ETHICAL NORM AND EXISTENTIAL EXPERIENCE OF SHARIGA AND TARIKAT

Abstract

The purpose of our study is to examine the concepts of Sharia and Tariqah, which underlie the worldview of Khoja Ahmed Yassawi, from a philosophical perspective that goes beyond classical religious interpretations. This article examines Sharia as an ethical and normative framework regulating social and individual behavior, while Tariqah is interpreted as an existential sphere of experience aimed at the inner transformation of the individual. In this context, Yassawi's worldview, along with Sufism, is considered a holistic philosophical model explaining the moral, existential, and conscious development of humanity. The main goal of our work is to rethink the relationship between Sharia and Tariqah within the framework of ethics and existential philosophy and to identify the role of these two concepts in the process of human self-development. The study analyzes how moral norms are integrated with the individual's inner experience in Yassawi's worldview and how this process contributes to the search for existential meaning. The scientific significance of our article lies in its examination of Sufi thought within the context of philosophical anthropology, ethics, and existential philosophy. From a practical perspective, it demonstrates how traditional spiritual teachings can serve as a guide for addressing the moral and existential challenges of modern humanity.

Methodologically, the study utilizes hermeneutic analysis, conceptual analysis, and comparative philosophical methods. Yassawi's works, particularly Divān-i Hikmāt, are examined at the contextual and conceptual levels. The study concludes that Sharia provides an ethical foundation, and Sufi discipline facilitates the penetration of this foundation into the inner world through the individual's existential experience. Our article demonstrates that Yasavi's worldview represents a unique philosophical system based on the moral and existential integrity of humanity. In this sense, the study contributes to the field of Islamic worldview and Sufi philosophy and offers a new perspective on contemporary ethical and existential debates.