The Conception of Existence in Pre-Islamic Turks

Abstract

This study aims to examine the historical position of pre-Islamic Turkic society and to analyze the fundamental approaches developed in that period regarding the concepts of the individual and the community. The lifestyle adopted by the Turks at that time reflected a predominantly collective orientation, allowing the individual’s existence to be shaped through close interaction with social structures. Alongside this communal framework, the Gök Tengri (Tengri) belief system—deeply intertwined with cosmological conceptions—constituted the core of the period’s intellectual worldview. Another dimension of the study is to conduct a comparative analysis between the understanding of the human being in pre-Islamic Turkic thought and the theories proposed by both theistic and atheistic thinkers of 19th- and 20th-century existentialist philosophy—particularly Søren Kierkegaard, Jean-Paul Sartre, and Friedrich Nietzsche—regarding the human search for meaning and the nature of human existence.

Extended Abstract: This study aims to holistically examine the conception of existence, universe, god, society, and the human being in pre-Islamic Turkish society and to analyze this conception comparatively with the 19th and 20th-century Western existential philosophy. The primary findings of the research are shaped through primary sources such as the Orkhon Inscriptions and Kutadgu Bilig.

The findings of the study indicate that the belief in Sky God (Tengri) was central to pre-Islamic Turkish thought. Tengri is the absolute, eternal, and everlasting creator and ruler of the cosmic order. This theological system is supported by a tripartite conception of the universe (Sky, Earth, Underworld). The Sky, as the abode of Tengri, constitutes the uppermost and most sacred layer; the Earth is depicted as the living space where all beings, animate and inanimate, possess a spirit; and the Underworld is described as a dark realm ruled by evil spirits. This cosmological model, in contrast to the agnostic and speculative approaches in Western philosophy, offers a defined, certain, and collectively accepted worldview.

Upon examining the social structure, it was found that a collective understanding prevailed, influenced by the nomadic lifestyle. The existence of the individual was directly linked to the existence and well-being of the community. Equality, justice, and social responsibility formed the basis of their legal and governance understanding. Within this structure, women held a relatively respected position, and respect for family and ancestors played a key role in strengthening social bonds. As emphasized in Kutadgu Bilig, wisdom and morality were considered the fundamental support for the survival of both the individual and the state.

The understanding of God, defined by the attributes "supreme, exalted, and infinite," positions Tengri more as an observer rather than a direct intervener in the universe. What is expected from humans is not rituals but leading a just and virtuous life. Death was perceived not as annihilation but as a transformation referred to as "flying" (uçmak). This understanding also carries a fundamentally fatalistic dimension.

The findings of the comparative analysis dimension of the research reveal a fundamental philosophical distinction between the pre-Islamic Turkish conception of existence and Western existentialism. While Turkish thought centered on collectivity, social harmony, and an existence integrated with nature, thinkers like Kierkegaard, Sartre, and Nietzsche emphasized the singular, autonomous, and often anguished (angst) existence of the individual. For instance, the Turkish understanding of social responsibility and "kut" (divine mandate) contrasts with Nietzsche's idea of rejecting all values and creating the "overman"; the cosmic order and morality based on Tengri contradict Sartre's idea of the "absence of God" and the necessity for humans to create their own values. Similarly, Kierkegaard's emphasis on individual and subjective faith stands in sharp contrast to the Turks' collective and socially practiced belief system.

In conclusion, the conception of existence in pre-Islamic Turks is a coherent system in which theological, cosmological, and sociological dimensions are tightly interwoven. This system is built upon a collective ethics of existence that does not separate the individual from the community, humans from nature, or the worldly from the sacred. This study demonstrates that this conception fundamentally diverges from Western existential paradigms that place the individual at the center and position them as "homeless" in the universe. Turkish thought finds the meaning of existence in the effort to lead a virtuous life in harmony with the cosmic order, within social bonds.