Ruhnama

The Ruhnama, or Rukhnama, translated into English as Book of the Soul, is a two volume work written by Saparmurat Niyazov, the president of Turkmenistan from 1990 to 2006. It is a book about the philosophical interplay between ethics and the future success of states where in this book the particular in the case study is Turkmenistan which is the modern version of the nation state of the Seljuk Empire and Oghuz Yabgu State as well as numerous other states founded by Turkmenistani. The book is a thorough discussion of the history of Turkmen, Turkmen religion, Turkmen culture, ect. It was intended to serve as a tool of state propaganda, emphasising the basis of the Turkmen nation.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=":2">Template:Cite journal</ref>

The Ruhnama was introduced to Turkmen culture in a gradual but eventually pervasive way. Niyazov first placed copies in the nation's schools and libraries but eventually went as far as to make an exam on its teachings an element of the driving test. It was mandatory to read Ruhnama in schools, universities and governmental organisations. New governmental employees were tested on the book at job interviews.

After the death of Niyazov in December 2006, its popularity remained high.Template:Citation needed However, in the following years, its ubiquity had waned as President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow removed it from the public school curriculum and halted the practice of testing university applicants on their knowledge of the book.Template:Citation needed

Background

Epics had played multiple important roles in the social life of Central Asia across centuries.<ref name=":2" /> Pre-modern rulers of these regions usually appropriated the text and invented a connection between themselves and the epic-cast, to seek legitimacy for their new order.<ref name=":2" />

Stalin had considered these epics to be "politically suspicious" and capable of inciting nationalist feelings among the masses; almost all significant Turkmen epics were condemned and banned by 1951–52.<ref name=":2" /> These epics would be rehabilitated back into public (and academic) discourse only with the onset of Glasnost.<ref name=":2" />Template:Efn Ruhnama built on this rehabilitation phase.<ref name=":2" />

Production

Niyazov claimed to have received a prophetic vision where Turkmen ancestors of eminence urged him to lead Turkmens to the "golden path of life".<ref name=":2" /> The first version was released in the 1990s but soon withdrawn because it did not fulfill Niyazov's expectations.<ref name=":13">Template:Cite book</ref> Preparations for the revised book were underway as early as April 1999, when Niyazov declared that Mukkadesh Ruhnama ("The Holy Ruhnama") would be the second landmark text of Turkmens, after the Quran.<ref name=":2" /><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

The first volume was finally published in December 2001.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=":15" /> On 18 February 2001, it was accepted at the 10th joint meeting of the State Assembly of Elders of Turkmenistan, and National Assembly.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> In September 2004, Niyazov issued a second volume.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":5">Template:Cite news</ref>Template:Efn An edited volume on the Ruhnama, published a year later, quotes his overall purpose to have lain in highlighting the nation's significant contributions to fields of art and science.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

Victoria Clement and Riccardo Nicolosi suspect that the work was ghost-written.<ref name=":15" /><ref name=":16" />

Genre

Scholars note Ruhnama to be a "mosaic" of different literary genres, the text combines spiritual and political advice, legends, autobiography, short stories, poems, and (fabricated) Turkmen history.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":0">Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite bookTemplate:Page needed</ref> Written to "recover real Turkmen history without Soviet distortions", Niyazov promised the return of an atavist past from the times of Oghuz Khagan, but only if the conduct of ancient Turkmens were emulated in accordance to his sage guidance.<ref name=":2" /> Template:Quote box

According to Amieke Bouma, a scholar of post-socialist historiography, it is best treated as an epic in its own right: the Oğuzname of the third millennium.<ref name=":2" /> Tanya L. Shields reads it as an anti-colonial autobiography, which gets "almost comic in its grandiosity".<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> It has been compared to Kemal Atatürk's Nutuk, and Leonid Brezhnev's Trilogiya.<ref name=":3" />

Contents

Volume 1

Stories and proverbs are borrowed from existing Turkmen epics – Oğuzname, Book of Dede Korkut, and Epic of Koroghlu – in preaching of morals and promotion of a model code of conduct.<ref name=":2" /> These are often supplemented with Niyazov's explanatory annotations.<ref name=":2" />Template:Efn Virtues like generosity, unity, humility, hospitality, patience, honesty, defence of fatherland, protection of female dignity, and caring for horses (something that is placed into utmost importance by Niyazov's successor) are emphasised upon.<ref name=":2" /> Some of his own poems singing paeans of the Turkmen are present, too.<ref name=":2" />

The Shajara-i Tarākima (unattributed) and writings of Ahmad ibn Fadlan are relied upon for a reconstruction of national history.<ref name=":3" /> Some seventy states are alleged to have been established by them – the Anau culture, Parthian Empire, Achaemenid Empire, Seljuk Empire, and Ottoman Empire among others – till the eighteenth century; this entire span was simultaneously periodised into four epic-epochs.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" />Template:Efn Distinct since the inception of humans,Template:Efn the Turkmen were the same as the Turks and descended from the venerable Noah via Oghuz Khagan, who had set up the first polity c. 5000 years ago.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" /><ref name=":11">Template:Cite book</ref>Template:EfnTemplate:Efn Warfare was apparently rare, and the state always preferred peace. Despite vague references to archaeo-historical evidence to support this range of pioneer assertions, there is a total lack of source material, as understood in an academic sense.<ref name=":2" />

The Persian sphere of influence on Turkmen polity across medieval era was neatly purged; though, Zoroaster was appropriated as a Turkmen hero who had advised people to not abide by Mazdak's path of fire-worship.<ref name=":3" /> Both 18th and 19th century – integral to the foundation of modern Turkmenistan – are skipped except for the mention of Magtymguly Pyragy and the Battle of Geok Tepe.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":13" /><ref name=":11" /> Soviet Turkmenistan is described in a single page, where it is blamed for colonisation.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> The narrative resumes with Niyazov ushering in independence of the state. Several of his specific policies find a mention.<ref name=":2" />

Niyazov's life is described to great details throughout the text – loss of parents in childhood, attachment to land, and his patriotic zeal for attaining sovereignty from Soviet imperialism. These descriptions form an embedded strata of the volume.<ref name=":2" />

Volume 2

Drafted with explicit parallels to the Quran, this volume asked that the Ruhnama be recited as regular prayer after purifying oneself; it was also to never lie in an improper place.<ref name=":2" />

Thematically, the volume is concerned with morals and ethics. A total of 21 chapters deal with optimum manners and decorum for different situations and target audiences.<ref name=":2" /> Niyazov's own narration gains a position of authority; he does not always seek support from the epics to support his positions.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":16">Template:Cite book</ref>

Society

Niyazov

Niccolosi notes Ruhnama to have transformed Turkmenistan into an "epideictic space", which was in "permanent, unanimous exultation of the person of Niyazov".<ref name=":16" /> Bouma found the Ruhnama to rebirth Turkmenistan under Niyazov's responsible leadership.<ref name=":2" /> The most significant component of ideological propaganda during the later phase of Niyazov's personality cult, the text was a marker of politico-cultural literacy and key to survival in post-Soviet Turkmenistan.<ref name=":12">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":8">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name=":9">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref name=":15">Template:Cite book</ref> Niyazov claimed those who read it thrice were destined for heaven.<ref name=":13" /><ref name=":0" /><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>Template:Efn

After the publication of the second volume, Niyazov had mosques and churches display the Ruhnama as prominently as the Quran and Bible, and cite its passages during sermons.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":13" /><ref name=":8" /> The Türkmenbaşy Ruhy Mosque, which was commissioned in 2002 at his birthplace, is the largest mosque in Central Asia and features engravings from the Ruhnama as well as the Quran across its wall and minarets.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":16" /><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>Template:Efn A twenty foot RUC detected a unit. (...) tall neon Ruhnama was erected at an Ashgabat park in 2003.<ref name=":17">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name=":8" />Template:Efn A mural of Niyazov drafting the Ruhnama has been put in place, too.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> In August 2005, the first volume was launched into orbit so that it could "conquer space".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

A photo-journalistic essay in 2006 noted the nation to be filled with advertisements of Ruhnama – each at a cost of two dollars.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name=":15" /> Government offices featured the Ruhnama prominently on their desk (often devoting a separate room), and state media regularly broadcast their content, with religious reverence.<ref name=":8" /><ref name=":12" /><ref name=":6">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=":15" />Template:Efn Official ceremonies featured hundreds of Turkmens singing from the book.<ref name="newyorker">Template:Cite magazine</ref> 12 September was declared a national holiday.<ref name=":13" />

Education

Ruhnama was the most integral aspect of the national educational curriculum across multiple domains.<ref name=":13" /><ref name=":4">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name=":9" /><ref name=":16" /> This emphasis on Ruhnama obviously ran in parallel to a rapid deterioration in overall standards of education.<ref name=":13" /><ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

A course in Ruhnama was mandated for all students in school as part of social sciences.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":8" /> It was also made a required reading across all universities, and knowledge of the text was necessary for holding state employment; this perpetuated discrimination on minorities who were not proficient in Turkmen.<ref name=":13" /><ref name=":15" /><ref name=":0" /><ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref name=":10">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref>Template:EfnTemplate:Efn Turkmen State University even had a "Department of the Holy Ruhnama of Türkmenbaşy the Great", and Ruhnama Studies were pursued as a major research agenda in the country, often at the cost of academic disciplines.<ref name=":13" /><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

The text also doubled as the sole government-approved version of history across all Turkmen schools until Niyazov's demise, and had a substantial negative effect on academic scholarship.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":13" /><ref name=":8" />Template:Efn Several conferences on Ruhnama itself were organised by historical and cultural institutes.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":12" />Template:Efn Other common topics were Turkmen epics, ancient Turkmen culture, and men of eminence – all deriving from Ruhnama.<ref name=":2" />Template:Efn The only books which were allowed to be published were those whose views were in service of Ruhnama; Turkmenistan does not have a significant record of public debates surrounding history, unlike other post-Soviet states.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":8" /><ref name=":15" />Template:Efn

In 2004, primary and secondary schools were assigned between two and four hours a week to Ruhnama while universities were assigned from four to eight hours.<ref name=":15" />Template:Efn 26 of the 57 examination cards for the 2006 Turkmenistan University Entrance Examination revolved around themes set in Ruhnama.<ref name=":4" />Template:Efn In the words of Laura E. Kennedy, Ruhnama was taught with a theological zeal.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

Berdimuhamedow

In his early days, Ruhnama was led away from its earlier spot-of-prominence though it continued to be a part of educational curricula.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":14">Template:Cite book</ref> In Spring of 2007, official references to Ruhnama were trimmed and around 2009–10, television broadcasts of Ruhnama stopped.<ref name=":14" /> Scholars have noted these incremental changes to fit Berdimuhamedow's posturing as a would-be harbinger of Turkmen renaissance, which necessitated partial critique of his predecessor's tenure.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":14" />

In 2011, the requirement to pass a secondary-school examination on the Ruhnama was rescinded.<ref name=":7">Template:Cite news</ref> And in 2014, it was finally declared that Turkmen universities would no longer test applicants on their knowledge of the book, in what Slavomir Horak interpreted as the total purge of Ruhnama from Turkmen educational curricula.<ref name=":1">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

It has been noted that books written by Berdimuhamedow, Niyazov's successor, had begun to be included in coursework following his inauguration as leader. Luca Anceschi, an expert on the region and University of Glasgow professor, saw this as a transfer of Niyazov's cult of personality to Berdimuhamedow.<ref name=":7" /><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Translations

The Ruhnama has been translated to over 50 languages.<ref name=":3" /> These translations were primarily designed by foreign corporations to gain a cordial relationship with Niyazov, and were not meant for international consumption.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name=":10" />Template:Efn

These state-authorized translations vary substantially from one to another, leading Dan Shapira to conclude that the text remains in flux.<ref name=":3" /><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> The English version was translated from a Turkish translation of Ruhnama; it does not correspond to the Turkmen version in many places, but is generally more accurate and bulky than the Russian translation.<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":2" />

Media

Shadow of the Holy Book is a documentary on human rights abuses in Turkmenistan.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name="newyorker" />

See also

• Quotations from Chairman Mao Tse-tung
• The Green Book
• Bibliolatry