The Great Turan and Islam

Timur Kozyrev, an expert at the Turkic Academy, discusses the origins of the Turkic peoples, the influence of Islam in shaping their culture, the concept of Turan as a unifying idea, and how Soviet policies worked to suppress Turkic identity throughout much of the twentieth century.

The very term ‘Turan’ comes from ancient Iranian mythology. In that worldview, there were two distinct spaces: Iran, representing the sedentary south, and Turan, the nomadic north. Both were populated by peoples perceived as foreign or non-Iranian. Over time, Turan became associated with the broader region of Central Asia.

Amir Timur called his own state Turan, styling himself as the amir, or ruler, of Turan. To him, Turan had already come to signify a Turkic homeland. The concept of Turan as we know it today is relatively recent. It emerged in the late nineteenth century against a backdrop of global developments, including the rise of national movements, the spread of nationalism, and the challenges faced by colonized peoples.

When it comes to the early formation of the Turkic peoples, some scholars point to ancient Sumer, others to the Scythians, Saka, or Xiongnu. However, the early population was diverse, likely made up of a mix of Turkic-speaking, Iranian-speaking, and other ethnic groups.

The first undeniably Turkic state was the Turkic Khaganate established in the sixth century. We have written sources, both reliable and original, from that period in the Turkic language. In fact, there are even earlier inscriptions in Turkic using the Brahmi and Sogdian scripts. But it was during this time that a distinctly Turkic script truly emerged.

The word ‘Turk’, according to the most widely accepted etymology, means order, law, or authority. The modern understanding of Turks, as a group of linguistically and culturally related peoples, was first clearly defined in Mahmud al-Kashgari’s Compendium of the Turkic Dialects (Diwan Lughat al-Turk).

From a cultural studies perspective, the modern notion of ‘Turk’ is already a product of Muslim civilization. Turkic peoples traditionally adopted Islam voluntarily.

In Central Asia, the spread of Islam occurred through trade, cultural exchange, and missionary efforts. There came a point when the rulers of Turkic states recognized—some out of genuine faith, others for strategic reasons—that Islam represented the future, and aligned their policies accordingly.

Jochi, for example, had a highly favorable view of Islam. He understood that while one could conquer the world on horseback, ruling it required cities—and those cities were Muslim. So opposing Islam would have been a losing strategy.

The medieval historian Minhaj-i Siraj Juzjani even reported, based on credible sources, that Batu Khan may have secretly converted to Islam. While this is only one of several theories, the existence of such a version reflects an awareness of Islam’s growing strategic importance even then.

Across the entire Turkic-speaking world—from the Volga to Central Asia, with the exception of the Ottoman Empire and Safavid Iran—a common literary language known as Chagatai was in wide use, remaining relevant up until the late nineteenth century. 

Educated elites shared a single linguistic, cultural, and intellectual space. People could read one another’s works, understand shared concepts, and engage with the same cultural references.

In the 1930s, not only was there a purge of the national intellectual elite, but Turkologists, many of whom had loyally served the Soviet system, were also targeted. They had created alphabets, had written grammars, and had no pan-Turkic agenda. But the very field of Turkology was seen as dangerous as it legitimized the idea of Turkicness. The discipline was effectively dismantled—only to be revived again in the 1960s.

The Turkic world is a vast historical and cultural concept, encompassing much more than just the Turkic peoples. It includes everything connected to them — their history, influence, and legacy. For instance, Pakistan isn’t formally a Turkic nation, but it has deep historical ties to the Turkic world.

There are Turkic peoples living within major powers like Russia, China, and Iran. I believe we should view them as bridges, not adversaries, between the Turkic core and these countries. The goal should be constructive engagement, not opposition. 

An important point to remember is that within the Organization of Turkic StatesiThe Organization of Turkic States, previously called the Turkic Council, is a group that brings Turkic-speaking countries together and encourages collaboration in trade, science, education, and transport between them., all members are equal. This sometimes slows down cooperation. But as the saying goes, slow and steady wins the race. Consider how long it took to build the European Union, and yet it works. What makes it work is institutional equality, even if real-world power is never fully equal. The principles of equal rights and shared governance must be upheld.