THE PHONETIC AND MORPHOLOGICAL STRUCTURE OF THE “KUDRETNÂME” TEXT

10.52773/tsuull.conf.2026.23.05/YSHG6742

Abstract

Kudretnâme, attributed to Hoca Ahmed Yesevî and discovered in recent
years, is a didactic work written in verse that centers on the absolute power of Allah and the act
of creation while addressing the principles of Islamic belief. The creation of the universe out of
nothingness, the order of the cosmos, and the creation of humankind are evaluated within the
framework of divine destiny. The understanding of the light of Prophet Muhammad, descriptions
of the Throne (Arsh) and the Footstool (Kursi), as well as the creation of natural elements, are
presented as manifestations of divine power. The work includes narratives of many prophets from
Adam to Muhammad, and the hardships they endured are discussed in the context of patience,
submission, and trust in God. The transience of worldly life, the impermanence of wealth and
property, awareness of the Hereafter, and the importance of repentance constitute the main
themes of the text. Kudretnâme possesses a plain and instructive style in terms of language and
expression and was composed in historical Turkic belonging to the Chagatai literary language
tradition. The text is shaped within the framework of an Islamic, particularly Sufi, worldview. As
a spiritual continuation of the Yesevî wisdom tradition (hikmets), the work reflects the author’s
religious and mystical perspective as well as the relationship between human beings and the
Creator within a profound Sufi and moral framework. Therefore, it can be regarded as one of the
important examples of Turkish Sufi literature. The manuscript examined in this study is
preserved in the Manuscript Collection of the Abu Rayhan Biruni Institute of Oriental Studies in
the Republic of Uzbekistan under inventory number 7174 with the title Kudretnâme-i Sultânü'lÂrifîn.
The manuscript was copied in the Arabic script and measures 12.5 × 20 cm. Each page
contains 15 lines, and although the text is generally arranged in a single-column format, some
folios display a two-column layout. The manuscript covers folios 1b–41a and consists of a total
of 41 couplets. The Kudretnâme section itself is located between folios 1b–4b. The exact date of
copying is not specified. Nevertheless, the Sufi terminology and religious content within the text
clearly indicate that the work belongs to the medieval Turkic-Islamic cultural sphere. This article
examines the structure, linguistic features, and poetic characteristics of the Kudretnâme text and
evaluates the place and influence of Hoca Ahmed Yesevî in Sufi poetry