SUFISM IN THE POLITICAL HISTORY OF EASTERN TURKESTAN (16TH – 18TH CENTURIES)

Islam, as an established system and a 'living tradition', has a genuine opportunity to organise and direct substantial human resources towards its goals, offering an alternative development strategy. The current political landscape in Central Asia suggests that political Sufism has emerged as a significant new force. The ideological evolution of Islam necessitates a timely reassessment of its accumulated historical experience. Political Sufism has asserted itself with particular force in the history of East Turkestan, where Sufi khojas held the highest political power and governed the region for over a century. The aim of this study is to demonstrate the influence of Sufism on the history of Central Asian states, using East Turkestan as a case study. The history of East Turkestan is re-examined from a fresh perspective, highlighting its relationship with political Sufism. The methodological framework for this research is based on the principles of historicism, along with dialectical and systemic approaches to studying historical processes. The use of a research method that relies predominantly on local, lesser-known sources represents an innovative approach to achieving the research objectives. Comparative analysis of information from local sources, Chinese chronicles, and existing scholarly studies provides an additional means to fulfil the research aims. The study reveals the multifaceted nature of Sufism and its manifestation within the political domain, which had a significant impact on historical developments in Central Asia.