hoja ahmed Yassawi

Sufi Master  and Poet

Hoja Ahmed Yassawi was born in Sayram, now part of present day Southern Kazakhstan, in 1093 and from the age of three, his momentous and epic life journey took on a draught of experience that would become one of the great stories of mystic journeying ever embarked upon.

During his life 'above ground' Yassawi became famed as an insightful and spiritual figurehead. He also partook in trade and was successful in that. Between bouts of material success and community leadership he found time to visit the great sheiks and Imams of the day, in his ongoing search and desire for communion with God. 

He also took on the role of family life, and between at least four of five wives, sired two offspring. His son died early in his teens and his daughter was to be Yassawi's only remaining offspring. As was the custom then, several wives were the norm. Yassawi, a devoted follower of the Prophet (pbuh), he would have been keen to follow his example.

He took on this same devotion, when at sixty three (the age Muhammad (pbuh) died), he decided he could not live longer than him in the world. He therefore committed himself to 'dying to live'. This saw him remove himself from all earthly ties and go into an underground cell where he was to pass a further sixty three years till his own passing.

It was during this time spent in prayer, communion and contemplation that he wrote his some ninety nine thousand Hikmet. Diwani Hikmet (Divine Wisdom) is all that remains, to date, of his sacred inheritance.... Order here


" I wrote 'The Second Book' that you remember,
My soul begs you read to your heart's content,
I pray it brings you close to the Lord,
Merciful Master, pleading I come to you, Yes I. "
Hoja Ahmed Yassawi