It is generally believed that the Turks encountered Islam during the campaigns of the Umayyad Caliphate in Asia. However, they did not embrace Islam as their religion at that time. An accurate acquaintance with Islam happened during the Abbasid period, especially after the Battle of Talas — a step back in history to trace the actual encounter.

It is generally believed that the Turks encountered Islam during the campaigns of Umayyad Caliphate in Asia. However, they did not embrace Islam as their religion at that time. The main reason was the policies implemented by the Umayyad in the region. An accurate acquaintance with Islam happened during the Abbasid period, especially after the Battle of Talas between the Abbasids and the Chinese. Allow us to take a step back in history to dive into the details.

During the reign of Caliph Umar, the conquest of the Sassanian Empire strategically situated the Islamic state in close proximity to the region of Khorasan. Nonetheless, the local Persian tribes and smaller Turkish principalities rebelled, forcing the Islamic army to withdraw. Subsequently during Caliph Uthman’s rule, the governor of Basra initiated a new campaign. Although some conquests were achieved, internal conflicts within the state interrupted progress. Similarly, during Caliph Ali’s reign, no conquests occurred due to ongoing unrest.

Following the ascension of the Umayyads to power, the emphasis on jihad, which had been central during the era of the Prophet Muhammad and the first four caliphs, was sidelined. Their primary goal was to bolster the Umayyad state’s economy through conquests. As a result, campaigns resumed, and cities located east of the Jeyhun River were conquered. Qutayba bin Muslim was appointed as the governor of Khorasan. Qutayba, though highly skilled, was notorious for his ruthlessness, carrying out massacres and looting in places like Beykent and Talekan. After the caliph’s death, Qutayba rebelled against the new caliph but was killed by his own soldiers. A new governor was appointed, but he was also exhibiting merciless behaviour, suppressing revolts with extreme severity, as seen in Jurjan, where he slaughtered the male population.

After 25 to 30 years of stagnation, descendants of Prophet Muhammad’s uncle Abbas rose to power and overthrew the Umayyads. The Abbasid caliphate adopted policies entirely contrary to those of the Umayyads. By fostering an atmosphere of tolerance, they reached out to other nations and spread Islam. However, Turks remained distant from Arabs due to their unfavourable experiences under the Umayyad regime. At the same time, Turkish regions were acting independently. The Karluks sought support from the Chinese, inviting their forces into the eastern part of Transoxiana. However, instead of helping, the Chinese killed Turkish leaders and took control of the area. In the west, the Abbasids, aware of the Chinese threat, moved to confront them near the Talas River. Both armies fought on the day of the battle, beginning with archery, followed by cavalry clashes. During the initial four days, the Abbasids suffered significant losses, and the Chinese anticipated victory. On the fifth day, Kao Sien‑Chih commanded an attack on the Karluk cavalry, but instead of targeting the Abbasids, the Turkish horsemen turned against the Chinese. Caught by surprise, the Chinese forces were devastated with the support of the Abbasids.

The reasons behind this pivotal event include

  • A secret agreement was made between Abbasid commanders and Turkish leaders the night before the battle.
  • The Turks’ awareness of the true nature of the Chinese, led them to ally with the Abbasids.

As a result of this alliance, the Turks became heroes of the battle, and with the diminishing Chinese influence, Islam gained a foothold in Central Asia. However, the majority of the Turks still did not embrace Islam. The actual spread of Islam among the Turks began in the 9th century through their interactions with the Persians. It is noteworthy that the Turks learned about Islam not from Arabs, but rather from the Persians. This process began with the Karakhanids and continued until the Ottoman era. In conclusion, the process that commenced in the 9th century was completed by the 18th century, during which most Turks adopted Islam as their religion.

References

  • Dft Tarih. “How Did Turks Become Muslim? By Sword or By Their Own Wills?” — Towards Eternity, YouTube. https://youtu.be/DORh6qifSfc
  • Türkler, Cilt I, Editörler: Hasan Celal Güzel, Prof. Dr. Kemal Çiçek, Prof. Dr. Salim Koca. Yeni Türkiye Yayınları, s. 67.
  • Zekeriya Kitapçı, Türkistan’ın Müslüman Araplar Tarafından Fethi, Yedikubbe Yayınları, s. 185–186.
  • Fuad Köprülü, Türk Edebiyatında İlk Mutasavvıflar, 13.
  • Gibb, H. A. R. (1923). The Arab Conquests in Central Asia. London: The Royal Asiatic Society. OCLC 499987512.

[Figure omitted — see PDF page 9 for the Battle of Talas region map showing the Tang Empire, Karluk, Khorasan, and Abbasid Caliphate.]