Abstract
Symbolism of Numbers in Ahmed Yasawi’s Aphorisms
It is known that people have used symbols since the
early ages. In the process of time, with oral and written
traditions, symbols have become an inseparable element of
myths, legends, epics, social and religious culture,
literature and poetry. Poets use a symbolic language in
expressing their emotions and ideas. One of the elements
of symbolic language is numbers. The origin of symbolism
of numbers date back to Sumerian and Babylonian
civilizations and it has developed with the effect of various
cultures, and therefore has had an influence on Turkish
and Islamic cultures. Being in almost all fields from the
most primitive/unreasoning beliefs to scientific studies,
numbers are a kind of source referred not only in numeric
fields, but also in social sciences. While some of the
numbers are especially used more frequently in different
cultures, other numbers are used less. For instance, the fact
that numbers such as three, four, five, seven, nine and forty
are given special meanings in Turkish culture and they are
considered holy makes itself evident in fairy tales, epics,
stories, proverbs and in superstitions.
Pîr-i (Father of) Turkistan Khoja Ahmed Yasawi, who
is the founder of Yasawiya sect that bears importance in
terms of being the first ever sect to be founded by Turks in
Anatolia and who acted as a spiritual leader for the
spreading of Islam in Anatolia and who is a guide for both
Islamic-sufistic circles and for all cultures via the
universal messages he gave, and who has great importance
for being the author of the work named Diwan-i Hikmat,
used this symbolic language in this work. It is seen when
the work is examined from the beginning to the end that he greatly gives place especially to symbolism of numbers,
which is the subject of this study. In particular, numbers
such as one, five, seven, eight, forty draw attention in
Yasawi’s poetry.
Keywords
Symbolism, symbolism of numbers, Khoja Ahmed Yasawi, Diwan-i Hikmat, literature.