NUR-NAME WRITTEN IN CHAGHATAI TURKISH

Abstract

It is seen that the concept of Nur-ı Muhammedî, which is adopted and explained by Islamic scholars and mystical movements based on verses and hadiths, is the subject of both western Turkish literature and eastern Turkish literature. Before creating the universe, God created the light of prophecy, waited a hundred thousand years, and then created all the remaining creatures from this light. The Nur-ı Muhammedî was transferred from prophet to prophet, and finally decided on Prophet Muhammad. It is a belief accepted in Islamic mysticism that he continued his existence through the four caliphs and saints after his death, and that the world survived in this way. These works about Nur-ı Muhammedî has been written in prose form and have taken their place in literature under the name of nur-name. Nur-names were identified and studied in the Ottoman lands at the beginning of the 17th century and in the Chaghatai lands at the beginning of the 20th century. In addition to the three works identified in Turkish so far, the Nur-name, which we will discuss in this study, was found in Konya Ahmet Rasih Izzet Koyunoğlu City Museum and Library. It is seen that the language of the manuscript is recorded as Ottoman Turkish in the catalogue. The date and author of the manuscript, whose language is Chaghatai Turkish, is unknown. It differs from the two nur-names, which were previously identified as lithographs, in terms of content and vocabulary. We will make some points about both the content and language of the work through transliteration. In particular, we will point out some issues regarding the spelling of Chaghatai Turkish.