Tokat İlmiyat Dergisi

Abstract

In this article, the process of acceptance of Islam by Turks, starting from its pre-Islamic state, is discussed. As a matter of fact, the conversion of Turks to Islam is important as it is an area that has many dimensions, including the changes in their religious and social lives, as well as the effects of this process on world history. Turks have been in a dynamic social structure throughout history, have been in contact with the civilizations around them and interacted with existing religions. Among the reasons that were effective in the conversion of the Turks to Islam, it was mentioned that the similarity of the belief in the god they had with the understanding of the only god in Islam and they are finding Islam suitable for their nature. In addition to explaining reasons why Turks, who knew various religions, accepted Islam, it should also be stated that this happened in a process. For this purpose, although it is mentioned in the article why Turks accepted Islam, our main interest has been in how this happened. In a sense, the Talas war, which took place in 751, is considered a milestone when Turks began to recognize Islam in terms of history. This article, it is aimed to show that some events before and after this also play a role. Thus, the conversion of Turks to Islam has been tried to be explained based on some historical information. It is accepted that Turks first became aware of Islam, after researching and learning about the religion of Islam, in which Arab conquest movements were influential, and then they became Muslims, and thus Islam spread among Turks. Here, the effect of the Turks' finding Islam suitable for their own structure should also be mentioned. However, it can be mentioned about various factors that were effective in the Islamization process of the Turks. For this purpose, when we look at the geography where Turks live, it is seen that it is between China, Iran, Russia and India. In the period when Islam began to spread, on the one hand, there was Chinese influence in this region politically and culturally, on the other hand, there were missionary activities of Christianity and Manichaeism. In addition, when Arab Islamic armies encountered Turks, there were the Gokturks, Uyghurs and Turkestan states. In other words, Turks did not lose their political presence while the conquest movements were taking place. The encounter of the Turks with Islam took place in such geography, both politically and religiously. At this point, it is necessary to mention the preaching activities of the Companions and followers, and the Muslims who came and settled in the region, among the reasons that were effective in the individual recognition and adoption of Islam by the Turks. Another factor can be counted as the fact that Turks served as soldiers in Arab-Islamic army. As a matter of fact, it is stated that Turks accepted Islam they knew during their service as soldiers and conveyed it to other people. However, it is stated that Turks served as soldiers during the Umayyad period, and this increased even more during the Abbasid period, but it is not known exactly when these started. The first remarkable event in the conversion of the Turks to Islam en masse is considered to be the battle of Talas. Because after that, it is claimed that the Chinese influence in the region weakened and more Muslims became influential. Apart from this event, the fact that Satuk Bugra Khan, the founder of the Karakhanids, became a Muslim together with his people, was also effective in the conversion to Islam in masses. In addition, Karakhanids are important as they are a period when Muslim Turkish scholars were raised. However, the fact that the characteristics of the Turks were compatible with Islam, and that Turks accepted that they were descendants of Noah's son Yafes, and that they positioned themselves in the history of Islam were effective in their adoption. The Prophet Muhammad's mention of Turks in some hadiths also plays a role. Therefore, it can be said that Turks accepted and adopted Islam with their own preferences. As seen in the narratives so far, besides some prominent historical events in the Islamization of Turks individually and in groups, the characteristics of Turks, their preaching activities and the role of some hadiths can be mentioned. Thus, it is understood that the Islamization of the Turks took place in a process and various reasons were effective in this.