“Divon-i Hikmat”

This manuscript represents a copy of Divan-i Hikmat, the celebrated spiritual work of Khoja Ahmad Yasawi, one of the most influential Sufi masters of the Turkic world in the twelfth century.
The work consists of poetic teachings known as hikmats, in which the author presents moral guidance, spiritual discipline, and Sufi interpretations of Islam in an accessible literary form.
One of the most remarkable aspects of this work is its language. Unlike most theological literature of the period, which was written in Arabic or Persian, Ahmad Yasawi composed his teachings in a Turkic language, making Islamic ideas accessible to broader communities of Central Asia.
This manuscript is a later eighteenth-century copy, demonstrating the enduring popularity of the text. Its restrained decoration reflects the aesthetic ideals of Sufi culture, where spiritual meaning takes precedence over outward luxury.
The manuscript illustrates the important role of Sufi networks in the spread of Islam and the formation of spiritual culture among the Turkic peoples of Central Asia.