THE ROLE OF AHMET YESEVI'S TEACHINGS IN THE FORMATION OF NATIONAL IDENTITY AMONG KAZAKH YOUTH
Authors/Creators
- 1. Bursa Technical University, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Department of Sociology, Bursa, Türkiye Bursa Technical University, School of Communication, Department of New Media and Communication, Bursa, Türkiye Adiyaman University, Besni Vocational School, Adiyaman, Türkiye Bursa Uludağ University, Faculty of Education, Bursa, Türkiye Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Department of Turkology and Language Theory, Almaty, Kazakhstan
Description
Ahmet Yesevi structured his doctrine around four principles (Sharia, Tariqa, Marifa, and Haqiqa) collectively known as the “Four Gates.” In his framework, these stages constitute a spiritual seeker’s progressive search for meaning. This study examines the influence of Yesevi’s teachings on the construction of national identity among Kazakh university students in Türkiye. Adopting a qualitative research design, in-depth interviews were conducted with Kazakh students enrolled in Turkish universities. Participants were selected through purposive sampling, guided by criteria such as attachment to cultural identity, engagement with spiritual values, and familiarity with Yesevi’s thought. The central research question addresses how the “Four Gates” doctrine shapes these students’ perceptions of identity. The findings indicate that participants perceive Ahmet Yesevi not merely as a historical figure but as a cultural and spiritual guide. His Sufi-oriented approach (emphasizing unity, fraternity, and Turkic-Islamic values) emerges as a salient reference point in their identity formation. Participants reported acquiring knowledge of Yesevi through family transmission, religious education, and official historical narratives in Kazakhstan. At the same time, the academic environment in Türkiye appears to foster critical reflection, prompting a re-evaluation and reinterpretation of these inherited perspectives. The study demonstrates how cultural heritage is reproduced within a diasporic context and how it shapes individual identity perceptions. It concludes that Yesevi’s teachings continue to function as a unifying and meaning-making element for Kazakh youth, even in contemporary settings. Moreover, the “Four Gates” doctrine operates not only as a historical instrument of identity construction but also as an enduring framework influencing Kazakh students in Türkiye today-serving as a key reference point in their engagement with spiritual values, cultural belonging, and the broader search for meaning.