WORLD, HE SPENT SOME TIME IN BUKHARA CARRYING OUT RELIGIOUS INVITATION {HALKE DAVETE MESGUL} AND THEN, COMMENDING ALL OF HIS COMPANIONS TO KHWAJA ‘ABD AL-KHALIQ GHUJDUWANI, WENT TO YASI ON THE SPIRITIUAL DIRECTION OF THE PROPHET. WHILE RECOUNTING SUCCESSIVELY, IN A SUFI MANNER, THE KINDS OF SPIRITUAL MANIFESTATIONS THAT HE EXHIBITED BETWEEN AGES SEVEN AND FIFTY, SHEYKH AHMAD YASAWI SAYS IN THE DIWAN-I HIKMAT “THAT HE FELL IN LOVE {SPIRITUALLY, I.E. WITH GOD} AT AGE TWENTY-SIX, THAT HE FOUGHT ON BEHALF OF THE DIVINE COUNTENANCE {DIDAR} LIKE MANSUR AL-HALLAJ, THAT HE SUFFERED VARIOUS TORMENTS BECAUSE HE WAS NOT ABLE TO FIND A PIR, AND THAT HE FINALLY FOUND A PIR AT AGE TWENTY-SEVEN AND THAT HE ESCAPED FROM HIS TORMENTS, AND THAT IT WAS THEN THAT HE COULD BE WORTHY OF THAT DERVISH CONVENT.” INDEED, ONE OF THE HIKMATS {RELIGIOUS POEMS} HAS THE FOLLOWING REFRAIN: “MY GREAT TEACHER, I CAME TO TAKE REFUGE WITH YOU” {ZATE ULU HOCA’M, SANA SIGNIP GELDIM}. ONE COULD GUESS THAT THIS REFERS TO SHEYKH YUSUF HAMADANI AND THAT AHMAD HAZRETLERI ATTACHED HIMSELF TO HIM AT AGE TWENTY-SEVEN.

SHEYKH AHMAD YASAWI WAS OCCUPIED CONTINUOUSLY WITH TEACHING AND PROVIDING GUIDANCE IN THE TOWN OF YASI. THE NUMBER OF DISCIPLES WHO GATHERED AROUND HIM INCREASED DAILY AND HIS FAME GRADUALLY SPREAD THROUGHOUT TURKISTAN, TRANSOXIANA, KHURASAN, AND KHWARAZM. HE WAS SUPERIOR TO ALL THE SAINTS OF HIS TIME IN BOTH EXOTERIC AND ESOTERIC KNOWLEDGE. HE LECTURED TO HIS DISCIPLES ON BOTH TYPES OF KNOWLEDGE. HE SPENT {VIRTUALLY} ALL HIS TIME WORSHIPPING GOD AND DOING PIOUS ACTS. IN HIS FREE TIME, HE CARVED SPOONS AND LADLES AND SOLD THEM TO EARN A LIVING. HE ALWAYS KEPT COMPANY WITH KHIDR, WHO HAD BEEN HIS FATHER’S OLD COMPANION. INDEED, ONE DAY, KHIDR SAID TO AHMAD, “I TRAVEL THE SEVEN CLIMES SEVEN TIMES A DAY SEARCHING FOR A COMPANION AND THERE IS NO COMPANION MORE CAPABLE AND FINER THAN YOU.”

KHWAJA AHMAD WOULD NOT ACCEPT A SINGLE MORSEL FROM THE ENDLESS GIFTS AND VOTIVE OFFERINGS THAT WERE DONATED TO HIS TEKKE. EVERY DAY {WORD OF} HIS SAINTLY KARAMATS (MIRACLES) SPREAD A LITTLE FURTHER AMONG THE PEOPLE. IT IS REPORTED THAT THE CELEBRATED KHWAJA {MASTER} HAD AN OX. IT WOULD GO ABOUT THE CITY MARKET WITH A SADDLE BAG {ON ITS BACK} IN WHICH SPOONS, LADLES, AND BEGGING BOWLS WERE VISIBLE. THOSE WHO WANTED TO PURCHASE THEM WOULD TAKE A CERTAIN AMOUNT {OF THESE GOODS} AND LEAVE WHAT THEY COST IN THE SADDLE BAG. THE OX WOULD WANDER ABOUT EVERY DAY UNTIL NIGHTFALL. THEN IT WOULD GO TO THE KHWAJA. HE WOULD TAKE THE CONTENTS {OF THE BAG} IN HIS BLESSED HAND. IF SOMEONE WERE TO TAKE SOMETHING FROM THE SADDLE BAG WITHOUT PAYING FOR IT, THE OX WOULD FOLLOW HIM AND WOULD NOT GO TO ANOTHER QUARTER {OF THE CITY} UNTIL THAT ONE HAD RETURNED THE MERCHANDISE OR PAID FOR IT.”

THEY COST IN THE SADDLE BAG. THE OX WOULD WANDER ABOUT EVERY DAY UNTIL NIGHTFALL. THEN IT WOULD GO TO THE KHWAJA. HE WOULD TAKE THE CONTENTS {OF THE BAG} IN HIS BLESSED HAND. IF SOMEONE WERE TO TAKE SOMETHING FROM THE SADDLE BAG WITHOUT PAYING FOR IT, THE OX WOULD FOLLOW HIM AND WOULD NOT GO TO ANOTHER QUARTER {OF THE CITY} UNTIL THAT ONE HAD RETURNED THE MERCHANDISE OR PAID FOR IT.”

Influence

Ahmed Yassawi later moved to Bukhara and followed his studies with the well known Yusuf Hamdani (d. 1140). Yassawi made considerable efforts to spread Islam throughout Central Asia and had numerous students in the region. Yasawi's poems created a new genre of religious folk poetry in Central Asian Turkic literature and influenced many religious poets in the following countries. Yassawi made the city of Yasi into the major centre of learning for the Kazakh steppes, then retired to a life of contemplation aged 63. He dug himself an underground cell where he spent the rest of his life. Turkish scholar Hasan Basri Çantay noted that "It was a Seljuk king who brought Rumi, the great Sufi poet, to Konya; and it was in Seljuq times that Ahmad Yesevi, another great Sufi, lived and taught. The influence of those two remarkable teachers has continued to the present." Yasavi is also mentioned by Ernest Scott (pseudonym) as a member of the Khwajagan Sufis.

Legacy

A mausoleum was later built on the site of his grave by Tamerlane the Great in the city (today called Türkistan). The Yasaviyya Tariqah which he founded continued to be influential for several centuries afterwards, with the Yasavi Sayyid Ata Sheikhs holding a prominent position at the court of Bukhara into the 19th century. In the Yasaviyya Sufis one comes across the greatest number of the shamanistic elements compared to other Sufi Orders.

The first Turkish-Kazakh university, Ahmet Yesevi University, and liceum, Hoca Ahmed Yesevi Lisesi, were named in his honor.

Naqshbandi Sufi Idries Shah mentions Ahmed Yasavi's lineage in his "The Book of the Book" . Yasavi Sufis are also present in Kashmir. They came to Kashmir from Turkiministan with Hazrat Amir-e-Kabir Mir Syed Ali Hamdani (Q.S). A historical background of the Yasavi order can be found in the book SILSLAY YASAVI, written by Peerzada Mohammad Shafi Yasavi, eldest member of the Yasavi family in Kashmir. The book is written in Urdu.

As stated in the book “Sofi Orders in Islam” by J.S. Truinnigham at page No. 58-60 printed at Oxford Press 1971.Yesvi Sheiks are mentioned in Kashmir in the sixteenth century. This is corroborated by the fact, as borne out by several books of history of Kashmir, also that the first “Yesvi Saint” who arrived in Kashmir was “Jenab Khawaja Ahmad Yesvi” a direct descended of the founder of the “Yesvi Tariqat” Hazrat Khawaja-e-Turkistan Sheikh-at Sheikh Hazrat-e-Sultan Khawaja Ahmad Yesvi, whose mosulem is in “Yasi” about sixty miles away from Tashkent – capital of “Azbaikistan” now in Turkiministan. In several history of “Saints” and “Aulias” of Kashmir viz “Waqaat Kashmir” by Khawaja Azam Dedwari. “Tharikh Hassain” page 267 etc it is mentioned that Khawaja Ahmad Yesvi is the first Yesvi saint came to Kashmir during 1100-1200 AH. In the first instance he stayed in the area called “Baghi Mirza Beg Mullak Shah” in the foot of the holy hillock called Koh-e-Maran (Hari Parbat). Before him the “Naqashbandi Saints” had already came to Kashmir and settled in a big area formerly a royal garden belonging to the “Chak Rules of Kashmir” which was renamed “Khawaja Bazar”. Hazrat Syed Nizam-u-din Ahmad Naqashbandi father of Khawaja Mohammad Aftab Naqashbandi was presiding Naqashbandi Saints and nobility in Kashmir at that time. As soon as he came to know of the arrival of a “Yesvi Saint” in Kashmir, he personally went to pay him his obeisance alongwith his disciples and brought him to his abode in Khawaja Bazar with great honour Hazrat Khawaja Ahmad Yesvi later on lived in the same area “Khawaja Bazar” and his mausoleum is also there adjacent to the tomb of Hazrat Khawaja Mumiddik Naqashbandi. He died in 1113 AH. It is during the life time of Hazrat Khawaja Ahmad Yesvi in Kashmir that a historical event of bringing of the holy relic of Mohammad (holy hair) took place. As given in a number of books of history of Kashmir (Waqat Kashmir) etc. This holy relic was purchased by a Kashmiri merchant namely Khawaja Noor-u-din Ishhani frame Arab, reportedly a descendent ( Ashawan) of holy Prophet from Bejapur in south India during the Indian reign of Mughal king Zainul-aba-din during 1100 A.H/ sixteenth century AD. When the king came to know of it he wanted to keep the holy relic out of reverence in the places of India at Delhi/ Lahore and therefore should it form being carried to Kashmir. The king himself was a highly religious minded and spiritually elevated person. He had a dream in which as given in the history Mohammad asked the king to allow the holy relic being taken to Kashmir. Therefore the king made all arrangements for it being carried to Kashmir under full state control. On its arrival in Kashmir there was a great commorida faith and allegation to the holy prophet. However, later on it was felt to get the holy hair relic testified to know that it actually beloved to the holy Prophet. All eyes fell upon Jenab Khawaja Ahmad yesvi who was the saint of the highest order at that time in Kashmir and so he was entracted to testify the holy relic. After great hersvation he agreed to do it and later on declared that he was impulsively told that the holy relic belonged to Mohammad and was from the right side of his holy beard and was after the Mehraj. Therefore the holy relic was kept at the Kankah of Hazarat Naqashband at Khawaja Bazar, Srinagar where from it was shifted outside the Srinagar city to a place in royal garden at Hazrat Bal where it was located since then and the Shrine called “ Hazarat Bal” shrine of holy prophet is famous all over the world. Yet another great saint who was a direct descendent of the founder of the “ Yasmir Cult” Jenab Hazrat Sultan Khawaja Ahmed Yesvi by the order of cult Nasbi yesvi Syed Qazi Daulat Shah Bukhari-ul-Checkinivi also came to Kashmir who preached the “Yesvi cult” in Kashmir. Probably he actually hailed from Checkinia. After some stay in Kashmir he went to Delhi and passed on way during 1129 AH where he is buried. He was on his way to Arabia for Haj pilgrimage. During his stay in Kashmir, the desendent of the Yasvi saints of Kashmir and others who came under the fold of “Yesvi order’ the cult was institualised in Kashmir while Hazrat Syed Qazi Daulat Shah Bukhari left for Delhi, on his way for he Haj pilgrimage, he transferred the seat of authority to Jenab Hazrat Sheikh Mohammad Qaim Yesvi a descended of Yesvi order (Pg 30-31 Silsilay Yesvi by Haji Syed Mohammad Qami Yesvi) who therefore preached this new cult in Kashmir and a number of people became its discipline. He was a highly accomplished person spiritually and was also highly learned. He had a number of books, publication viz Hizatul Muslimeen in poetry Zikar Jahar with Quarnic Ayat, Ahadith Nabia Aquad Sofia to his credit . He was highly devoted to the the great saints of Kashmir viz Jenab Hazrat Shiekh Nooruddin Noorani whose shrine is at “ Cherar in the Budgam district of Kashmir about 32 km form the Srinagar. And Hazrat Sultan Shiekh Hamza al Maqdoomi al Kashmiri whose shrine is at the holy hillock of Hariparabat . Jenab Sheikh Mohammad Qaim Yesvi was regular visitor to the shrine at Char-i Sharief for pay his obeisance to the great saint. Journey to the place was those days on foot and almost half of it was over hills. There was no water supply at Charr. It was the initiative of Jenab Sheikh Mohammad Qaim in which some of his rich disciples (Talib) from the city of Srinagar helped that he constructed on drinking water channel to charr Sharief of which the sources was at “ Kavidayan about 4-5 km away from Chari Sharief on the way to “Yusmarg”. The water channel became known as “Joi Qaim” Joi in persion language is the name of a Channel. He died in 1153 AH at the age of 57 and his mausoleum is in the graveyard at “Mughal Mohall Hawal in the old Srinagar city adjacent to Kohi Maran Hillock also called “Hari Parbat “. Hazrat Abdullay Yesvi, grandson named Sheikh Ahsan Yesvi who are also buried at the name graveyard to Mughal Mohalla, Srinagar as mentioned above. The graveyard is still intact and beside it a afore mentioned saints of the “Yesvi Cult” and their Kith and Kin no other person from anywhere claim or buried there till date. From 1241 AH probably due to shifting of their residence from the area adjacent to “ Bagh Mullah Sahib” on the foot hills of the hillock “ KohiMarran / Hari Parbat” where infact all the saints Sheikhs , Syeds etc who came to Kashmir from central Asia first settled, the new graveyard Trabal Nawa Kadal was started where one of great grandson of Jenab Shickh Mohammad Qaim Yesvi namely “Shiekh Abudl Rasool Yesvi was buried in 1241 AH and all the descendent of this cult in Srinagar are buried there in the graveyard known as “Maqbar Yesvi” situated in Mohalla Tara Bal, Nawa Kadal Srinagar opposite to the Shrine of a great saint of Islam in Kashmir namely Jenab Hazrat Sheikh Ahmad Tara Bal who lived 1201 -1278 AH. Actually the successors of the “Yasvi Dynesty” who had came to live in Mohalla TaraBal from there previous residence and who where contimporus of Jenab Hazrat Sheikh Ahmad Tarabal, There was a great amity and closeness between the two. As learnt from the history of “Yasvi” dynasty” unfair it was at the instance of the saint of Yesvi Sahib at Tar Bal who had great amity with Jenab Sheikh Jenab Ahmad Tara Bal that the latter need chosen to shift his residence from Nowpora Dalgate area to Srinagar city to Tarabal.

By

S.Affan Yesvi http://www.yasawi.com/

References

• John G. Bennett (1995). The Masters of Wisdom. Bennett Books. ISBN 1881408019.

http://www.yasawi.com/

External links

http://www.yasawi.com/

• Template:Ru icon UNESCO Heritage Mausoleum Hoja Ahmed Yasevi
• Template:Ru icon National Library of the Republic of Kazakhstan - Hoja Ahmed Yasaui
• Template:Ru icon Great Soviet Encyclopedia. Turkestan (city in Kazakh SSR)